Football Daily - Women’s Football Weekly: Inside Arsenal with Alessia & Lotte plus Lionesses squad

Episode Date: February 11, 2025

Ellen White, Jen Beattie and Ben Haines are at the Arsenal training ground catching up with Alessia Russo and Lotte Wubben-Moy! Alessia and Lotte share an insight into what it’s been like since Renee Slegers has been in charge and how that has helped on the pitch. Alessia and Ellen talk the pressure that comes with wearing the England number 9. Plus the team talk North London derby this weekend and playing at the Emirates. Sarina Wiegman announced her England squad that will play Portugal and Spain in the Nations League and tells Rob Schofield why Chloe Kelly has been left out while Nikita Parris makes her return. 00:20 Intro 02:00 Hello Alessia & Lotte! 05:10 Renee Slegers impact 08:30 Kelly Smith & strikers 16:15 Life outside football 25:00 Playing at the Emirates 29:15 North London derby 36:15 Lionesses team & Sarina WiegmanBBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries this week: Tue 11 Feb 2000 Exeter vs Nottingham Forest in FA Cup on 5 Sports Extra, Tue 11 Feb 2000 Man City vs Real Madrid in UEFA Champions League Wed 12 Feb 2000 Celtic vs Bayern Munich in UEFA Champions League

BBC Sounds music radio podcasts. On the Football Daily, the Women's Football Weekly with Ben Haynes, Ellen White and Jen Beattie. Hello and welcome to the Women's Football Weekly. In a moment you'll hear a really fascinating conversation that Jen, Ellen and I had with Alessia Russo and Lotto Abomoy when we spent the afternoon at Arsenal's training ground. We covered loads, life on and off the pitch, how they're getting on with new boss René Slaygers, a surprise team talk that blew them away, and then there is of course the small matter of a North London derby on Sunday,

coverage of that one on BBC2 by the way. Also a little bit later on we're going to be diving into all of the talking points from Serena Vigman's England squad announcement that took place on Tuesday afternoon. That's ahead of the Nations League games against Portugal and Spain but first let's head to North London or North of North London and London Coney for our conversation with Alessia Russo and Lotta Wabamoi. On the Football Daily, the Women's Football Weekly with Ben Haynes, Ellen White and Jen Beatty. Hello everyone and welcome to the Women's Football Weekly, a very special episode this week. I've been on the road with the podcast up and down the country. Ellen, we've been on the road before St George's Park and Jen has been on the road with the pod to Glasgow, but we thought it was about time for a group school trip.

So we're down at London Coney with former Arsenal striker Ellen White, former Arsenal defender, Jen Beatty, to welcome two very special guests to the pod. So a very warm welcome to Lotto Aboumoy and Alessia Russo. Thank you so much for joining us. Woo, woof, woo, woo, woo. Talk to us a little bit about the atmosphere here

at the moment. You seem like a close-knit group, but there's definitely from the outside looking in, been a shift in at least the energy around the place. Is that something you felt internally? Definitely. I mean, I look at Les and she's playing with so much confidence and that's obviously shown on the pitch,

but that's only 50% of what we actually do as professional footballers. The hard graft is done day in, day out. Even like sat in the canteen, like chatting, like those are the moments that I think are underrated and actually contribute to feeling more, yeah, close as a team, happy as a team. And I think you can see that on the pitch,

everyone's smiling and enjoying themselves. And I know Les and I definitely are. Take us into those moments though, Lox, because the start of the season was really difficult, right? Lose your manager, struggling to pick up points. Like what Ben's saying, that's totally changed now. Take us into those moments where Renee's talking. I'm sure she's made a huge impact on all of you, but is it pregame talks? Where does the calmness come from? Is it from each other or Renee?

Interesting, like I think you've gone into a lot there, but I'm actually thinking... Trying to approach that as a question. I'm just learning the trade. Do you know what, in my mind, in my mind there I was like, great question. I'm not having any of that. Thank God this is pre-recorded. Want me to do it again? No.

Perfect. You can even just think about what you're saying next time. No, no, no! I was for about 10 minutes as well. No, that was me processing it myself. There's so much that goes into moving forwards as a team, processing big moments, whether it's a manager changing, formation change, like anything that changes, I think you need the time to work through it.

But that's probably what was so unique about the transition. There wasn't much to work through as in we just shifted and the mentality shifted to accountability, to confidence. And actually I'm smiling because a few weeks ago, I think I've had the best team talk I've ever had from a coach. And yeah, like it was less than I looked at each other. I'm not even joking shivers.

We went out and we went out. What game? It was sick. Just before the Bristol game. And that's what's mad. Like the way we approach games now it's not that we're playing Bristol it's not that we're playing Chelsea it's that we're playing our way and it was before a Bristol game which many people would

think oh okay it's a championship team you don't necessarily need to go in with all guns blazing but we do because we know that this is a step towards where we want to get to being in all competitions, competing and ultimately doing it in the way that we can be proud of and yeah, shivers. Shivers. Can you tell us about it more? Go into it, what did she speak about?

Yeah, no, we walked out and we were like, that was sick. It was just like, just what it means to play for Arsenal, what this club has achieved, what we want to achieve. And it was quite simple, wasn't it? It wasn't very long. And like sometimes before games we'll have different, whether it's a video or a different little hype video before the game or whatever.

But it was just more, just a conversation, wasn't it? Of what this club means, what we want to do and how we can get there. And like Lot said, it was against Bristol, which they're obviously in the league below, but they're the important games. And it was the start of our FA Cup journey. And the FA Cup is a trophy that we all want to win as well. So it was just like it was simple, but it was so effective and it just spoke really loudly to the players. That's quite cool because every player is so different, right? Everyone has different

ways of getting motivated for a game. To all come out and feel exactly the same, that must be quite difficult to reach people in that way. Yeah, and I think that's probably one of the biggest challenges in football. We're all such different individuals, we all fire differently, we all have different routines but if you can meet everyone on like that kind of like level playing field that's half your job I think and yeah I mean Renee's been able to do that so far. What has she done for you less? And what is your brilliant form down to at the moment? No, I mean, it's crazy because it's not been massive changes and even with Renee taking over

She was obviously worked with us for the whole time. I've been here and since she came in as an assistant But I don't I can't put it down to one thing. And I think ultimately it starts with us as players taking accountability as well. Like whenever you go through a manager change, obviously they always take the brunt of it, but we have to look at ourselves as well. And that's one thing that Renee said to us

is that she wants us to take accountability too. And I think we've done that. And we've really kind of all got on board with where we want to go this season and yeah we've just kind of been playing a little bit more instinctively up top, lots of different combinations and we're all kind of interchanging a little bit as well which is nice and yeah we're getting more and more reps in out on the pitch that's where I mean that's where you get most of your training is in the week out on the pitch. And sometimes they don't let us because of our loading

and stuff and we have to have a few words, but yeah, I mean, I try and put it in as much as I can on the training pitch. Lash, you're so humble. Has Kelly helped you with Smith on that? I can imagine, you know, those conversations and obviously, you know, I know from you with Smith on that, I can imagine those conversations and obviously, I know from working with you as well, those training hours, looking at videos,

you take your obviously game really seriously, you wanna be the best, so. Yeah, Kelly's been great and she's getting more and more of us, which is nice as well. We often split off and do stuff just one on one or two of us with Kelly and I think that's important and like you said with to have someone like that in the club and that you can go to and whether it's just a conversation or clips or whatever. I've actually got to go and

do clips of her after this but no she's great and yeah I love to lean on on her and and what she sees because ultimately she's been there as well So, um, yeah, she definitely has an impact with us in training Is that looking at you and what you're doing or is it looking at? Defensively what the opposition are doing or she running you through both with Kelly It's more like what we're doing in the game. Obviously like in a build-up to a game It's we look at the opposition and have a game plan, but after games, we'll sit down with Kelly as a forward line and just talk about different things.

What was well, what worked well, what we want to do better, just individual little bits. I'm going to apologise in advance, I'm going to go full striker talk for a minute. I promise you we'll talk about this. I'm really jealous because I want a Kelly Smith equivalent. I'm like, Jen, can you go and work for us? You score headers for fans. But for real, it's so sick having someone who's been through everything as a player to then come and just share her knowledge.

Does she do that regularly? With the forwards. That's why I'm saying I'm jealous, Ellen. Just join me. Just join me forward. That's why I'm saying I'm jealous. Ellen, you're not allowed. Just join in. Just join in the forward. It's amazing. I want Jen to come back and just to like, I don't know, give us some mask classes. I am not that Kelly Smith equivalent. Take the compliment. I'm around though.

Take the compliment. Let's talk striking just for a bit. I want to talk about leading the line for the Lionesses because you've both done it. It is a huge privilege I imagine but also a bit of a weight as well. How do you find that experience at the moment? Yeah I mean it's tough because obviously it's the role at the moment but I don't think you ever see it as that you're just I'm just constantly learning and trying to be the best in what I can do. I've had great people to learn off while I'm there and I'm still trying to learn off other people.

But no, I mean, to play for England anytime, anywhere is a privilege and to be able to do it as a striker in the number nine role, again, is a massive privilege and one that I would never take for granted and wanna keep working even harder to keep doing. But yeah, I mean, there's no better feeling than playing for your country

and those moments that go with it. Is it a weight though as well? Does it feel heavy at all? I think, yeah, it does. Not heavy, but I think it's a sense of responsibility and you have to be ready and you have to be contributing, you have to be at your best, but any position playing for England you do and even just in day-to-day at club, I think the talent of players and teams at the moment is just crazy. So you have to be at your best all over, but it's a sense of

responsibility. Um, but one that's exciting rather than, yeah, heavy. I know your, your body is absolutely delighted to not have that load, but when you hear Les talk about that responsibility, do you miss that? No. I think again, I think what lots of us saying, I think Les is being very humble. I think, you know, she was born to be the number nine for England, for Arsenal, and she leads the line so well. And it is a lot of pressure to be that number nine and for everyone to be looking at you being like, you have to score the goals. So I think it is phenomenal at such a young age

to be able to kind of take that on your shoulders. But I think, you know, you're surrounded by great people in your family are very helpful for that as well, I can imagine. Yeah, for sure. And I think it's tough at times. And like, you know, we've been a nine and being in and around the goals

and not at times and it's tough. Like when you're not scoring it's it's really hard and yeah that highs and lows with it but then I think what can I contribute when I'm not scoring how else can I contribute because sometimes that is a bit of a wave you got to ride but when you're scoring it's a lot more fun but yeah that's your job you got to be in the positions you got to be scoring, you got to be contributing and it is hard, but yeah, ultimately being with the right people,

having good friends and good people to lean on throughout the journey is really important. And at the other end of this, when you're playing defensively for the Lionesses, there is an equally similar pressure. One of the things that I've definitely noticed over the course of the last few years, if you just take your career with the Lionesses, even from when you played your first game to

present day, that pressure has probably changed in that relatively short period of time, just in terms of the amount of attention in terms of the amount of people that are so passionate, but also fiercely loyal to that Lioness' team as well. You must feel that too. Yeah, for sure. I think my debut was during COVID, I think. I know it was during COVID.

It was during COVID and there were no spectators. It was at St. George's Park. And so then you contrast that with a sold out Wembley. You can't. Was it against Ireland? It was against Ireland. Good knowledge, Ellen. So then you contrast that with a sold out Wembley. You can't. Did it get an island? It was against Ireland. Good knowledge, Ellen.

Nine? Yeah, Ellen. I can't remember how. Five, wasn't it? Five. You can remember. Gosh, Ben, how did you know? I think it might have been.

So that even, having that as a contrast, I think is astonishing and maybe even, I think in many ways anticipated. Anticipated because the way the game's grown, it's not that we take that for granted, but it's that it's an expectation now and it's something that we can rely upon as being a 12th sort of player to support us on the pitch but also for the involvement for young girls coming through too. Has anything changed for you with that as we move towards squad announcements? Do you feel a bigger high and I'm assuming a bigger excitement when you

see your name included within that squad, when you see the growth of the Lionesses. I think the honour of seeing your name on a squad sheet doesn't change from under-15s to seniors to be honest and let's all echo that you're being selected for your for your country. Yeah no big up. You're being selected for your country. Yeah, no, big up. You're being selected for your country. I am loving it. I am loving it.

Good. You're being selected for your country amongst your best mates who are actually also some of the best in the world as well, or best in the country. So that in itself is such an honour and seeing your name on the squad sheet, yeah. Talk to us a little bit about your season. How are you finding it? How have you found the kind of route back to full fitness really, I guess as well? Oh, football's so turbulent. Like you love it, but you hate it in so many ways.

And I think that's also what makes it enjoyable. You never know what's around the corner. Adversity comes, but in many ways, it's how you pick yourself up from those sort of turbulent moments and the waves that come. So yeah, the season so far, turbulent but enjoyable and I think hopefully the fruits of our labour for the team but also individually will show towards the end of the season and ultimately that's the business part. Like you come into the end of the league and you're also coming into the championships, the FA Cup and Champions

League which we're all still in so yeah competing. Big knowing nod there Jen when Lottie said football was turbulent straight away we're like yep. Well and it is and I think you know it's too easy to look at the successes and how incredible you are on the pitch but everyone goes through really hard times and I think even with Chloe Kelly speaking openly about the pursuit of happiness, I think it's important to highlight the wellbeing aspect of footballers. And through these conversations,

whether it's scoring goals or seasons or up and downs, turbulences, what are you guys doing off the pitch? How do you switch off? How do you handle with pressure? I think that would be my number one question. I know it's a big one again. But like- It's a big one again. It's a lot to unpack there, don't you?

Yeah. How long have we got? 30 minutes isn't enough. But yeah, I think it's important to highlight that you're not just footballers, you're people and you go through it and it's really hard and the wellbeing and with Chloe Kelly speaking out,

pursuit of happiness is important. How do we handle it? For sure. I think less touched upon it, being surrounded by good people. I think we're so fortunate here at Arsenal to have not only wonderful staff around us, but also wonderful players. But likewise, also when you go home, the family that you have around you, the friends, I think

you underestimate how much a conversation about something that is so trivial is. You know, like something that isn't weighted, isn't about football, isn't about performance. Those sort of moments, as much as you can sort of hold on to them and enjoy them and yeah feel sort of weightless within them, I think is a way that I personally find as my best vice to switch off. I also love good food and food. And if you want to really unpack it, there's so much, there's so much off the pitch that contributes to you feeling like going on to the pitch and enjoying it too.

You've probably got your own vices as well. No, I agree. I think that maybe in the past, I've struggled with a day off and I'm still thinking about the game or I'm thinking about what's coming up and whatever. But as I've grown a little bit and yeah, figured it out a bit more, I think off days are so important to completely switch off. Like I don't, if I wanna look at the game,

I'll look at it after the game. And then the day off, I'm like wanna be off of football and I wanna be a hundred percent switched off. And whether it's, I love watching films and series and going to the cinema or going for nice food and just like doing normal things that a normal 25 year old girl would do go shopping and go get my nails done like that's what I want to be doing on my day off because that's a bit of me time and I think it's so important that when I then come into football the next day then I'm locked in then we're doing

analysis and everything and you're there in the moment because otherwise it can be really tough if it's just football all the time. Do you know me and Les are in a group chat for concert tickets. So I was going to ask, have you been 20 lately? No, I haven't been 20 lately. I need to get back on it. If you see something come up, you're like, right, we'll make sure we all have each other up.

Just like through fevers, whatever, obviously to pay for them and then they were sending out a record like like vinyl. Have you got your box yet? No not yet have you? What for free? Do you want to be in the group chat? Well I've already bought one. I love that there's like a little bit of intel going on. I was thinking you're listening off and I was like oh she's got to say concerts next. No, I need to go to more to be fair. What was it? Emily Sande we went to. That was good. Can we ask who else did this group? Yeah, it's just me and Les.

Yeah. Really a group, more of a competition. I can't group chat, but actually it's just me and Les. Can we just wind back a tiny bit? How do you, is it, sorry to make this sort of very boring, but is there a process that you both go through to get yourself out of football mode and into life mode? So if you've got a day off, how do you make that switch? I think it's more the other way around that I have to be conscious to switch on rather

than switch off. I find, I find, I don't know about you Les, but I find it's quite easy. And I guess that's because of making conscious decisions before it gets to that point. So like I live around where my family are, where I grew up in Hackney, around mates, and it's sort of like a grounding mechanism of, yeah, when I step into the car, I leave Colney, I'm driving home, that's like my threshold moment of like, okay, unpack the day, what's happened, go through my process, then, and then the minute I step out the car in my own home

space with my people around me, it's, pure bliss. Do you still do that? I'm so glad you said that because I remember speaking to you years ago and you saying that getting in the car was like a transitional thing. I'm moving from one life to another. Which is fascinating to know that even, doesn't matter how far along you go,

it's still that, that is the point. I leave the training ground and then I'm into life. Yeah, and I guess that's one example of it. I think walking through in and out of doors metaphorical or Literally, I think a threshold moments where you can like literally switch switch on switch off switch on switch off And use that as a mechanism to do so what you get in that what did I do? It was a terrible joke to be honest I was gonna be like what if you hit traffic? And the journey becomes really long and you're like, I just want to let go of this thing.

Well then I'm fuming. Two hours to get home. Les, what's your kind of protest to get to life again? I have to get a dad joke in there. Mine's, I don't really know. I just, I know when I go home, then I'm like, that's my space, that's not football. And when I'm with my family and my friends that are outside of football, then that's not football too. But then saying that, we could go for dinner and not speak about football. And like, I love that side of it too.

Like, I think your football friends that you have like in the changing rooms that you will day in day out You go through such crazy highs and lows of them and you see them probably at their best and worst That like you can go for dinner and talk about all of the football stuff if you want to but then we can go and talk About anything as well and have a lovely time without even mentioning football. Who are the people that are football football? Well, who are the people that you could just go talk about anything else? I mean, Les is definitely someone that I can speak about anything with.

You're like a sister to me. Yeah. Who's football football? I guess I think it's very context driven, like what's happened in the day, what's happened in the week. Sorry, you're not gonna stitch anyone. It's okay, I wasn't trying to stitch anyone.

Actually Jen, Jen's football, football we do all the time. Mad for it, man. Is there people that you go to that will fill your cup, potentially? Interesting, like as in you choose the conversations that you have consciously to... Yes, I guess.

I think you gravitate naturally towards certain individuals and certain moments. In the meeting room, I sit next to Les to the left of me and Foxy to the right of me. We always sit home. Yeah, it's quite weird. Jenna, the new signing, and Chloe, to be fair, both walked in and both looked a little bit intimidated because

I was like, where do we sit? And a lot of us were like, don't sit there! Ben, that's golden rule when you sign for a team when you walk into a meeting room you're like, or the coach, where are the three seats? That's a big move if you sit in someone's chair like then you have to make the decision, I guess, in that moment, you're like, I'm gonna have to call you out. But at the same time, you don't want to. Yeah, but the funny is, if it's sat in someone's seat and you're waiting for that person to come on the bus, you're like, this is gonna be a very good... Yeah, bus, that's another one. Yeah.

Traveler, where is it? Funny enough, Jenna and Chloe have both sat next to each other. So I think they've found safe haven in each other's company which is which is nice but I mean I've said that as if we're really daunting but we're not at all but sorry back to my point with having less and Foxy to either side of me both two individuals that I get them really well with one but can also... Not the other. That was the one. No, no. And the other one. That was point one. And point two is I feel really comfortable with them.

And if probably in any moment in a meeting, if you wanna like have a little giggle about something, I could probably giggle with less about it. And then with Foxy, I could probably have a really serious conversation. So you need to have the balance. Just before I force us to come back to football, you've both mentioned it, so I have to ask, both foodies, both enjoy going out for dinner. If you two are going out for

dinner, what is number one on the list? Oh, there's two I reckon. Yeah, I think there's two. Italian would be one. Yeah, or sushi and Asian, yeah. I'm Lucy Hockings from the Global Story podcast, where we're looking at ex-football boss Luis Rubiales' kiss after Spain's World Cup victory in 2023.

While Rubiales says it was consensual, player Jenny Omozo said it was not. And now he's on trial. We find out how the kiss shook Spanish society and global football. Find the global story wherever you get your BBC podcasts. On the Football Daily, the Women's Football Weekly with Ben Haynes, Ellen White and Jen Beattie. Right, let's come back to the football. It's been kind of wonderful watching the way in which the Emirates has become not just home, but has become a bit of a beacon to other

teams around the league in terms of everyone now seeing that Arsenal are playing at the Emirates. It's not a case of, oh, they were playing at the Emirates this week. It's like that is home for us now. How has that been for you as players? Have you noticed a change in terms of the way that you go about matchday? No, I don't think matchday is different because it does feel like home. Like I love playing at the Emirates. I love I mean, I love playing at Borenwood too. They're so different in so many different ways, but the feelings there in both.

But the Emirates is just incredible. And I always say it like what Arsenal are doing with the Emirates and building that as a home and consistently as well with so many fans is yeah, is amazing. And it's a footprint. And the club is just going in so many different directions with it. That is so I'm grateful to be a part of it. But it's it's a special place.

And I think when you sign for Arsenal, when you have your first game there, you can kind of feel the energy, you feel the fans, you feel like the history of Arsenal. And yeah, it's just special. We love playing there. I'd like to think it's also inspiring, inspiring for both the spectators, but also, like you said, other clubs that are looking towards us and understanding that this is the standard. I guess we're at an interesting time in women's football

because yes we do have the likes of us actually I think we're the only ones really doing it on a consistent basis but we're setting the standard. It's then the question of how are we going to but we're setting the standard. It's then the question of how are we gonna bring up the floor, bring up the lower clubs? And I quite like the idea of, okay, you come to visit the Emirates, you might not be an Arsenal fan, you're a women's football fan, come visit the Emirates, sick.

Now then, you go back to your local communities where you are active or you're a part of that community, go and visit your local women's team, your local grassroots women's team and support it there. Cause that's, I think how we're gonna be able to level every sort of women's team with that and not just see it as, oh, the top clubs are doing this and then the lower clubs are doing this

or something different. So definitely seeing it as an inspiration on many levels. But I guess it's also cool to know that all of you actually have done your bit on the Arsenal front to show that you're gonna be pushing the ceiling. Even if we're raising the ground as well, but like 100% pushing that ceiling. I mean, Jen, you spoke the other week

about what it did for you to score at the Emirates and to have that feeling in your career as well. Yeah, 100%. I think, I mean, I was always so grateful to, you know, I've still been a part of it at my age having seen the game grow in, you know, a huge and we talk all the time, the spike after Lioness is winning the Euros at Wembley, it couldn't have done anything bigger for the game. But I think when you, the special thing about Arsenal is though, is the connection between the men and women

it really feels like a one club and with the marketing and the strategy behind it, they come in and talk to the team I'm pretty sure they still do that, they definitely did it when I was there so you understand the work that's gone on behind the scenes and I think when you understand that as a player you buy into it more, you understand the the feeling of playing for the badge and playing for the shirt and playing for the club and North London Derby coming up. It doesn't really get much bigger when you're playing London girl North London Derby those games just escalate when you know exactly what's going on the behind the scenes and what that means Not just in the women's game, but the men's game, but football in general, it's football now.

That's a really good point. And this is this is kind of fascinating for me because within the women's game, I feel like the North London Derby is emerging as a real Derby. But for you as a gooner, the North London Derby from imagine the moment you could walk and kick a football has always been absolutely enormous in your household anyway. To even put it into words is quite difficult. It's a feeling that the fact that I get to share it with one of my best mates but also with my family and all the fans in the stadium I think then

sort of makes it tenfold such an incredible thing to be part of. Particularly if you get the winning goal, I guess, as well. Yeah, I mean, North London Derby's sick. Like, yeah, I think you understand the rivalry when you're in the club more so. Like, obviously, I've always been aware that it's a North London Derby, but like Jen said, when you know what goes into it, what's in the background, what's within the club,

and even speaking to like Lotta and Leah, like I find that quite cool because obviously they've been here for years, they're proper gunners, like they know everything about Arsenal and I'm now becoming a new Arsenal fan, getting involved now I'm here at the club because I think it is cool to be a part of it, but to understand it from their lens as well is

nice. I like hearing different things and different stories in the past. To be at Arsenal, I think you have to respect that it is a massive rivalry and you have to embed yourself in it. When Jen said about playing for the shirt, that's what a North London derby is all about. Just very finally, one thing that I was desperate to know from you Lota, I remember before you used to cycle to go and watch games at the Emirates and you also used to do treasure hunts for people at the Emirates. I wondered with the game growing so much has that become impossible for you? I still pretty much cycle everywhere in London because traffic is an absolute pain so I wouldn't be doing that but I think as much as I can sort of hold on to that sense of being part of the community I do. Like living still

in the same area where I grew up contributing back to the community through my program every Tuesday. I think little moments like that, that actually might seem little for me, are actually huge and in the grand scheme of connecting and making people's evenings, making people's years. I think it's something I'll never really come to terms with as a person. I think LES is the same. To me, I just feel like Lotte, yeah, just Lotte and LES. But I think as much as we can take on that responsibility and use it as a means to spread joy, put smiles on people's faces, I think we try to do that, don't we, LES?

Yes, we do. Can we talk about putting smiles on people's faces? Because I know you would have done that with your celebration against Man City. I know there's more to it than that. Can you explain a little bit for everyone? Les is actually tied in with this story. A few years ago we met a deaf young girl called Izzy and it was through a commercial day at England and she shared with us

how much she loved football, her mum was there as well, but it was the moment that she did a celebration and said if you score can you do this. It was a good time wasn't it? Yeah yeah yeah I remember that one. Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah. I felt a really deep connection with Izzy that day, but continued since. I speak often with her and her mum. They're actually coming to the Liverpool game. She's going to be in the box with my family, which is cool. But I think less will know this too. When you're playing, you obviously have the fans in the stadium, which is an amazing connection,

but there's so many people watching at home. However far or wide the broadcast goes, you have an opportunity to connect and you have a platform that I don't think you can fully comprehend until it's sort of fed into your DMs or like your comments, your ads, like you don't realise how many people you impact. And Arsenal as a club, we've done amazing things for the deaf community. I think we're one of the only clubs that do sort of the signing on the match days on the two big screens at the Emirates.

So there's already that connection and I was going to a few Arsenal games this year, men's games and every time they said Arsenal the sign was this. So I'm using my thumb and my index finger to create a cannon and you do it right under the badge I guess also where your heart is runs deep hits hard and you kind of pat like that I think there's this idea that the badge tap in my eyes has kind of gone out of fashion not out of fashion like, I don't think that's as meaningful as we all think, because yeah, why would we not be shining a light on individuals that are in many ways cast aside in society?

And so the idea of being able to bring them into something that very much feels captivating and gives you an identity and gives you a community like a football club as much as we can bring people into that. Sharing that moment I think is really cool and Frieda actually did it as her celebration as well. We'd spoken about it before the game and that's Arsenal in BSL, Gunners in BSL. Is it like you, it's very special because you speak beautifully about it, lots about using your voice almost when others can't,

almost to be able to, like you say, connect with that community so they are part of football and football is for everyone essentially. Football is for everyone and Beats, you made quite a nice point about it not being about women's football, not being about men's football. And obviously there are also so many other forms of football that are played. Walking football, like there's so many different forms of football. However much we can put it all under one roof

I think is quite a beautiful moment to connect us all and in many ways football is also a leveller. connect us all and yeah, in many ways football is also a leveller. So, yeah. It's been so wonderful to sit down with you all and it's lovely getting to see you two as well, get to share this time all together. So thank you so much and good luck for the rest of the season and of course for this summer as well. Thank you. Thanks very much. So I suppose congratulations are in order once again for Lotte Analesi, named in Serena's squad. But the main headline is Chloe Kelly's been left out of that 24 player group. So

let's head to Wembley where we find Rob Schofield. Yes Ben, fresh from Serena Viegman's press conference, Chloe Kelly very much the topic of conversation. More on her in a minute. Other headlines as expected Alex Greenwood, Lauren Hemp and Georgia Stanway out after respective knee surgeries. In terms of those players coming back, Neve Charles, Ella Toon and Lauren James April the last time the Chelsea winger played for England. And the other big story today Nikita Paris recalled for the first time in over two years had her in the Five Life commentary box didn't we in October for the first time in over two years, had her in the 5-life commentary box didn't we in October for the Germany game, but having just spoken to Serena one on one it would very much seem that our loss is England's gain as it's clear Nikita has really impressed

since her summer switch to Brighton. She's in a good form, she plays every week, she has had impact on the team and very big contribution on the performances they had. So she impressed us and of course what we have seen there's competition going on up front and yes it has been a while since she has been selected but sometimes you get opportunities and this is one and she grabbed it straight away when I gave her a call yesterday. That must have been a really nice call and also you have Lauren James back and and you know it's strange I think you've almost been without her for almost a year now. How will her involvement back in the squad change you know what you're

able to do, how you're able to plan over the next camp? We won't change for one player. We have our plans, we have our style of play. We tried out things of course in the autumn, but we don't totally change our plans because of one player. I just hope she comes in and fits in straightaway, just as Niamh who comes back too. And that they enjoy it, that they get into it really quickly and that we have decisions to make for the lineups on Friday and Wednesday. Chloe Kelly not involved, is that simply just down

to her lack of playing time? Yes, basically that is. As we said in the autumn too, that she built enough credits that we selected her. But over that time, she has not played minutes, moved clubs. Now she just needs to get back into playing football, enjoying it, and show her performances again. And then we have another conversation. It was a very public exit for her.

Just as her national team manager, is there a sense of maybe shame that it had to be that way, or are you able to completely separate what goes on from club and country and things like that, just in how you see it? Yeah, of course I don't have the full context. What I took from it and from her that she was worried about her mental health and she hoped to move to another club

and that happened. So I think that outcome is helpful for her and I think then she can move on and Manchester City could move on too." Always interesting to get some time with Serena Wiegmann. Quite a bit of talk today on how those three big players' injuries would impact the build-up to the Euros. Serena interestingly saying publicly that she is very hopeful Georgia Stanwy will be fit for the summer and has a recuperation plan set out with Bayern Munich. Wouldn't be drawn as much on Lauren Hemp but said she is ahead of Alex Greenwood as we would expect. And when asked about whether Maya Letizier could step into the centre-back breach, Serena very clear,

she sees the Manchester United captain as a full-back, not a centre-back for England, which could well spark a debate going into these Nations League games against Portugal and Spain. Thanks Rob and lots more to come on England in next week's pod. Just quickly before we finish up, the Champions League quarter-final draws also taking place and the big news is that Chelsea and Man City will face each other in that quarter-final but also they'll face each other four times over the course of a fortnight. They could also possibly draw each other in the FA Cup as well. So at the moment, the League Cup final is on the 15th of March between City

and Chelsea. The quarterfinal first leg will take place on the 19th of March and that first leg is at Man City. They then face each other in the WSL on the 23rd of March at City as well. And then the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal is going to be on the 27th of March and that one's at Chelsea. The other ties in the Champions League, Real Madrid are going to take on Arsenal, Walsburg take on Barcelona and then Bayern take on Lyon. A reminder then, North London Derby on BBC2 from 12.15 on Sunday and on the next episode of the Football Daily, Kelly Cates is here with the Champions League debrief.