Bristol City manager Lauren Smith knows exactly what her team needs to do in order to turn their form around.
The Robins suffered a tough defeat to West Ham last weekend, and after the game, Smith admitted there were a few home truths shared between the group.
“The mood has been the same as ever. We’re chasing a bit more now, I guess.
“We had a few honest conversations with each other on Tuesday about where we are, but we’re keeping positive.
“We’re still only one win away from where we already were. It’s not like anything has suddenly slipped away from us and we’re talking about being down and out.
“When we first came in after the game, we were probably a bit tired, leggy, and feeling sorry for ourselves as a group.
“But now, the focus is there, training has been excellent, and there’s a real determination to the players.
“You can’t get everything all the time, and we know we have to fight now.”
And fight is certainly what Smith and her team want to do until the end of the season.
City have been in almost every game this season but haven’t managed to nail down the three points often, but the manager knows where the squad need to be better at.
“We still have to improve ourselves across all areas. We still have to be harder to beat, harder to be scored against, and a lot of those things have come from our own errors.
“Which in a way is positive because we don’t feel like we’re getting broken down or sliced through the middle of. But what we are doing is gifting chances away, so that’s one area we have to improve on.
“The other area is that we want to be more dangerous in attacks. We’ve got real pace in this team, and we just don’t use it enough.”
Reliant Robin fans
Even though the team sit bottom of the WSL, the fans are still very much behind them.
The Robins have one of the highest average attendances in the league, and in Europe, and Ashton Gate has always been a cacophony of noise this season.
Smith knows how important the fans are to their success, and believe they’ve captured the hearts and minds of many in and around the city.
“I do get the feeling the whole city is behind us, but I think we’ve managed to pick up fans who don’t watch us too much but want us to do well.
“It’s that underdog feeling, of wanting them to do well.
“We do everything we do with passion, we’re very humble, we work hard, and there’s a lot of people who want us to do well, inside, and outside of the city.
“It’s just incredible, and I love the roar when we scored against West Ham.
“For me, it matched the feeling I had when we scored against Charlton. It’s special and it’s great to have that excitement behind us.”
Aston Villa test
Smith and her squad won’t have the home support behind them this week as they travel to take on Aston Villa.
In the reverse fixture, Carla Ward’s side put on a late show to defeat City 2-0, with Ebony Salmon claiming the Player of the Match award.
Smith believes this game will be a lot different but admitted it will be a challenge against a very experienced Villains team.
“They’ve got such a strong experienced team. They’re always difficult to play against because of that experience, and we probably lack that.
“I’m hoping for a different type of game compared to the last time around.
“We played Arsenal in the Conti Cup during that week, and we looked tired, so we never felt like we were able to give a full account of ourselves in that game.
“We’ve been looking sharp over the last few weeks, and hopefully that will allow us to put in a decent performance and to get all three points.”
One player who could be pushing for a starting spot on Saturday is Ffion Morgan.
The flying Welsh winger has made some big impacts when she’s appeared off the bench in recent games.
Her performance have led to some thinking she should start, a sentiment that Smith is certainly swaying towards.
“Ffion has been excellent. We know how pacey she is, and she makes a great impact.
“Is she pushing for a starting spot? I think everybody is pushing for one this week.
“Because of past results and where we’re at, it’s a case of everyone pushing hard and see who deserves it come the end of the week, and Ffion has trained very well.
“She’s in with a shout, but it’s just as important that players come on and make impacts as well as start and make impacts.
“Whether she starts or finishes, you can see how important she is for the team.”