Arsenal Women beat Chelsea 1-0 in the Women’s Conti Cup Final, on Sunday 31st March, lifting the Conti Cup for the 7th time. Our Gunners beat the Blues 3-1 in last year’s competition too. The teams were very evenly matched, with chances on both sides, but the game finished 0-0 at full-time. The game went to extra-time, with Stina Blackstenius breaking the deadlock a few minutes before the end of extra-time, scoring the only goal of the match and winning the Conti Cup Final 1-0 fair and square.
As the Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall approached Chelsea boss Emma Hayes following the final whistle, she could be seen gesturing towards him before pushing / shoving him away.
Eidevall showed his disbelief by straightening up and looking quizzical as he walked away.
Hayes was then seen arguing with other members of the Gunners coaching staff. Is that acceptable or unacceptable?
Emma Hayes pushing Jonas Eidevall at the end… 😬 pic.twitter.com/yUjE99WsXw
— Fanzine WSL (@FanzineWSL) March 31, 2024
Asked about the altercation after the match, Hayes told BBC Sport: “I am not down for male aggression on the touchline. I told him this.”
“There is a way to conduct yourself on the touchline,” she said. “He got a yellow card and should have been sent off.
“I get he is a winner, but his behaviour is unacceptable. There were a couple [of instances], but the way he fronted up to Erin was unacceptable. We should not blow it up, and I’m sure when he is calm we can have a conversation.”
Really Emma? “When he is calm”???
Eidevall had a brief altercation with Chelsea midfielder Erin Cuthbert during the game, which he said came about because the teams had disagreed about whether there should be a multi-ball system when the ball went out.
“Chelsea wanted a one-ball system,” said Eidevall. “So we played with one ball, then in the final minutes they want another ball to play quickly. I said this and Erin was not happy in that situation.”
When asked about Hayes’ comments, Eidevall said he “did not see it as a big thing”.
“I don’t see me as aggressive. She is irresponsible putting that label on it,” he added.
“There is a way you behave in the technical area. You need to be a good winner and a good loser. I am happy with the way I conduct myself. Others need to look at themselves in the mirror.”
All of this surely does raise the question about whose behaviour is ‘unacceptable’ though, don’t you think? As the boss, and therefore the role model for the team, is it ever “acceptable” to physically shove another person, particularly in a professional situation? Is it more “acceptable” if the aggressor is male or female? If Eidevall had pushed / shoved Hayes would this really just be a headline? In my opinion it would certainly not.. it would be taken much further..
Eidevall was suitably reprimanded with a yellow card. Is it “acceptable” that Hayes then took the situation into her own hands – using them to push / shove the Arsenal boss? Surely it is “unacceptable” even if it was just sour grapes at losing..
I really would be interested to hear your thoughts on this Gooners..
Michelle M
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Well said Michelle and I couldn’t agree more.
What I saw, was a bad loser, who couldn’t admit defeat.
She was the aggressor in the incident and should be recognised as such by the authorities.
As you say, what if it was the other way round and we had lost and reacted in that way?
Headlines for sure and the club being hounded by the media yet again!!
KEN , You will remember how often I post that, human nature being what it is, we are ALL hypocrites.
Emma Hayes showed the truth of this in HER case, by accusing Eidevall of typical male aggression, after PUSHING HIM aggressively.
How very much I wish more Gooners, instead of complaining that so and so “is a hypocrite”, thus ignoring their OWN natural human hypocrisy, could think a little deeper and recognise the truth of what I write here.
Double standards exist in every walk of life.
Its normal, natural, even though not desirable.
Just recognise its EXISTENCE, anyone reading this!
I understand that fronting up to a Chelsea player from the touch line is a “poor show”. I thought that perhaps women’s football was less aggressive and that’s why Emma Hayes took the high moral ground. Jonas was booked so wasn’t exactly blameless but how Hayes thought her behaviour was acceptable is beyond belief. Embarrassing!
Sue.
I loved Jonas explaining that it was Hayes that made Arsenal play the game with only one ball but wanted to use two once they were losing. That was the argument and Jonas was right!
Ok AdPat
I was only going on the fact he got a yellow card which I thought was about confronting a Chelsea player. Happy to be corrected
The “confrontation” incident central to the Chelsea manager’s complaint is plain for all to see in the video record!
The Arsenal manager reacted to the Chelsea player taking the “non designated” ball and attempting to restart play some ten yards further up the line from the position the designated match ball went out of play!
It did not appear that there was any attempt by the Arsenal manager to get in the face of the player. However the player turned and ran the 10/12 yards towards the Arsenal manager initiating her “angry” face to face confrontation with him!
Who is it that is being unprofessional and confrontational here?
Could very well have been viewed as nothing more than a “he said; she said; moment” This at the end of a close and exciting final cup match during which a far more serious moment of potential tragedy had occurred!
The Chelsea manager by her own excessive gender based reaction has made a fool off herself: attempting additionally to make a case for degenerating the opposition manager in a disgraceful way to deflect from her inexcusable aggression! No kind sporting words and no early expressed concerns for the fallen stretchered off player!
I wonder; should the FA have the guts to face up to the Chelsea manager?
🎯 We all know the answer to your last sentence / question of course – and your thoughts sum up the situation perfectly.
JAMES Great post, full of sense!
But to even hopethe laughable so called FA will do something is to avoid the reality of their complete uselesness and most amateur of amateurness.
I can think of a better, truer, meaning of “FA” then football association!
And she accused him of male aggression. Lol.
Mad scenes lol. Anyway, Congratulations to Jonas and the girls for an hard fought win.
Why don’t Hayes use female aggression..lol…woman u lost!!!period
So how does it work this multi-ball single ball thing?
Teams agree before each game?
That makes no sense, it should be the same for all games and the ref should manage it.
If they agree on a multi ball game, then there are balls placed strategically at various places around the pitch to assist quick throw ins and goals kicks etc.
One ball slows play down considerably.
I didn’t know that it had to be agreed by the teams, and assumed it was a league or FA decision.
I’ve always had a lot of time for Emma Hayes. She’s such a good football talker and commentator, and this seems very out of character for her.
She won’t be with Chelsea next season, as she’s off to the USA, and I wish her the best in her new role.
I’ve watched Jonas Eidevall on a number of occasions and would never describe him as aggressive. I would describe Emma Hayes’ reaction as a frustrated loser and not very dignified. Now probably embarrassed after seeing it on TV. What’s she going to do if Man City win the WSL title??
That’s clearly a person being utterly disgraceful in the heat of the moment then instead of owning up to it throws the usual petty nonsensical gender based comment to deflect.
Hayes showing her awful gender views Chelsea player allowed to get in his face, she can get physical but he should do nothing. Terrible role model for young girls.
Ackshay
Her behaviour was appalling and you rightly point out that it does not reflect well on her or how such actions then become the norm- bearing in mind that women’s football has become popular with families
Unfortunately, pushing and shoving- and worse – has long been prevalent in the men’s game
And that is a terrible role model for boys too
That is also true some people are just bad regardless of gender. I was mostly referring to how we see plenty of video of women being aggressive with men expecting no response cause they’ve been misguided by bad role model then get hurt when men retaliate. It’s just sad and completely avoidable yet happens.
My comment was deleted here.
Who is it that dislikes the truth?
Truth?
I tell you what I DON’T like. Chauvanistic, misogynistic idiots.
That’s YOU in case you were unsure…..
Pat, do you think he’s THE John Legend, or just fakin’ it?