The English League, FA WSL, kicks off this weekend. The opportunity to talk about a player, one of the few players to have shaken the net of Lyon, Isobel Christiansen. English international and evolving in Manchester City since the existence of the club in the elite, in 2014. Meeting.



Football Hearts - At TILC, there seemed to be a good relationship on the field with your goaltender, Karen Bardsley (team-mate in selection) and forward Jane Ross (Scotland)? Was it the case?
Isobel Christiansen - I like to think that I have a good relationship with everyone on the team and in the field. I think that upstream we train together to create many pairs and relationships that will bear fruit in the field ... We are just trying to make the most of each other.


Hearts of Football - Against Montpellier at TILC, you played as offensive midfielder, but against Lyon, you played as a defensive midfielder and scored both goals on a 3-2 final win? Is this a better position for you midfield defensive?
IC - It's a different position, we changed from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 so my role has been adapted a bit, but I would not say that a post is good or bad for me. I would just say that I try to bring what I can to the team wherever I am called to play and that I try to do my best for the collective.


Soccer Hearts - What impression do you have of this tournament? What do you want to learn?
I. C. - The tournament was great in the sense that we managed to play against two good teams like Montpellier and Lyon. I think for Manchester City, it's important in our pre-season preparation, to be at the height of the best. We finally tested against these two clubs and we won a big victory against Lyon. It's nice to beat a team of their quality. We came with many points to improve and learn aspects for us.


Soccer Hearts - I learned that you were elected PFA Player of the Year last season. Can you tell me what that meant to you?
I. C. - It means everything to me. I was really surprised and delighted to win this award. I was really happy to be rewarded by my peers for doing what I love and doing it well. I think for me now, it's about continuing and improving every day.


Soccer Hearts - I also know that you are a graduate. What did you study and how did you combine that with football?
I. C. - It was hard to reconcile the two. I studied sports science at the University of Birmingham, it was very difficult courses. Difficult even without all my commitments related to football club. Obviously with them, it meant that I really had to manage my time and give priority to my studies and training on everything social, everything else outside of football or university. It was complicated, but it certainly was studies that I think made me grow as a person.


Soccer Hearts - You are creative, very intelligent, physical, agile. What are your qualities and your strengths? What are the points you think you can improve?
I. C. - I think you should always try to improve yourself. I am a player with a good learning spirit and I like to make sure to keep adding to and improving my game. To work on my weaknesses as well as my strengths and I would like to think that as a player, I am very good technically. I like to create opportunities for the team and I also think I have another side of my game, a bit of bite, to read the game, and I like to have a little bit of everything in the middle of the field (attack / defense ), no matter my size (1m64) [laughs].

Soccer Hearts - Last season was your season, winning the championship and FA Cup. What did you learn that you can pass on in this new season, which will be a little longer elsewhere?
I. C. - I think the important thing is to stay together and make sure that you put the best of yourself as a teammate in the field and during the match. I think that, upstream, we had an excellent season last year by winning the FA Cup and the way we did it in Wembley, in front of nearly 40,000 people. Also, I think for us as Man City, we have to make sure that we put ourselves on the front of the big stage and challenge for the titles, a challenge for the trophies and I think that it is really important for us to go forward.



Soccer Hearts - I saw that you scored the winning goal in the Continental Cup final, which was the first trophy in Man City history. Does the score of such an important goal for Manchester City give you more confidence as a young player playing with so many other great international players?
I. C. - Yeah definitely, I think for me it was a turning point in my career, it was the year I was running college and football and I was traveling from Birmingham to Manchester [every week]. When I look back that year, I think it was really difficult and I'm happy to have gone through that. Winning this trophy as we did and scoring the winning goal in the final meant it all to me and it was almost like a lot of frustration and emotion coming out of my head. The winning goal meant that we won our first trophy because Manchester City Women was incredible. It's something I will never forget.


Soccer Hearts - In no time, you have won all titles in England, your next goal must be the Champions League? What do you think you should do for this?
I. C. - It will be a huge challenge and it is something we are definitely working on. Our main goal as a team and as individuals is to continue to improve and continue to build on what we have built. This is our fourth year [in the elite] and we know that we are getting stronger every year. We must ensure that we continue to improve in all areas, until we can challenge the best teams in the Champions League, to become one of the best teams in Europe, which is definitely to our worn. This is something we are fighting for, but a lot of work needs to be done before. The Toulouse International Ladies Cup, was one of the examples of this learning. Playing against teams like Lyon and Montpellier, playing with great opposition, will really help us move forward and identify where our game needs to improve and how we have to adapt to be one of the best teams. in Europe.

It seemed you have a good relationship on the pitch with your goalie and Jane Ross? Is this the case?

I like to think I have a good relationship with everyone on the team and on the pitch I think the amount we train together means we’re building up loads of partnerships and relationships…we’re just trying to get the best out of each other.

Against Montpellier you have played as central attacking midfielder, but against Lyon you've played as a defensive midfield and still scored both goals in the game? Is this a better position for you?

It’s a different position, we changed from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 so my role adapted a little bit, but I wouldn’t say one position is right or wrong, I’d just say I just try to bring what I can to the team wherever I’m asked to play and do my best for the team. 

What are your impression of this tournament? What will you take from it?

The tournament was great in the sense we managed to play against two top teams in Montpellier and Lyon and I think for us as Manchester City. It’s important that during our pre-season preparations we are putting ourselves up against the best. I think we definitely got tested against both sides and came away with a great win against Lyon, which is nice to beat a team of their quality. We’ve come away with loads of points where we can improve and loads of learning curves for us as a team. 

I learned that you were elected PFA Player of the Year last season. Can you tell me what this meant to you?

It meant everything to me. I was really delighted and shocked to win that award, I was just really pleased to be noted by my peers for doing what I love and trying to do it really well. I think for me now it’s all about going on and improving and getting better each day.

I also know that you are a graduate, what did you study and how did you combine this with playing?

It was tough. I studied Sport and Exercise Science at Birmingham University, it was a very tough course, tough even without all of my football commitments and then obviously with them it meant that I had to really manage my time well and prioritise my studying and training over anything social and anything going on outside football or university. It was difficult, but definitely one which I think grew me as a person.


You are creative, very quick-witted, physical, agile. What do you believe are your qualities and your strengths and what points of your game do you think you can improve?

I think you always have to try to improve. I’m a player who has got a good learning mind set and I like to make sure I can keep adding to my game and improving, working on my weaknesses as well as my strengths and I would like to think that as a player I’m technically very good. I like to bring creative opportunities for the team and I also think I’ve got another side to my game, a bit of a bite and ability to read the game, break up play and I like to think I’ve got a bit of everything required in midfield, maybe just not any height [laughs].

Last season was your season, winning the league and FA Cup. What have you learnt that you can take into this new season?

I think the importance of sticking together and making sure that you bring the best out of each other as team mates on the training pitch and on the match pitch. I think that moving forward we had a great season last year winning the FA Cup and doing it in the manner in which we did it at Wembley in front of nearly 40,000 people. Also I think for us as Man City we need to make sure we keep putting ourselves onto the big stage and challenging for titles, challenging for cups and I think that that is really important for us to move forward.

I saw you score the winning goal in the Continental Cup final, which was the first trophy in history for Man City. Did scoring such an important goal for Manchester City give you more confidence as a young player playing with so many other big international players ?

Yeah definitely, I think for me it was a turning point in my career, that was the year when I was managing university and football and travelling to and from Birmingham and Manchester. I look back at that year and think that it was really hard and I’m glad that I got through it and I think winning that trophy when we did and scoring the winning goal in the final it meant everything to me and it was almost like loads of frustration and emotion that just came out in one header and I think the fact that that was the winning goal it meant that we won our first trophy as Manchester City Women was amazing and something I’ll never forget.

In a short time, you have won all the titles in England, your next goal must be the Champions League? What will you need to do this?

That’s going to be a huge challenge ahead and that’s something which we’re going to be working towards without a doubt. Our main focus as a team and as individuals is to keep on improving and keep building on what we’ve built. This is our fourth year as a team and we know that we’ve got better and stronger each year, we need to make sure that we keep improving in every area to a point where we are going to be able to challenge the top teams in the Champions League with a view to becoming one of the top teams in Europe as well, that’s definitely within our sights and something which we’re striving for, but a lot of work has to go in before then. For example, the Toulouse International Ladies Cup, playing against teams like Lyon and Montpellier, more games against good opposition like them is really going to help us moving forward and identify where our game needs to improve and how we need to adapt to compete and be the best in Europe.

Dounia MESLI