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Gunners boss Eidevall believes the Conti Cup can be improved
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Phil Medlicott
Press Association
Jonas Eidevall has made his point about the Conti Cup
Jonas Eidevall has made his point about the Conti Cup

Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall feels the Conti Cup has a number of issues and there is "a lot of room for improvement".

The Swede has spoken out after after Wednesday's quarter-final at Championship outfit London City Lionesses was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch and rescheduled for February 14. 

Eidevall, 41, said: "It was frustrating. I think there is a lot of room for improvement in ensuring a better competition. 

"It's probably something that needs looking at."

Eidevall went on to claim it was "an absolute joke" that a one-match ban from a red card in the Women's Super League can be served in the Conti Cup. 

He added: "I don't see how you mix two competitions, especially when not all teams in the league are a part of that competition at the group stage — that makes it even more weird."

The Gunners chief also referenced the recent case where an independent tribunal deducted three points from Aston Villa after they fielded an ineligible player, former Arsenal ace Noelle Maritz, in a group-stage win over Sunderland. 

And he stressed that the standard of pitches in the women's game needs to be looked at. 

Eidevall said: "That's maybe more of a women's football cup problem than a Conti Cup problem. But still, it affects us here and now in the Conti Cup. 

"If you can't play on your pitch, what is the plan? Do you have a reserve pitch you can play on instead? Can we move the game somewhere else? 

"In this case here, no one knows what's going to happen when we can't play on the original pitch, which makes it really complicated. 

"We now have to move the game to a different period where we have less availability on players than we had the week before. 

"I don’t think it needs to be like that. In Sweden, which has more severe weather than the UK, games very rarely get cancelled. 

"And if they do, you play them the day after on the pitch or you move it to the reserve pitch."

Arsenal host Manchester City in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday.

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Arsenal WomenWomen's Super LeagueWomen’s League Cup
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