We’re Expecting A Tough Challenge, Says Bott
- LCFC Women welcome Birmingham City to Pirelli Stadium on Saturday
- The Adobe Women’s FA Cup fixture has a 12pm GMT kick-off
- CJ Bott spoke to CITY in the build-up to the fifth round tie
- Click HERE for ticket information and how to follow the action
Saturday’s opponents play their domestic football in the Barclays Women’s Championship, but Bott anticipates a tough battle. Just four points off the top of the league, the New Zealand international says the team have identified the Blues' strengths as they hope to progress to the quarter-finals at Pirelli Stadium.
“I think we’re expecting a tough challenge and a difficult game but at the same time we know what we can bring and we know we’re definitely better than before,” Bott explained in an interview with CITY. “We just need to perform on the day and we’ll know we will make it.
“Any team is a great team on the day and they definitely have their strengths and I think we cannot be complacent and we can’t underplay what they’re going to bring and expect a second-tier performance. They’re definitely going to bring us a challenge but we’re for sure ready to embrace that.”
Bott missed out in the last round of cup fixtures through injury but has since returned to full fitness and is excited to crack on with the rest of the season.
“I think coming back from injury isn’t easy,” City's no.4 continued. “But I think having such a busy period of fixtures, I knew I was fit and ready to go but not having too much time between games has boded quite well for me.
“I like getting back into the swing of things and having that challenge quite early on. I think against Manchester City, it was the wake-up call and the game I needed to get back into the swing of things and I know I’m ready to go.”
Still aiming for a top half finish in the Barclays Women’s Super League, the right-back wants to progress as far as she can in the competition with Leicester, to set a new bar for what they can achieve.
Bott added: “A successful season for me personally would be what’s best for the team. I think if we can finish in that top-six position that would be unbelievable and I think I will know within myself if I’ve done what I can to help the team.
“I think if we can go as far as we can in the cup and if we can get that top-six position then we’ve made history for the Club, and I think we’ve just started creating a precedent for what’s to come.”
Ahead of Saturday's game, download and read the latest issue of the Club's official matchday publication, CITY, on desktop or mobile.