Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall said he cannot respond to critics following a string of disappointing performances in the Women's Super League and Women's Champions League as he is unaware of what is being criticised.
The north London side suffered a 5-2 humbling by Bayern Munich in their first Champions League group-stage game on Wednesday, after a second-half hat trick from Pernille Harder handed the Gunners their biggest defeat since 2017.
When asked at a news conference on Friday if the pressure was building and if Eidevall has anything to respond to those criticising recent performances, he said: "It's hard for me to say [something] to critics because I don't necessarily know what they are criticising.
"I think the most pressure comes from ourselves. If I talk about me personally, I set incredibly high standards on myself and I think I'm going to be by far the fiercest critic of my performances and the team performances.
"If you want to be competing in all four competitions, you need to be able to handle and deal with pressure and making sure that pressure gets the best version out of you. So I don't mind that that's part of the game and part of the privilege in representing this football club."
Arsenal have also suffered a rocky start to the WSL season. They opened the season with a draw to Manchester City, followed by a clinching 1-0 win over Leicester City in a lacklustre performance and a goalless draw at home to Everton.
Arsenal face another tough test on Saturday, hosting Chelsea in their fourth WSL game of the campaign.
An adverse result against the reigning WSL champions could heap yet more pressure on Eidevall.
"We're really determined to put absolutely everything we have onto the pitch tomorrow," Eidevall said. "From our side, we're obviously really disappointed with how we acted the last 15, 20 minutes in the game [against Bayern], and I think the last two goals we conceded should not happen.
"And that of course leaves us with a bitter feeling, but that's a tough learning point for us to take. But we need to do that in order to get to where we want to be and we need to look forward again tomorrow."
Eidevall said every game is now a must-win game and that mentality is crucial for the side to progress in the league and through the Champions League group stage despite their disappointing start.
"That needs to be the mentality that we have," Eidevall said. "Nothing else should please us, we should always go out and and win football matches.
"I think you can look at things from different perspectives. The main objective for us in this preseason at the start of the season was to qualify for the Champions League group stage.
"We've done that. We want to be competing all the way in the league and there is no way you can tell me that the start of the league doesn't allow us to do that."
Arsenal are to face reigning champions Chelsea at the Emirates on Saturday as manager Sonia Bompastor's side return to the WSL following a week off.
After a sickness bug swept through Chelsea's camp ahead of their Champions League clash with Real Madrid on Wednesday, Bompastor said Hannah Hampton and Catarina Macario will return to the squad ahead of the weekend.
Erin Cuthbert is also back in contention after picking up a knock. There are no other injury or illness concerns, Bompastor confirmed.
"We're feeling great," she told a news conference on Friday. "The team is in a really good dynamic."
This will be Bompastor's biggest domestic test since taking over as Chelsea manager. Despite two successful wins in the league, keeping clean sheets in both as well, this will be the first time she faces one of the traditional top four sides.
"We are expecting to have a tough game especially at the Emirates Stadium but were prepared for that. I feel like this is time to go," she added.
"Being a manager, I know what it is like to play a derby. We just want to play these games in front of fans, in a nice stadium, against a tough team."
Despite the deep-rooted rivalry and high stakes of the game, Bompastor is preparing for this as usual and wants her players to "enjoy the experience" on Saturday.
"For me this game is three points, the same as the other ones. Of course it's a derby but its three points at the end," Bompastor said.
"We always are ready to play any game, I just focus on my team and what we have to do. Mentally we are ready."