Ludlow sets Arsenal new target

After becoming European champions on Sunday, Arsenal LFC are looking to become the first English club to win a clean sweep of trophies in one season.

Successful season
The north London side have enjoyed a remarkable 2006/07 campaign to date with their UEFA Women's Cup success against Umeå IK crowning a season in which they have already claimed the English League Cup and become runaway domestic champions, winning all 19 of their games to date en route to a fourth successive title. Indeed, the weekend draw against Umeå – which completed a 1-0 aggregate win - was only the second time they have been held all season, both times in Europe, with the Swedish champions following Danish counterparts Brøndby IF.

Quadruple target
Arsenal are now on the brink of an unprecedented quadruple, something they will achieve if they can overcome Charlton Athletic WFC in the FA Cup final on 7 May, and stand-in captain Jayne Ludlow is determined to make the most of the opportunity. "It's on but obviously we're not going to count our chickens," she told uefa.com. "We know we've got a hard game against Charlton coming up and we will have to be on top form, but we are really looking forward to that game."

Still unbeaten
The 28-year-old midfielder added: "[The clean sweep is] definitely a goal now. It's something that we haven't done before and it would be probably the best season of our lives, so it's something we want to fulfil. We're still unbeaten - a few people will be surprised about that. The best in Europe have come here and we're still unbeaten so it's brilliant."

Landmark success
Ludlow, who has been capped 38 times by Wales and was an ever present in Arsenal's run to their first European final, is keen to stress the significance of the triumph against two-time former winners Umeå, rating it as the best-ever achievement by an English side on the international stage. "People forget we played against a professional team," she said. "We're semi-professional - most of the girls have full-time jobs so to be able to do that as individuals and as a team is just immense."

Bright future
Ably standing in as captain this season in Faye White's lengthy absence due to a knee injury, Ludlow now believes Arsenal's success bodes well for the future of women's football in England. "I'm hoping it will rollercoaster a bit now," she said. "There are more kids getting involved day in day out and hopefully with the coverage we've had now, and winning a major trophy outside our borders, people are going to stand up and take notice and realise that we have talent in this country and we can win major trophies."