Midfielder Oona Siren is enjoying the experience of playing in the Barclays Women’s Super League and she believes wins will come after West Ham United women’s team’s tough start the campaign.
The 23-year-old Finland international joined the Hammers from Norwegian outfit LSK Kvinner in the summer and has made four league appearances this term - against Manchester City, Everton, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.
While her introduction to the top tier of English football has been a baptism of fire, Siren, who has 15 first-team international caps to her name, has relished the challenge.
“The intensity in those games has been really high, maybe higher than I’m used to,” she said. “You have to make decisions quicker and the games have also been really physically demanding.
“It’s been really good to play against those teams and there’s some really good players in them, so it’s been a great experience to play against them.
“I think everyone in the team is working really hard all the time and we have been performing better and better. Even though we haven’t got the results, I believe we’ll start to get points soon.
“As a player, you always want to play in the games, so it has been really nice to get some minutes lately.”
During the October international break, Siren featured heavily for Finland in their quest for a place at UEFA Women's Euro 2025. The midfielder started both legs against Montenegro and helped her country ease to a 6-0 aggregate victory.
In the qualification play-off final during the upcoming international break, Siren will likely face Hammers team-mate Kirsty Smith when Finland and Scotland clash. The two teams will meet at Easter Road Stadium in Edinburgh on Friday 29 November before their deciding second leg in Helsinki on Tuesday 3 December.
As well as performing on the international stage, Siren has played in the UEFA Women’s Champions League on six occasions for Kuopion Palloseura, for whom she made more than 50 appearances for across all competitions. But now in London, Siren is enjoying exploring the capital.
“I like living here,” she said. “It’s different, but there is a lot to see in London as it’s a big place.
“I really like our team and everyone here. It’s been good and it’s getting better and better all the time so I’ve enjoyed it so far.”
The Hammers welcome eighth-place Leicester City to the Chigwell Construction Stadium on Sunday, looking to bounce back from the weekend’s late 2-1 defeat at Tottenham, and Siren is expecting an even battle.
“I think it’s going to be a really equal game, either of us can take the three points, so it will be interesting.”
