How frustrated by that are you today?
I am frustrated, I am disappointed with the result but on the other hand after watching the attitude my players had today I can only say I’m proud of them. Of course we need to improve many things but if we analyse the game, in the first 30 minutes the opponent was better, they dominated the game, they dominated possession, they created two clear chances, the crossbar and the save from Illan. After that moment I think we go up with the ball with possession, creating as well some chances. The second half was similar, they had their moments, the goal came from a corner. We tried until the end and the team showed character and a good attitude. It was the difference today in my opinion, the corner kick.
But it was a day that if you had started well, you felt Chelsea would be nervous, why couldn’t you start well?
We tried to be aggressive from the beginning. We didn’t know if they play with four or three at the back and we manage all these options and we tried to adjust during the game and I think we did it well. They are playing at home, they need the points as well. We need time to work the game and have the confidence on the ball to grow up during the game and I think we did.
Read more: Leeds United attack misfires once more at Chelsea
You talked about the finishing but the final ball seemed to be an issue?
The big problem is not creating the chances, first of all. After that we need to improve the effectiveness to finish better, to be more clinical but if we analyse the game, the opponent had two or three clear chances, some of them coming from set-pieces. Today they score one and we weren’t able to score. We are coming from the other game during the week in the Cup that happened even worse, we created 16 shots and had more clear chances and we didn’t concede the chances we conceded today. It’s something we have to improve but I prefer to be calm and work on it and try to solve working because it’s the only way to have to do it and with confidence we need to finish better next time.
Patrick Bamford has a leg injury but no Roca and Gnonto today, why did you change the team around?
I thought for today it was better to try two wingers like Jack and Summerville, I think it was my decision, try to think and counter and think during the game they will be important as well. Today, my thinking about today was that we will get points during the game not only with the first XI, we need all the players to get the points when in play.
Do you feel the squad has the necessary goals in them to stay up?
We need goals like all the teams. If you don’t score, you don’t win. We are thinking we have many options, some players are injured. In the next games I am sure we have more options for strikers, for example. I think the goals is not only about the strikers, all the team has to be ready to collaborate in scoring. I am sure in the future we do it.
How difficult is it to build attacks if you don’t have a natural number nine?
I can tell you it’s very difficult or whatever you want but I have to look for the solution. If you have or don’t have, or one or two, I try to look for the solution. After two Premier League games, we score one goal and conceded one goal. We need to work on it and if we are not able to score too many goals, then we have to be more compact and solid to concede less goals.
Your press was not high - did you want to give them space?
We tried to create space for counters and knowing Chelsea always is dangerous if they start from their goalkeeper with possession, but at the same time we were able to defend better with a mid-block and creating the space behind to attack.
Mateo hasn’t played a lot - what were the instructions to him, do you expect him to affect the game?
We needed to change Georginio in my opinion because he was tired and we needed fresh legs in that part of the pitch. Fresh players to give us the options to attack, to finish, be fresh in the last metres, it was my decision.
Did you intend to start Patrick today, when did you know he would be missing?
Two days, the day I was with you in the press conference, I knew it.
How did you see the end of the game, it felt like Chelsea fell back quite a lot and gave you territory?
I think it was because our team did good things to put Chelsea in that situation. We tried to look for the ball through set-pieces, from corner kicks, from different ways, counters, attacking play, but I am sure they needed the points and in that moment after many games without getting good results, they were a little bit, I don’t know frightened, I don’t know the name, I don’t know the word, sorry if I make a mistake.
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