Jesse, where do we start with that game? I mean, it's a fantastic result, some brilliance, some pretty poor stuff, how do you analyse it?
Consistency is what we're lacking. Now, obviously in our season but also from moment to moment in matches. The good part is the belief is still high in the group and so even at half-time when we were disappointed that we didn't deliver a better first half, I tried to give them a couple of adjustments and then and then reinforced belief.
I could tell by the looks on their faces at halftime that they knew they could win this match and that they would win this match. So I think that that part right now within our group is really really important and we drew on that and I think had a really good second half even going down 3-1.
There seemed to be a bit of anger when you looked at when Greenwood scored and Cooper, there was no celebrations, it was like, let’s get on and do this. What happened at half-time, had you given them a hard time?
Listen, at half-time, we talked about tactical adjustments, then we talked about not paying attention and if the crowd was going to boo them that the most important thing was to stay focused on the tactical roles and discipline, and then to execute how we wanted to play. We felt and I encouraged them that if we did that well that we would come into the game more and more and more and then take control of it and find our goals. What challenged it more than anything was then given up the goal. Still we pushed and I thought the whole second half was very good and then obviously the subs came on and made a made a big impact.
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Greenwood and Gnonto were amazing and Crysencio with a fantastic finish again. Greenwood coming on seemed to be a key moment, what forced that for you?
Yeah, I felt that first of all, we rotated a little bit more to like 4-3-3 against the ball, which also we thought would help us with second balls if we were always closing with more players in the middle because we anticipated that they would play more and more long balls, which they did. Then that would also put us in position to get into transition more. I felt that Sam is a better eight than Marc and can play a little bit more on the right and keep Tyler in the middle position. I also felt he could help with set pieces and some deliveries. I didn't anticipate him scoring that great goal with his left but obviously that was really helpful!
And what a sensational way to win a game, that must be right up there?
I mean, I feel like we never have simple victories. If you go through in the waning moments of the match since I've been here, we've collected a lot of points. This is what I love about our team, that they all have real strong belief in what we're trying to do and they know that where we're at, as a club and as a team, that we all have to be entirely invested to give ourselves a chance in this league. So I love when I see them, even if they would have come up a little bit short tonight, it would have hurt, but you would have seen again, what we have to have is always our backbone which is our true mentality to never stop.
And Bamford, how serious is that?
Yeah, he took a penalty literally in the last action of training yesterday and then felt something in his hip. So they think it's like a seven day injury and then we'll see how it pans out for the week and if we can get them ready for Tottenham.
Have you enjoyed the last couple of weeks?
No. No.
So what have your emotions been?
I mean, the good part is I feel like we believe that we can win now. You know before it was like we were, like I said after Fulham, we were more waiting to lose. I think we flipped that. We've been in both matches and against Liverpool and here today, we had really good stretches in the game and all phases.
So but yeah, I mean, just looking for consistency, it makes life easier as a manager instead of living on the edge and in motion but I mean we're all searching for that and we're all hunting that in a big way and I just want to see it manifest itself more and more every day.
What more can you say about Willy? You’ve held him back a few weeks, there’s been calls for him to play as Italy’s number nine, but you held him back. He’s had two amazing performances from the bench…
Yeah, but we don't really use them as a nine, we use him a little bit more as a 10, but what you can see is how intelligent he is and wherever you play him on the pitch his savviness, his clarity as to what kinds of things he should try, how to play against the ball, he's a very intelligent young man. He knows multiple languages, understands tactics, and then obviously has quality so yeah, I think he's earning more and more time and he's making a big case from himself.
How hard is it going to be to not start next weekend against Tottenham with the impact he's making and Jack Harrison seems to be declined recently?
Yeah, I mean, Jack is a guy that we count on and is very reliable, but certainly Willy, I think Joffy as well, he hasn't always played as much but in training, he's been putting a lot into it and been really effective and performing well. Obviously now we see Crysencio now at a really high level. A lot of these young guys are pushing. And again, I always try to mention Mateo and Sonny as well, because we really like those guys.
How much is everybody going to need the break, Jesse, because this period has been insanely intense?
Yeah, but I think it's almost a shame because we're finally getting a little bit of momentum. You can always look at it both ways. I'm not thinking about the break right now. I'm thinking about Wolves and then after we get out of Wolves, we've got to push again at Tottenham.
In terms of the emotional spectrum, where does that go in your career? But also are you saying that it was the tactical side of the game what got you home today and not the emotional?
Yeah, I think our discipline in the second half was better than the first, we play too passive. When we're at our best we're on the front foot and that's with the ball and against it and when we start to fall back a little bit and if they put a couple plays together and we start to worry about protecting our backline then we open the game up and we lose control. So continuing to try to stay on top of them about tactical details with everything we do and they're trying. They're really trying and obviously in the good moments then you can see a lot of the concepts really coming to life and in moments when they're not then we look a little too vulnerable.
And the emotional spectrum as a manager today, is that one of the most ever?
Yeah, I could have said that last week and you can say it again and you know, I hope it doesn't continue this way. I want to try to make things simple on us but that's not the Leeds way, I hear.
You spoke on Thursday about this friendship between Willy and Crysencio and the finish today, it doesn’t get better than that. Can you see something between them?
Yeah. It’s typical, this is what happened, I saw Willy and Crysencio and I said ‘Cry, did you see my press conference?’ And he goes, ‘No’. And I go, ‘did you, Willy?’ He goes, ‘yes’.
He goes, ‘yeah, I heard it. I agree. I understand that.’ But at the same time, Cry is developing and you can see his confidence and we're going to continue to push him to mature and be a complete player. You can see it swelling, you can see it growing and it's great. Yeah, I think they have a really strong friendship and if we can build them up and continue to use their youthful talent and enthusiasm and desire to improve and fearlessness that can be a good recipe for success, even with young players.
It was a little bit too quiet in terms of communication, do you want them to be a bit more vocal?
Well, I think, again, what happens with our back line a little bit, if we start to feel too much pressure, we start to drop too much and we start to get too tight and then we invite more balls in front of the back line, first or second balls, and we invite too many switches instead of being in position to be braver and not worried about following men and trusting that we're always going to be together.
Some of this is still breaking habits from what they used to play like and the other part is then keeping them on the front foot and keeping them more aggressive in the tactical discipline. So afterwards, Gary Lineker asked me was the game to defensively do we need to fall back and protect ourselves more. And I said, ‘actually, what I'm trying to get them to understand is, the more aggressive we are, the more we can control the opponent even without the ball.’
So I'm not sure if I translated that perfectly but that's my point is we always want to be on the front foot. Always we always want to be the aggressor and we want to use that tactically to make us better.
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