Sam, it started well but then completely got away from you. How would you explain it?
Not scoring enough goals when you're on top, not showing enough quality in the final third, not punishing the opposition when they have the opportunity to and then when you've done that making sure. You've got to expect that West Ham will get the game, they’re playing at home, they’ve just got into a cup final in Europe, with no pressure on and they've got a big crowd getting behind them, they’re bound to come into the game at some stage of it, which we had to deal with.
Dealing with that was obviously hanging in there waiting for the right opportunity to then play on the counter-attack but we didn't show in the end enough quality. Even in the first half we created opportunities in the final third to score more goals and it was an opportunity where we could have done and we didn't. Then the second half it was about hanging in there as a team and making your way forward when you can, maybe a counter attack or a set piece and score a goal that you may not deserve and that's what happens at this level of football but we couldn't do that.
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So, a lack of composure…
In possession, yes and lack of composure in the final third to pick the right pass out because there's plenty of players arriving in the box as we worked on, plenty of opportunities in those areas. I thought that we only got 1-0 up after 10 minutes after playing so well, add the fact that we've struggled to keep a clean sheet for a long period of time even though I talked about trying to keep one, It was going to be hard pushed the way our record is, but that's why I’d want more than one goal but we didn't get that, stayed in the game for a period of time until they, well, the third goal was just us going hell for leather to try and get one. We did have an opportunity in the second half, not very many, but we did have a one-on-one with the keeper, which would have made it 2-2, I think Cree got through and just failed to put that one in the back of the net.
So our quality at both ends is where we really lack the quality you need to defend better, create more opportunities and goals at the other end and the two critical areas are particularly disappointing for us.
How damaging was it to lose Patrick Bamford today and it seemed Rodrigo was struggling?
Both of them struggling badly. Rodrigo with a plantar fascia and of course, Patrick with a hamstring and I have to say that the impact of the subs wasn't that as I expected. I expected a better impact from the subs so that gives me an even bigger look at the situation and the squad as a whole, seeing who can make a difference and unfortunately, I don't think any of the subs made a difference today when we needed them.
What’s the biggest single challenge that you face this week?
The only challenge is to try and beat Tottenham and try and go into the game and deliver performances without the mistakes like we played against Newcastle. We give ourselves a chance to win and we then have to see what happens at Everton, who are playing Bournemouth I think. That's our only hope is that we can win that game and see what happens.
Do the players still believe, they look very crestfallen at the end?
You’re bound to when you’ve lost the game or when you had an opportunity not to fall behind the score more goals. I couldn't have asked for a bit better in terms of what we were trying to do, cause West Ham lots and lots of problems, but you can't cause people problems without scoring at this level. That opportunity came and went. Like I said we were at the bottom of the league and with the quality of their players in their squad, they’re bound to come into game at some stage. And then you just have to defend better for that period of time. And get yourself an opportunity if you can, but unfortunately we didn't.
What is the team's biggest problem defensively?
I'd say probably the strength in depth of the squad more than anything else.
What evidence was there today that you believe they can get results next weekend?
Well, it depends on the injuries that we have to Rodrigo and Patrick Bamford. If both of those message us based on what we do up front after that, it is big ask. That is fact. I can't hide the fact that, who am I going to play up front if those two are missing.
We might have to choose to play a completely different system with the players we've got available to create an opportunity to win a game. Certainly from a defensive point of view, we have to work at keeping quiet Harry Kane and Son.
Were you concerned about making Rodrigo’s injury worse by leaving him on?
Yeah, look, we had to, because we were always in the game. When we were winning the game and then it was half time, we were 1-1 and we were in the game. They got to 2-1 was still in the game. So we couldn't take we couldn't take him off because looking at the substitutions who could replace him. We didn't really have a centre forward to replace him.
It’s not over but this situation, has it just asked too much, do you think?
Well, if we don't make it in the end it's a challenge of trying your best when you come here and trying to do your best for the club. Particularly this club and it's worked so hard to get back in the Premier League. I can only try my best and give the players the right sort of instructions to show them how to how to win a game of football unfortunately for me and for them that hasn't worked yet. So we have to try and get that to work on on Saturday. Itwas always going to be a difficult task. I mean, lots of people said how mad I am taking it, but I'm not mad. I just love football and Leeds United was too big a job to turn down for me. However short it was.
It's not over but judging by the actions of some players at Full time it looked like they almost thought it was, how difficult is it going to be to get them back in the right frame of mind?
Well, I think the quality of the team we're going to play and what are the injuries would be my main concern having watched the substitutes we made today. When you make substitutions you want to see an impact in a positive manner. Whether it's the pressure, or whether it's a lack of confidence, I didn't see that, sadly. I saw lots of good possession and lots of opportunities but a bigger failure probably the second half was the final ball and the final quality of the ball.
That was a real concern to me because you know, we always feel today that as a manager, your subs or impact on your team to get better and that was obviously something that didn't actually work today.
Looking at the start of the game, you scored and you were on top…
And that was off a throw in. So we've got lots of, in play possession, lots of play, lots of flow going forward, lots of time in the opposition's final third, but it wasn't just the failure of the final ball on occasions but also the failure of our shots, our incapability for shots on target. So when you look at with probably West Ham, they probably had more shots on goal in the first half than we had but we had much more of the play than they had but our failure for shooting and our failure for actually shooting actually let us down as well. That's only something we can try and look at and talk about when we pull the stats up and say we need to get better than that next week.
You say you love football and that’s why you came, what do you see at Leeds United and the position it finds itself in?
I’ll tell you if I'm here or not. I won't tell you now. It’s private. It didn't take me long to work it out, when you have 1155 games. I sorted this club out when I came, I’ve sorted a few other clubs out. The experience is all there to know what is wrong and what is right and what you have to put right. So if at the end of the season whatever discussion we have, we'll have that discussion.
Let’s hope it’s if we're in the Premier League. Fingers crossed.
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