How good a response was that after City?
What we can control is what we can do. We’ve been discussing that for the past few days. After the international break there was a lot of tricky situations to manage with a few players. There’s always a question about how the players will react after that. I think they were exceptional, they were really at it, everybody wanted to be involved and we won the game in a convincing way which is good and the only thing that we can control.
It was quite a contribution from Jesus
Delighted for him. They all were. We were all clapping for him. He’s been working so hard for the last for or five months with a lot of support from the team and the staff. Today he deserved the chance to start. He grabbed the opportunity with a lot of conviction and with two goals.
What did you say at half time?
Well a few things that we had to improve. The way they set up they were really man marking our attacking midfielders. They were playing a back six, they were playing four really quick players, they caught us on transition and we started to lose the ball in areas that you can’t do against teams that want to defend like that. We improved that a lot, we explored other spaces and started to change the positions of a few players, and were more fluent. Then we went attacking in the box with more numbers and good positions and we looked a threat.
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Was Ben White OK before the game, because he left the warm up early?
He had some issues in the last few days but he’s a big fighter and he wanted to be here. With the injury of Tomi we are a bit short in that position. He scored a goal as well which is good news for him and he was very good again.
Could you have imagined Trossard would be this good in your wildest dreams?
I have very wild dreams!
No seriously, we knew about his quality and what he could bring to the team. He can play, right left, he can play as a midfielder he can be a false nine. He’s really contributing to the team. He’s taking responsibility to make that happen and we love him.
How good is it to see Ben White getting forward?
As a manager when he puts the ball in the back of the net it’s great. If he doesn’t and then we have an open space on the counter not so much. But he’s timing those runs really well. He’s a threat there and on set pieces he’s improved so much, to bring attention and drag spaces from the opponent. I’m really happy with him.
How important is the versatility among the forward line?
Probably, but we have players now that need a little bit more space and freedom. Those interactions. I think, contribute for the team and for the opponent to be more conscious and worried about the opponent and I think it’s more difficult to defend. They like it, they feel freer, they feel better doing it, and obviously they have our blessing to do that.
It feels like every time you miss a big player, someone else steps up. How do you create that culture?
First of all the players have to feel trust, that we trust them. They need to feel that confidence. The players have to have the chance, and they need to be preparing to perform in the right way to have the chance like Rob did and to actually perform. The way they live, the way they challenge themselves is exceptional. It’s not easy to do that when you just throw Rob in after a few months of inactivity at this level, but I thought he was exceptional. I’m really happy. We need everybody. We’ve had long-term injuries and the team needs to somehow find a way to keep winning and keep performing.
How much of the City game did you watch?
We were on the bus, and it was in and out, so small parts. Then when we were off the bus, disconnect it, focus on what we want to do and what we had ahead of us.
Was there a sickness bug going through the camp?
Yeah and other issues with international players and a player that we had here. It happens. It was part of the context of the game. We used in the right way. Players are so willing to step up and play in any context and it’s great.
The atmosphere is much better here than when you were a player. How much of a difference does that make?
When we were singing the song all together – goosebumps. Football is about passion and what we can transmit. The crowd transmits energy, belief, love to the players and unconditional support. Today was another example – the way we conceded the goal, the reaction was to cheer the team – that’s very rare to see in any stadium and that’s an exceptional response. So stay with us, we are so excited, we want to go for it, focus on the next game because we are going to put everything into it.
Nine games left, does not seem to be that tense for the team. How do you shut it out?
Just enjoy the moment we are in. We have nine games to go but we have a training session today that is going to enable us to be better as a team. If we go through the journey day by day, when the gong comes we are in the right state of mind. We are really looking forward to it. We have oxygen to grab instead of [gasps] ‘next game, next game’. We go to the next target and we go for it.
Can you enjoy the games?
I do. More now than before.
Like finals, feels like you won a final?
No it feels like another game. The next session go again, and then the next game. Finals are played in May. we don’t have any finals until then.
Xhaka scoring lots of goals again. What do you put that down to?
Yeah especially here [points at head]. When you think you are going to score, you score. And when you score one, you believe in the next one you are going to score. And when you score again, you believe in the next one you are going to score. Great finish, great run, great timing, so happy for him. They need to contribute with goals.
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