17/09/24
Goodison Park, Liverpool, UK
Goodison Park, Liverpool, UK
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00Sean, how do you sum that up tonight?
00:15Well, inevitably, we wanted to win the game and we haven't done, albeit going to penalties, which is always a tricky one.
00:22From the team's point of view, after piecing together a team this morning, with three players going downhill overnight,
00:28then, I mean, I think we've given as good as we can get with the players available.
00:31I think we've got 12 outfield players currently fit or not ill.
00:36So to piece that together this morning and deliver a performance I thought could win, especially the chance we created.
00:41And I know that's been a challenge to us even before my time, taking them chances that kill a game.
00:47And we haven't done that tonight, but a lot of the performance was right enough to win a game.
00:50What then do you take away from tonight?
00:53The fact that you obviously had to make so many changes and you've got a performance.
00:56Yeah, I mean, you've got one morning, basically, because this morning we thought we had Miko, Dom and Jimmy and we didn't all of a sudden.
01:04So you've got, you know, you're talking about an hour's work to try and get the team to look like a team and some haven't played together before.
01:11So I thought that was playing.
01:12They look like a team who could, you know, tactically understand what was the challenge.
01:18Some of the play was good at times, effective.
01:20We opened them up enough times to go and win the game, but we didn't take chances, as I mentioned.
01:25You know, and you go down on penalties.
01:26So that's the disappointing things you don't get through.
01:29You know, regardless of injuries, illness, I still want the team to win and I still put out a team that was the best we could.
01:37And I thought they delivered a performance that could win.
01:39And the two young lads, by the way, I mean, Harrison making his debut is fantastic.
01:42You know, he's 17 years old.
01:44He's done brilliance since he's been with the first team with us.
01:47And I thought he did really well to, you know, it's not a team that are thriving at the moment, obviously.
01:51And to go in there and deliver a performance, I'm really pleased for him.
01:54Differently for Roman, he's a bit older and been around it a bit longer.
01:57At this stage, do you know how many you're likely to get back for the weekend?
02:00Obviously, it's building up to a big game against Leicester.
02:02Well, we certainly hope to get the three illnesses back.
02:05From what we know so far, it's a passing bug.
02:09Just, you know, at times like this, it feels like everything's against you.
02:12That's the way, you know, it can do.
02:15Couple of the others, Taki, we're hopeful on.
02:20And the rest, probably and likely, we'll have to wait and see.
02:23Just, obviously, it's the last time a League Cup tie will be played at Goodison Park.
02:27Now, the last kick is Ashley's missed penalty.
02:30But there was also, when he was brought on, seemed to be a reaction from the crowd as well.
02:34I mean, how do you sum that up?
02:37How does that impact you?
02:38Well, look, I mean, that's a tough thing about football.
02:41You know, it's a tough industry and crowds have opinions about varying players.
02:46And that's one of them things.
02:47He's certainly a tough customer, that side of things.
02:50Mentally, there's no problem there.
02:52Keno's had his question.
02:52I thought Keno played very well tonight and showed his worth to the side,
02:57with a couple of moments second half of a top-quality defending when he's,
03:00you know, having to clear things from under his,
03:02well, certainly in his six-yard goal with sort of calmness.
03:05That's one of them things, you know, the demand on myself is high and that's the way it goes.
03:10I totally understand it.
03:11Young is old enough and wise enough to know this is the way the industry is sometimes.
03:15But I think he's a fantastic professional and I think everyone knows that within our group.
03:19And that's just one of the things, you know, the fans have a right to say whatever they want to say.
03:23I've never questioned the fans there and I'm certainly not going to.
03:26Did you see it as a reaction to Ashley?
03:27I just wondered whether it was because Beto was being withdrawn as well?
03:31I don't know.
03:31I mean, I just probably, you know, my gut feeling tells you what your gut feeling was,
03:36which was it was probably that.
03:38But, you know, only the fans will know really.
03:41Like I say, it's not, I'm not going to start questioning fans.
03:43They've been amazing since I've been here.
03:45There was a recent story, you know, part of it and it was all a load of nonsense.
03:48But unfortunately, nonsense sells.
03:51The truth doesn't.
03:52How do you lift them, though, once again?
03:54As I say, you know, this game against Leicester coming up on the weekend,
03:57it feels like each week, before you...
03:58Well, the truth at the moment is that, and you certainly know,
04:01we've had a lot of challenges since I've been at the club.
04:03It's been a constant challenge, more or less.
04:05This is another one of them.
04:07You know, last season we had a very similar start.
04:09We were creating lots of chances, couldn't score goals.
04:12The difference was we were tight in games and we haven't been tight, we're aware of that.
04:17And, you know, a couple of things have really gone against us,
04:19with injuries in pre-season, all of that.
04:21But the fact is, it's a very similar start.
04:23It's been there for four seasons now.
04:25You know, I think they had four points after six games,
04:28three seasons ago, two seasons ago, last season.
04:31That type of thing.
04:32That's a bit, I'm going, well, where does that come from?
04:35But we can't change it all overnight.
04:36But we've sort of got to, you know, we've got to get back to winning ways
04:39and it's got to be the next game.
04:40And I'm well aware of that, trust me.
04:44Cheers.
04:45Any other questions?
04:47Sure, mate.
04:50Did it feel a bit flat today from the off?
04:53No, I was really pleased with the team's performance from the off.
04:58Like I say, you pieced it together one hour this morning
05:01when we found out who was missing.
05:02So I'm really pleased with that.
05:04You know, the fact of taking on a game, they're a Premier League outfit.
05:07We know that.
05:08They've got a big squad, you know, and I thought that the performance
05:11from that side of things was pleasing from the off.
05:13Is it a missed opportunity?
05:15No, you know, the players practised penalties this morning, like we do,
05:21and they delivered it very well.
05:23So, you know, that's the thing.
05:25It's different when you're in front of a crowd, obviously.
05:33Sean, you mentioned the slow start now over a number of years.
05:36Have you been able to pinpoint any patterns or any trends,
05:39particularly in your time here?
05:40Well, only, I thought last year was a clear,
05:43well-documented case of not taking chances.
05:46This year, it's been affected by injuries, which is not ideal.
05:49You know, players miss a lot of pre-season,
05:51but we've still had the chance to win games.
05:53Obviously, the last two games particularly.
05:56And tonight, we've had a chance again tonight to win games.
05:58So, but if it's been a longer-term thing, then you're just scratching your head,
06:02going, well, why is that?
06:03But like I say, you know, you can't find every answer each week that you find.
06:07And that's what I'm attempting to do.
06:08And it's a tough industry to do that.
06:10But that's my job, is to find answers.
06:12Short-term, middle-term and long-term.
06:14The first thing is short-term, quite obviously.
06:16So, we need to win games.
06:18Another set-piece goal conceded tonight, albeit with different personnel.
06:24How concerned are you about the record?
06:27I mean, it's been good in previous years and a few examples already.
06:30Yes, it's been very good under ourselves.
06:31Attacking the ball is always the biggest thing.
06:33And any team that you work with, ball comes in the box,
06:36you're having the clarity to attack it.
06:38Sometimes that comes with confidence, the edge of confidence
06:41and the edge of belief in doing that.
06:43But that will return because we've got players who do know how to do set-pieces,
06:47know how to attack and defend set-pieces.
06:49Our record suggests that quite strongly, as you know.
06:51It looked like Dwight was picking up.
06:54Harwood Bellis, was that right?
06:56Was he the one tasked with...?
06:57No, no, no.
06:57It's the Zonal idea, not Zonal set-up,
07:00but creating people who can stop runs and leaving your key-headers to head the ball.
07:05The set-up has been what we did last season, but adjusted for the personnel.
07:10We've had one, well, 20 minutes this morning to adjust virtually every player.
07:15So, I don't think it's the same thing when that happens.
07:17You've got new players coming in, trying to adjust their positioning,
07:21you know, at lastminute.com.
07:22So, I think it'd be a bigger picture if it was the same people all the time.
07:26But it's a different group today.
07:29Will Schonselli set-up Oktarkovski, has he got an injury?
07:33Yes, he's back.
07:35He's been fighting his way through it.
07:37We're hopeful it settles down in time for the weekend.
07:39Garnaghey tonight wasn't in the squad?
07:41He's got a personal issue with his father, unfortunately,
07:43which obviously we wish him well with that.
07:45So, he's had to travel back.
07:47A few fans are asking why Beto was brought up.
07:50Obviously, he was your only striker on the pitch and on the bench.
07:53What were the thoughts behind that?
07:55Just trying to adjust the team to go and win a game.
07:57You know, we didn't think that we were getting the chance we wanted.
07:59So, trying to change the style.
08:01Illy's kind of a different player, as you know.
08:02Wriggles gets turned, breaking the back line, that sort of thing.
08:06So, just trying to affect a game to win it.
08:07We've got one currently one-fit striker.
08:09So, you know, it's unlikely they're going to play every minute of that game tonight.
08:14So, we're just trying to affect a game to go and win it.
08:17OK, thanks, Fox.
08:19Did you have a question there?
08:23Hi, Sean Hamzah here.
08:25One last question for myself.
08:26It wasn't the best of results,
08:28but it's a really good experience for Harrison Armstrong to be playing 16 minutes,
08:32starting the game as well.
08:33He had a really good battle against Adam Lallana today.
08:36Can you just give us a bit of your thoughts on how he started?
08:38He was a young player who'd gone,
08:41shone brightly from pre-season.
08:43The youth team sort of coaches mentioned him to us and said,
08:47look, he's the first one up and he's done great.
08:49And we'll be keeping him with the group.
08:51I think he can develop further, quite obviously.
08:53But doing the world of good and fantastic for him and his family to get him out there,
08:56playing at Goodison tonight.
08:58So, I'm really pleased for him as an individual.
08:59The result didn't go our way, but he certainly gave everything he could.
09:02And he'll learn quickly because he's a very good player, I think.
09:04Absolutely. And with someone like James Garner on the side as well,
09:07and Idrissa Gane on the side,
09:08he'll have a lot of experience that he'll be working with as well.
09:10Yes, I mean, that's part of why we want him up with the first team training.
09:14I mean, he's been unfortunate so far because we haven't had a full squad to train with.
09:17But when we do, as you rightly say,
09:19then players rub off on you, not just the coaching staff,
09:21but the way you train, the way they work and all the habits that you find from them,
09:24sort of, Rose.
09:25Yes, that sounds good. Thank you.
09:26Cheers. Thanks, folks.
09:27Thank you. Cheers. See you later.