After facing another tough loss in Chennai, the Gaffer talks about the unfortunate outcome of the game, the effects of the multiple injuries in the squad and more
Here are the excerpts from the post-match press conference:
On the reason for goals being conceded late in the games…
I am very angry because I am fortunate to work with a very good group and staff and my job is to make sure that they are the best that they can be. I am thoroughly irritated by the second goal that we conceded. The third one is fine as the game is dead and we are chasing it. The second goal was unprofessional on our part and we made it outrageously easy for them. So, I am not very pleased, the players are not very pleased. But we have a choice, we can either blame everyone else or look internally and make sure it never happens again. If we keep that game at 1-1 for the next ten minutes, we will win that game as we will have the momentum, especially with what went on with their last match here. That was part of our game plan but to give it to your opponent on a plate is infuriating when we work with these great players every single day.
On the game plan to rely on set pieces that created the most chances…
Every time we train, we work on how we are going to build up from the back. Sometimes, it's right to play long and sometimes it's right to play short. But the players are the decision-makers on the pitch. It's not a long pass or a short pass, it's a right pass or a wrong pass and we made some poor decisions tonight. It's important to not concede from set plays but we also got to be able to create goal-scoring chances. To be fair, we have created chances in all of the games that we have had but we want to do better because we want to win games and keep picking up points.
On the status of Wellington Priori's injury and its effect on the result…
We are very unlucky at the minute with our injuries. We have lost our central midfield player, Germanpreet, lost three defenders and lost another player tonight. Our squad is only so deep. But what it does is that it gives other people an opportunity. Some of the players took their opportunity tonight and some didn't. My job is to pick everyone up tomorrow for the next game and make sure we get a good result in our next match. Wellington has got a groin injury so I doubt he will be available for the next match.
At which point did the match go out of hand…
I don't think the game is about possession, it's about decision-making on and off the ball. Our decision-making led to poor transitions which meant we were in a bit of trouble. To be honest, we can talk about formations, tactics, styles and expected goals but at the end of the day if you make a mistake as catastrophic as the ones we made tonight. If we don’t work hard and do our best to keep scoring, then you shouldn't expect to win. We have worked hard against the opposition to give us positive momentum but we have given it away. They didn't have to work for it. We gave it to them which is an annoying thing for me.
On Ishan Pandita making his first start of the season and being the only goalscorer tonight…
I think he wants to be a starter. He is a young player. who needs to practise and get better every day. He is a goalscorer, there is no doubt about that, but like all the players we are pushing him to get more. So there is much more to come from him I am sure.
On the team winning only one in six matches…
Having injuries doesn't help. We have three injuries in two games. We have to address that. We have a game that we need to get ready for. So, we can be angry and upset about this but we need to focus, re-focus on us and what we have done well.
On the injuries to the players having to do something with the extensive travelling…
We are not going to move our home ground. It is where it is and it could be a strength for us. India is a big place, so we have to adapt to it and overcome it. So we won't be making any excuses about the travel.
