Nuno Espirito Santo
After a positive first half, why did it go so wrong in the second half?
A lot of things. A lot of things. Starting from the way we conceded, it’s disappointing the way to concede, through a set piece. Then after that it became really hard, really hard to get back in the game. Chelsea is a good team and in possession they created us problems. Like you said, very good first half, very good. We competed really well, we played good football, we pressed high so we have the awareness that we have a lot of things we need to improve, but the awareness of the first half must stick with us so we can build on it.
You had a lot of attacking players out there but still the chances aren’t coming freely, what do you put that down to, a lack of coordination or rhythm?
Of course, of course, a lot of things. A lot of things that lack, a lack of time that we need to work together. That’s the main reason.
In the first half, the team looked more attacking – is that the way forward?
We had to find solutions. Since the beginning this is our focus – to find solutions that can help the players to perform. To find partnerships. We started one way at the beginning of the season because those were the players available to build on. The international break came and we had problems. Now, I honestly believe the first half was really good, really good. The energy that we put on the pitch – the attitude, the spirit the players had. So if there’s only one positive today, that was the first half.
They brought Kante and Werner off the bench and you had to bring on younger players in Skipp and Gil, what does that say about the difference between the teams?
We have to be aware of what is happening to our squad and to us, this is not compared to anyone else, let’s focus on our own problems because we have a lot of problems to solve. The absence of players, the issues we have and mainly that we have to improve. We have to improve, the next challenge is to sustain the levels of performance through the game. I am really confident and positive that we will get there.
How do you feel the introduction of Kante changed the game?
I think the change of the game was a set-piece, after that it became really hard for us to get back into the game. The goal we conceded, we started chasing a result and with the quality of players that Chelsea have they create problems, straight balls, running in behind and that is the main reason. We are going to analyse, there is lots of things we have to look at, but the first impression is the way we conceded really punished us after all the energy we put into the first half.
