How are you feeling after today’s defeat?
“Of course, we are disappointed but we are not angry, it’s not on our boys. Today we are simply unlucky. We have never hidden the fact that you need luck in this game to be able to win on this level. All the time you need momentum, little details and decision making, referee and sometimes with a shot like today. We defended very, very well, were aggressive in counter-pressing, we didn’t allow any counter-attack chances, no half-chances, and I was absolutely happy with the work-rate intensity. But our decision-making was a bit too hectic, [we played] a bit too straight upfront., We wanted to force the solution too far, we had unnecessary ball losses and imprecise decision making. We created some two-against-two and two-against-three situations, that we couldn’t do as well as we should have. We had a big, big chance with Azpilicueta in the first half. A big chance, maybe the biggest in the game. In the second half we controlled the match even higher, completely in the opponent’s half. The spaces were closer but then we concede a goal out of nothing. It’s a fantastic goal but a lucky goal of course. Then we have a big chance with Mason and it’s a fantastic save from [Kasper] Schmeichel. We have an offside goal that’s very close. So we were unlucky today. When you arrive in a final, there are no guarantee you end up with a trophy. I think we would have deserved to win but we need to accept we were unlucky today.”
Three massive games ahead, what can you do to lift the momentum?
“There’s nothing much to do. We focus on our performance. This is what we always do. In a final, you take any excuse and take any result or win no matter how you get your hands on the trophy. In general, though, we are about performance and we will now work out what we did well, what we can do better, to get ready on Tuesday. In sports there is no team that never loses, no player that never loses. Now it’s about coming back, bouncing back, showing mentality again, and belief on Tuesday. We missed a trophy and we are very sad about it but we have another competition now with two finals against Leicester and Aston Villa. And then another final. We have enough to do so we can’t regret too long.”
Was inexperience a factor in being hectic in attack?
“Yes, that always plays a part. We can do better if we are experienced or not. I felt we were too hectic and I am sure it is not just to do with age. Hakim [Ziyech] and Timo [Werner] are not so young, but yes, we can improve there. It sticks a bit with us throughout the season and it is a lack of composure and precision. It holds you back from winning games. We had the same issues in other games where we were able to score. If we score a late goal, maybe we talk about the performance in a different way. That we kept our calm, work rate and concentration high. This is what we did against [Jamie] Vardy, [Kelechi] Iheanacho, and all the counter-attacks throughout the whole game and I am absolutely happy with how we defended. Me as a coach, I cannot judge the game only from the result and I will not start now.”
What are your thoughts on the potential handball in the build-up to the Leicester goal?
“I didn’t see it. My assistant saw it on the screen on the bench and the players said straight away that it was a handball. Now for the second time. There was a handball against Arsenal who denies a goal on the goalline against us and VAR is not interfering. Today again with the goal, very decisive. Arsenal denied a goal against us, today they score a goal. If it touched hand… I am not an expert in handball honestly anymore. I don’t absolutely know when it is hand and when it is not. So you need a little bit of luck in these decisions. I did not see it so I cannot comment and give my opinion. My opinion anyway is not relevant because I don’t know anymore when they need to punish it and when it is ok to play with the hand.
You played Reece James on the right of the back three, what was the thinking behind that?
“Reecey played in the back three and we put Azpi up higher. They changed the position because we know about the favourite position of Jamie Vardy in transition and we wanted to have Reecey’s power, Reecey’s acceleration, and top speed against him to eliminate this threat. He did fantastic today. Very very happy. On the same side, we wanted to have Azpi a bit higher because with his experience and his character he takes a bit more risk than Reecey in the last line. If Azpi could have scored the first goal and it was not deflected before him, it would have been a great decision. Now it is a normal decision, but it is a decision for tactical reasons and for Reecey’s top speed and I’m very happy how we defended in general today.”
