Pellicer: “Satisfied; I see things that can improve, and the boys are willing”
The Blue and White coach held a press conference after the victory over Real Sociedad ‘B’. “It’s a four-point match, because it gives us a great morale boost, and we hope many victories will follow,” he said.
On the road to improvement
“The first few minutes were exactly what we wanted against a team that kept jumping and disrupting us. Aside from two actions in the first half, the match matured as it went on. We lacked rhythm in our ball circulation, but we have to understand that this is a team that runs a lot, has energy, and will create scares. We need patience against an organised defence, take risks, and be vertical when it breaks down. We were a bit short on freshness, and the substitutions have given us energy at this moment. I want to congratulate Juanpe, who came on in a difficult situation and showed the peripheral vision we didn’t have in the first half. If Joaquín had been more clinical, we would be talking about a different context. The match gets dangerous, but we have to praise the boys. Teams that achieve their objectives and aim for more will do so through progression and improvement. We are on that road of improvement, and we have more energy than last year. We need to improve physically and in other areas. I’m happy because the bench players gave the match a new breath in a very tough game.”
Sharpening in the final third
“We lacked more accuracy in the final metres and also needed to find players in the second line. They are a team that ran three or four kilometres more than us, with energy. It was a very dangerous match due to their speed, and transitions could have created situations. We gained a bit more composure with the fresh players. The process shows we still have a lot to improve, there are things we are doing well, and we need to maintain them. We have to be patient, play short passes, it can’t all be vertical. We have the idea of taking more risks, and if you don’t find players in the second line, turnovers can happen. The match was tight, and the goal came from a second-phase play following a set piece.”
Added value of the win
“Yes, it does. Given how the match unfolded, we could have walked away with one or zero points. We’ve played two matches, and only two teams have won both matches. Winning two consecutive home games is very difficult, but we have to do it. It’s a four-point match because it gives us a great morale boost, and we hope many victories will follow. In Las Palmas, we aim to win against one of the favourites for promotion, knowing we still have things to improve. The most important thing is that I see areas with great room for improvement, because I see the boys are ready and willing. We will try to help them, and we hope to see better versions. I leave satisfied because we managed the game well, we didn’t fall back, and that’s very positive. It helps balance expectations, but we are ambitious. We want the team to push forward, show its DNA, and fight until the end.”
Decisive contribution from the bench players
“In the first half, we didn’t find the second line with Dani because we weren’t fluid. Then we changed the pressing with Chupe and Adrián, in the first half, they found the free man, but in the second half we pressed man-to-man. We forced the goalkeeper to clear, Chupe pressed very well, and Adrián was already low on energy. We got stuck in the second half, and Juanpe and Aaron gave us interior play. Then there’s Rafa’s energy, near the box, he has a lot of strength, conviction, and determination, and that’s a great example for everyone.”
The goal
“The goal came from one of the plays I was complaining about. It was the result of conviction, hunger, going for it, and not overthinking. The type of player who doesn’t think and puts his head where you tell him. He scored the goal through determination, faith, and because he has the right qualities.”
Midfield
“The club will try to make an effort in the positions that are missing. I want to send a message to Luismi, I was with him and his family this morning. We want him to recover quickly because we are concerned about him. Everyone has stepped up, even Einar can play there. It’s an open casting that we’ll review daily. Izan hasn’t been as fluid, and now he has the Spanish national team. The important thing is that everyone sees they will have opportunities and must take advantage of them. Replacing Luismi is very difficult, but we will look for solutions. Juanpe has had ups and downs these seasons, but he has taken a step forward, and we are here to help players regain form. Performance updates constantly, and now it’s about maintaining it.”