Analysis of the 3-1 defeat
“We lacked finish and Mallorca are very solid in defence. They were two set pieces (the goals). We played head-to-head but we lacked that required final control and the last pass. The set piece is so important, and we are not being effective. That said, the attitude is 10 out of 10, with many things to improve on. I’m happy with the players’ work, they fought hard and even at 2-1 down I thought the team could do it. The rival has great quality, and with only a little of that quality they caused us some damage. We’re going to have to work on the set piece”.
Set piece
“We all win and we all lose. Competing individually for the good of the group. The players gave their all. Those set pieces make you angry, as powerful teams like this win matches with these actions…We need to place more emphasis on this type of goal. In the second half we saw a team that tried to play in the other half, yet it was very tough as Mallorca have kept a clean sheet for seven matches”.
Change and match details
“I was annoyed we had to make a substitution at half-time, as the team was doing well. However, we needed to take a risk and remove a central defender. With Jozabed between the lines, to make that last pass, I think we did well, and also playing in the opposite half. Of course, there are things we need to improve, and the details made the difference due to the quality of the rival”.
‘Punch’ and ‘injured’ Caye
“We missed that arrival, it’s clear we need to keep insisting, but what concerns me are the set pieces. We came here for the three points and to play without fear, but at 1-0 the context of the match changed. Caye? It’s to do with his knee. Hopefully it won’t be anything serious, it’s too early to know for sure”.
Anger and humility
“This state of rage is very good. Coming here knowing the power Mallorca have shows the hunger the team has. Important things can be achieved with humility. We need to have balance. I’m proud of that anger in the dressing room, which is why there’s such disappointment. The fans identify with this attitude. I am proud of how hard the players work, but I’m angry about the set piece, which I score a zero. We are Málaga and we’ll go to each stadium to win. We all make mistakes, and we all succeed. (Mejías) could have played solely in defence, we’re here to help, they are our jewels, and we’ll be with them to the ends of the earth”.
Learning
“The teams at the top know what it costs to win each game. No team will have a walk in the park in this division. This must serve as a learning experience, beyond the budget, we must adjust to the differences as the teams are increasingly better prepared. This loss hurts us as much as the one against Tenerife”.
Photo: Pellicer, yesterday at La Rosaleda
