WE MUST EXCEL IN THESE MATCHES
“In these types of matches, we need to be flawless, and unfortunately, we weren’t today. The frustration remains constant due to the number of chances we miss to score. There’s a lot we need to improve before the next game. When facing top teams, the smallest margins can determine the outcome. Our performance was lacking; at times, they were superior to us, leaving us with an unsatisfactory feeling.”
THE NUMBER OF MIDFIELDERS IS NOT THE ISSUE
“It’s always the same discussion. They [City] field four in the midfield while we have three central defenders and two midfielders. You can see Bryan [Mbeumo] constantly pushing forward, and [Benjamin] Sesko is present as well, making this discussion a recurring theme. We played similarly last year, though the opponent’s approach changes when facing Liverpool and other teams.
“So, the midfielders are not the problem. If you think about the first goal, it’s not merely about how many midfielders we have. Doku receives the ball, turns away from the defense, and draws two defenders into the box. In the second half, we started strong with two midfielders, gaining control near their box, only to concede from a throw-in. For the third goal, we were managing the game well, with Bryan getting a great chance and Amad making an effort on the flank, but we lost focus when going for the ball, allowing Haaland the space to run. This is not about the midfielders.
“It’s about the overall approach to the game. I’ve watched many teams at the Etihad Stadium deploy five midfielders to block play, yet they often suffer more than we did. I’ve seen Manchester United come here with an abundance of midfielders and still create few opportunities. The reality is that we can adapt our formation, switching between three defenders and five defenders, or having five midfielders or two— it all depends on our opponent’s game strategy.”
