Setién: “We’re constantly changing things, but the essence will never change”
Press conference
Quique Setién has addressed the media today at Luis del Sol Training Centre. The gaffer has assessed the game tomorrow against Cádiz CF and the current situation of the team.
Call-up for the game: “We can’t make many changes because our squad is not that large. Many will play again. In some positions there are players that need to rest if we don0t want to lose them. If we take a risk with them we can lose them for a month, and we could have problems on long terms.”
Copa del Rey: “It’s a very important competition for us, no doubt about it. We are going to think that the round is open and that we need to make a big effort to make things well. We know the rival we are going to face, the streak they are in, their momentum. They haven’t conceded a single goal since they faced us. They’ve won almost all the games, they are in great form. They are going to come to fight even if they are down in the round. It won’t be easy.”
Is the team in crisis?: “There’s something we are never going to change, and it’s our essence, what we do. It has nothing to do with all the things we modify in each game in order to win it. We are constantly making adjustments, but the essence will never change. We are, naturally, a more attacking than defensive team. And that’s the essence. It has nothing to do with the system. When you have the ball, you try to hurt your rival, as all the teams do, and when not, you try to defend. When we have the ball, we have changed our proposal several times. And we have also changed things depending on how the other team press. There are things that we are constantly working on, we don’t play the same in every game, not at all. What we are not going to change is our essence, our philosophy. I’m a radical regarding the essence. If I had to do what other teams do, with ten players in defence and play with counterattacks in the two or three chances they have, I couldn’t explain and transmit that to my players. Just go and truly analyse the games, with knowledge of what you are doing. You’ll see that Riza, Antonio, or Rafa sometimes play in a more advanced position, sometimes more in the back. Sometimes Javi goes behind, sometimes we send our midfielders to the front, sometimes not. Of course, there are many things to be improved. The other day we lost 25 balls in divided plays. That has nothing to do with our style. It’s about focus and the players’ intelligence to anticipate where the ball is going to drop. These are 20 options to get the ball and create a play. If not, there are 20 options for the rival. This is much bigger than making changes. I read the papers and Is ee people asking for a change of coach. How many coaches have been in this club in the last ten years, really? The way is not changing players and coaches. It’s about making things the right way, get stability, be neat, and be confident, because we are not going to win just because we are Betis. I’ve said it here several times. We have to win through making things right and being better than the rival. Girona concede three clear chances every game, with a player alone in front of their keeper. In every single game. Do they change? No, they don’t, because their way works even if they take some risks. They had the first chance the other, but the first clear chance was for us. A play in which Guardado was alone in front of the keeper and it’s a situation that was previously studied, analysed, and trained. This doesn’t happen accidentally. What do we have to change? Am I going to change? I can’t, I am the way I am. I can change details, transform things, but the essence is only one, and that can’t be changed. Do you think you can change Simeone, Machín, all the coaches, Mourinho, or Guardiola? Can you? What’s the solution? Change the coach because some don’t like his style? They didn’t like the previous coaches, either. Their essence wasn’t valid enough. Some people like a certain player, and other people another player. If people just look at the results, we are three points away from Europe and 11 above relegation… I had this speech ready for worse times, not now.”
Winter transfer market: “Probably. I’m considering the situation and it could be helpful. First, because I see we have a problem that is being increased with the injuries. We have a short squad.”