Natxo González: “The draw would not have been unfair”

Natxo González claimed to be “fucked” by the defeat against Almería but was “proud” of the progress your team is experiencing. Málaga was not a leak in defense as in previous games, although Sadiq’s goal did come preceded by a defensive error. In attack, on the other hand, the Martiricos team did not generate anything. Even so, the coach from Vitoria considers that a draw would have been fairer than a defeat.

Evaluation of the meeting: “It was a very balanced match, which makes me satisfied. It is a team with great quality from midfield upwards and in any action they can score a goal, as it has been. Everything can be improved, but I would highlight the talent. Portillo, almost nothing, and Sadiq, to ​​whom he has put it on the head. You don’t have to take credit away from your opponent. We have been competing until the end. In the last minutes we have been in the area, with little success but we have competed very well. Defensively we have been very good and offensively it is where we have the greatest deficiency, which was already foreseeable based on the objectives we had set. We are growing in that sense as well. As a coach I am proud. When you give what you have and compete as we have competed, it’s hard not to win a prize but I have no doubt that this is the way to go”.

An error causes defeat: “I weigh everything. The result and ways of doing things. And the shapes make me optimistic. They make me believe in the line we have and in the players. We have a lot of room for improvement. Behind a goal there is always a mistake, but I also think it’s a success. It comes from a loss. We could have cut, made a free kick, the pass is wonderful and then what Portillo does… If we had equalized it wouldn’t have been unfair. It is what touches. I have congratulated the players because he told me from the heart that I had to do it. We are doing things during the week that are being seen in the competition. We’re screwed, but there are things that I liked a lot. Even better than I could expect at this point against a rival like Almería”.

no occasions: “The first occasion was ours. A shot by Antoñín that I consider an occasion. There we have a deficit and we have to progress. Today there has been some improvement. Defensively, Almería has been better than offensively. In attack we have room for improvement to be able to create chances to have more scoring options”.

Debut at La Rosaleda: “Happy to live what I have lived. If we had won it would have been much better. Give thanks for being able to live this moment and give thanks to the fans. Today I felt reality, which is fantastic. They will go home screwed by the result, but they have seen things, a team that has fought, a team that has given everything for the shirt. With that, it’s not just okay. We have to make that qualitative leap that we need to make”.

The descent, closer: “At no time have I talked about the classification. Will be an error. We started a League of 17 days and we had to fight to be among the 6 or 8 best in that League. I don’t give it that much importance. I prefer not to wear myself out and less to transmit to the players about the classification. We’re taking steps, I know it’s hard to believe when you don’t win. I’ve been in this for a long time and I know we’re taking steps and that’s what makes me sure of the future, beyond qualifying, which is really what you look at. As a coach I have to look at other things”.

What needs to be improved?: “Consolidate ourselves defensively, we played a very serious game against a great rival. And offensively we have to find a way to generate more play to have more options to score goals. It was difficult for us to understand, but during the break we insisted a lot on playing from the outside, on changes of direction. All arrivals in the area have come from outside. We have had depth, we have focused and we have not found a finisher. To have more goal options you have to have more presence in the area. It’s about our offensive game being better and this is the most difficult thing. Defending is easier than attacking.

Sekou: “He is having minutes. Each one marks their performance and depending on their performance their continuity in the team or not”.

Febas and Vadillo not a minute: “I value the squad based on what I believe, from day to day and from each game. It does not matter if they are winter or summer signings. None have priority over another. All the players are having minutes, some more and others less. I think there have been 21 players who have played in these three games. We have to try to increase the individual performance and resources of each player”.

Mental problem: “I don’t have the feeling. When you don’t win, precipitation is something that usually happens and decision-making in that case is not the most correct. To win and to be well you have to make better decisions. When there are no good decisions, individual performance drops. That’s what I’m here for, to convey to you what I feel. Continually thinking about ranking can lead to a state of too much restlessness in a team where there are too many young people. It is important to be clean and free mentally because the head is everything”.

Peybernes, down for yellow: “The less we are, the less competitive we are going to be. I think we will get Juande back if nothing strange happens. It’s very good and let’s not forget that we also have Ismael Casas, who is biting to take any opportunity. He doesn’t worry me right now.”

Kevin: “Now Antoñín is doing very well, for example. Kevin dazzled at the beginning of the season. The first game I saw of Málaga I said ‘where did this guy come from’. Such a brilliant start generates expectations and you have to be careful with young boys. He has enormous potential but he doesn’t make the most of what he has. He has more resources than he shows. He has limited himself to doing very specific things, which he doesn’t do badly, but he has a very large room for improvement to be a more important and more decisive player, which I think he can be”.

He has made four changes: “I have not considered it opportune to make the five changes. Last week I did three in Zaragoza. It is not mandatory to do all five, nobody imposes it on me. One when he makes decisions is because he believes they are the best, understanding that not everyone is going to agree”.

Antoñín’s defensive role: “They know where the line is to have more options to play or not play. It is the desire they have to be a team, to protect themselves, to help each other, to work for their teammates. See that work is not paid with money. That’s what gives me confidence for the future, that involvement in players like Antoñín. It’s what makes me believe in the team.”