Ten Hag on Martinez injury blow, developing Old Trafford and challenge of facing Aston Villa (Full Presser)

sportslounge.tv

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag on Lisandro Martinez injury blow, rebuilding Old Trafford and the challenge of facing Aston Villa

Transcript

00:00 Hi Eric, good afternoon. We saw that you lost Lizandre Martinez this week.

00:06 How big a blow is that? Is anyone else close to a return this week?

00:10 Perhaps Mason Mount, Aaron Wan-Bissaka?

00:13 Yeah, it's a setback of course.

00:18 Licia just returning. You see his contribution to the team when he's playing.

00:24 He brings a part from his technical skills and mentality in the team.

00:31 It's a big setback for Licia. He's very disappointed about it.

00:36 But he's a fighter and he will be back. He will be stronger.

00:40 We think he can still be back by the end of the season.

00:46 There are games to play. As a squad we have to replace him.

00:51 We have very good players in that position who can play there.

00:59 And will play there and will perform there.

01:02 So as a squad we have to deal with it.

01:04 And then the second part of your question.

01:07 Aaron Wan-Bissaka today was training but then he dropped out.

01:12 So I don't know in this moment where he is.

01:16 What is the diagnosis? Hopefully he's not too bad.

01:20 Mason and Ty are not ready to return to the squad.

01:25 Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been quoted as saying he wants Old Trafford to be a Wembley of the North going forward.

01:32 I assume that's music to your ears.

01:35 But as a manager would you welcome changes to the stadium?

01:39 Even if it meant you had to perhaps play away from Old Trafford while the work was done?

01:44 If that is the view then I would say it expresses the ambition of this club which is good.

01:55 But further on it's not my task in this club to deal with stadium questions, with facilities.

02:05 My job is to perform the team, to manage the team, to build the squad.

02:11 In terms of your team, the form has picked up magnificently in recent weeks.

02:18 You're on your longest unbeaten run of the season now.

02:21 And the goals have started coming as well after 18 in your first 18 league games.

02:25 I think you've scored 13 in your last five.

02:28 Were you always confident that would happen?

02:31 And is it the fact that Rasmus has found his form, gone at you on the right, that it's clipped?

02:36 Players need time, especially young players like Rasmus and Alejandro.

02:45 They need time but also they need a team.

02:49 So those two facts were not there in the first part of the season.

02:54 The team, we had to make a lot of adjustments in our way of play.

03:02 So it was difficult to serve the offensive part of the team.

03:08 When that happens, it can go really quickly.

03:14 Players are going to develop and progress.

03:18 That is what we have seen.

03:20 I was confident from the start that they have the potential to do this.

03:26 What they are now doing.

03:27 Now it's about keep moving, keep going.

03:30 Be hungry.

03:33 Alissa?

03:35 Eric, you've spoken about consistency a lot and balance.

03:40 And Lissandra was a player that offered both.

03:43 Without him, you do have options to change it.

03:46 Will we see Luke Shaw shift centrally?

03:49 Or do you expect Victor Lindelof to come in there?

03:52 We have options how to deal with that position.

03:58 We have good centre-halves in our squad.

04:01 The others are all available.

04:06 Luke can play also there.

04:09 I'm quite confident that we can keep this process going.

04:14 That others can fulfil that position and also contribute.

04:19 Play in high levels.

04:21 Those players are experienced and very good players.

04:24 It's up to them now to fill that in.

04:26 You're still keen to keep someone who is comfortable

04:29 using his left foot there for the ball that play?

04:32 Yes, it's an advantage.

04:36 We have seen.

04:38 We have to work on players.

04:42 Players can also develop in such positions when you work with them,

04:47 coach them and train them.

04:49 I see our players in the back line making better decisions.

04:54 I've seen that they develop their skills in building up.

05:00 I'm quite confident that we can keep this process

05:03 from better ball play from the back.

05:05 We can keep that going.

05:08 We saw Villa play with a full first team last night and lose.

05:14 With your desire to get in the Champions League for next season,

05:19 does this now become a must-win game for yourselves

05:22 to dislodge them and raise yourselves?

05:25 I've said to the team from the start of January,

05:28 every game is now a final.

05:30 There was also our approach to West Ham United.

05:34 We were one point behind them.

05:36 This is a final.

05:38 We have to take this challenge.

05:40 We have to see this as a final.

05:42 That will be every game from now on for us.

05:46 We are already in that mood.

05:49 Elmer?

05:52 Unai Emery has had a lot of praise for what he's done this season.

05:56 What do you think he's done particularly well

05:58 to bring Villa on in the way that we've seen?

06:01 It's very good how we've developed this team.

06:08 It's very clear how they want to play,

06:11 in and out of possession.

06:13 I think the players know exactly what they have to do,

06:17 their jobs, and how it has to cooperate with each other.

06:21 They are a really good team.

06:24 They have absolutely weapons in their team.

06:28 We have to play our maximum levels to get the right result.

06:32 Samuel?

06:34 You spoke about the senior centre-halves,

06:37 who you have got available on Sunday.

06:39 Johnny Evans and Raphael Varane are out of contract in the summer.

06:42 Do you want to keep them next season?

06:45 We haven't made the decision yet.

06:49 Neil?

06:53 Erika saw that great picture of the three young players

06:55 sitting on the advertising hoarding after the goal.

06:58 How would you describe the relationship they have on and off the pitch?

07:01 Have they brought a sort of excitement to the squad?

07:07 I think they enjoy playing together.

07:13 There's adventure, they are a danger,

07:16 they want to do it together.

07:19 They want to pass the ball to each other.

07:22 Everyone can play to their qualities

07:27 and everyone can score goals.

07:31 It's great if they want to do it together,

07:34 because I think that's the key.

07:36 Then we can have a lot of pleasure from this.

07:39 They are young players, and I've said it before,

07:42 I think the future for Manchester United is quite bright,

07:45 with so much talent on board.

07:48 But we have to develop the talent,

07:51 because there's a lot of space for improvement.

07:56 And that's necessary if you want to go to top levels.

08:00 This club wants to achieve a lot.

08:04 This club wants to win trophies,

08:07 so they are very ambitious.

08:09 They have to step up, they have to bring higher levels,

08:13 they have to bring consistency in their game,

08:16 but also against the best opposition,

08:19 they have to express the same threat.

08:24 It's all about that, and product.

08:28 Hi, Eric. Just going back to Lissandra Martinez,

08:33 you've had some serious battle-up of injuries this season.

08:36 He came off initially in the incident,

08:39 then he went back on.

08:41 What was the thinking there?

08:42 Did that maybe make it worse, did it aggravate it,

08:44 the fact that he went back on and tried to play on?

08:47 Might he have been out for less time if he hadn't have done that?

08:50 I don't think so.

08:52 But Lissandra was his decision,

08:57 and he was comfortable to be back on the pitch.

09:04 But after he tried, I think he stopped almost in the next attack.

09:10 Is it almost impossible to diagnose that at the time,

09:13 when he initially comes off?

09:15 Yes. In some situations it's clear and obvious.

09:22 There's always a grey area,

09:26 and it's very difficult already to see when you're on the sideline.

09:31 So what happened then? Of course we have the screens,

09:34 we've seen it as well.

09:36 Of course our medicals are over there,

09:40 and they're communicating with the player.

09:43 But to assess in one or two minutes is impossible.

09:49 The more I always tell you after a game,

09:52 I can't tell you because you need 24 hours minimum,

09:56 and maybe sometimes even longer.

09:58 So how can you do this in two minutes?

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended