- 3 months ago
Frank and Danso on Tooteham's Champions League trip to Monaco
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00:27You don't need it.
00:28Okay, good evening.
00:30Welcome to our Match League Minus 1 press conference
00:32ahead of tomorrow's Champions League fixture
00:34against AS Monaco.
00:35I'm joined by our head coach, Thomas Frank,
00:36and Kevin Danso.
00:38We'll take questions from the floor,
00:39and I'm presuming is there a microphone provided.
00:43We'll try to get through as many as we can
00:44in the time we have.
00:46Who would like to start us off?
00:48Elias?
00:50Hi, Thomas.
00:51Obviously, just a couple of days from the defeat on Sunday.
00:55Is this now just an opportunity to kind of put things right?
00:58Yeah, I think that's a good thing.
01:01We're playing games so shortly after each other,
01:06so you just progress and move on to the next one.
01:08I think the good thing with the Villa game was
01:11overall a very good performance.
01:13Also, when we look back, I'm pleased with a lot of things there.
01:16Now we just need to take a lot of the bits into the game
01:19tomorrow against Monaco, which is a very good team
01:23with very good players.
01:25They already started the campaign, I think,
01:28quite well with a draw here against City.
01:31Last year, they beat Villa, they beat Barcelona.
01:34Clearly, clearly a very talented team.
01:36And obviously, Romero wasn't involved in training today.
01:39Do you have any kind of more on his situation?
01:42Yeah, it's a doctor's train.
01:44We will assess it more this week before we come with any time frame.
01:50And Kevin, obviously stepping in for Christian.
01:54It's not just a kind of important player and a leader
01:56that you're stepping in for.
01:58It's also a player that offers so much with the ball as well.
02:01Are you kind of thinking about that
02:03and those kind of passes that he plays and stuff
02:06in your role also?
02:08Definitely, but also just, you know,
02:12try to fulfil the role as best as I can.
02:14You know, obviously, he's a very important player for us.
02:17For me, he's just doing a job, defending first and foremost
02:20and trying to replace him in that instance as best as I can.
02:23And I think it was an okay game
02:25and unfortunately, we didn't get the result we wanted to,
02:28but the aim is to win here tomorrow.
02:31I think Kevin played a very good game.
02:33Thank you, Mr Villa.
02:38Hi, Thomas.
02:40Should fans be concerned with Kuti's injury?
02:43Say again?
02:43Should fans be concerned that Kuti's got an injury
02:46because it was sort of this time last year
02:47he got the one injury and it become a long-term thing?
02:52No, I don't think so.
02:53For me, it's a doctor's reign.
02:55We assess him this week and then we'll know more.
02:58And just with Monaco,
03:00they obviously changed manager about sort of two weeks, ten days ago.
03:03How kind of difficult has that made preparation?
03:06A new manager coming in,
03:07you obviously have what he did last year at Union,
03:09but it's going to be hard.
03:11Yeah, I think of course it's hard,
03:12but of course we studied Poggenoli
03:14and his team in Union
03:16and did very well.
03:17They won the championship in Belgium.
03:20So that's what we do.
03:22We look at the last game they played
03:23and then more or less,
03:27it all brought a lot of games from Union
03:29and also in this Champions League campaign as well.
03:31So we have, I think, a good idea of what they want,
03:36but also we know that very talented players
03:39speak for themselves also under the form manager
03:42when they played 2-2 here against City.
03:44So it's a tough test,
03:46but we're up forward.
03:47We trust ourselves.
03:48We think we're in a good place
03:50and we will do everything we can
03:52to win the game tomorrow.
03:58Hello, Thomas.
03:59Can I start with one for you, please?
04:02Is it fair to say
04:03you're still sort of trying to fine-tune,
04:06find just the right formula,
04:08or is it never going to be
04:09that you settle on a formula
04:11that you like and you stick with?
04:13It depends.
04:17I think it's fair to say
04:19that we are relatively early days
04:21in the time with all of us together here.
04:23I think there is, in my opinion,
04:26a lot of progress in a lot of areas.
04:29For example, I think we defended fantastic
04:31against Villa overall,
04:33and I think we in general look very good
04:34in high-pressure, aggressive.
04:36I think we were very aggressive,
04:38very intense against Villa as well.
04:40And I think offensively,
04:43we still scored quite a few goals
04:45if you compare that to the league,
04:46which is about to get them
04:48into the back of the net.
04:49Then you could say that play,
04:52let's say, three games in a row
04:53with completely free-floating top football.
04:57How many teams do that right now
04:59in the Premier League?
05:00If you can name me three,
05:01it would be nice.
05:04But we and I are aiming
05:06for the perfect game every single game.
05:09That's what we want to do.
05:11But we know what we are working at,
05:13and I think we are progressing nicely.
05:15I may ask you just one about Xavi,
05:18because you answered one
05:19after the game on Saturday about him.
05:22When we were sort of looking at fluency
05:24from open play and creativity,
05:26he's sort of the one
05:27a lot of people were looking at.
05:30Can you talk a little bit
05:31about the difficulties
05:32when you're in his particular position
05:34of coming into a different tempo
05:36and a different style?
05:37Because he's not the only one,
05:38if you look at Virtsa Liverpool,
05:40who's come from Germany,
05:41who's a big-money signing,
05:43who's just taking a little bit of time
05:44to get the rhythm.
05:45I think that's a very good question.
05:47Also a very good comparison
05:48with Virtsa.
05:49is that also a very good player,
05:52just like Xavi,
05:53a very good player,
05:54coming into a couple of things,
05:56new country,
05:57new club,
05:58new city,
06:00you know,
06:00just need to settle in.
06:01And it is part of it,
06:03you know,
06:03we're all getting judged
06:04every game,
06:06but we also need to see
06:09the little bit bigger perspective
06:10and see it over time.
06:12And I always look for glimpses
06:14and bits and pieces
06:16we're working at.
06:16So for example,
06:18Xavi,
06:18I think there were some good bits
06:19and I worked with him
06:20and asked him to be more
06:21arriving in the box,
06:23which when I looked the game back,
06:24he did.
06:26Was that the big eye-catching moment?
06:28And no,
06:30but there was good glimpses.
06:31So I think it's constantly going
06:33a little bit
06:34in the right direction.
06:37Hi, Thomas.
06:39Has Destiny Adoghi travelled?
06:41No.
06:42And what's the latest with him, please?
06:44The latest is that he got
06:45that knee irritation
06:46after the international duty
06:49that we are assessing
06:52and working very hard
06:54to get on top of.
06:56And we'll know more probably
06:58day by day
07:00or the next week.
07:02OK, thank you.
07:03And in terms of the away form,
07:05it's really strong
07:06compared to the home form.
07:07Is there any,
07:08is there something
07:08you put that down to at the moment?
07:10Because apart from the Super Cup,
07:12you haven't lost away.
07:13I think we didn't lose
07:14in open play either.
07:17So,
07:18yeah,
07:20I think,
07:21I think if we,
07:24if you,
07:26I don't know exactly,
07:27it also depends on
07:29who you're facing the teams.
07:30That can be,
07:31you know,
07:31home and away.
07:32I know
07:32home,
07:35you may be playing
07:35in a specific way
07:36and other teams
07:37are playing in a specific way
07:38against you
07:38compared to when you go away.
07:39And then
07:40the team opening
07:41a little bit more up
07:42so you can
07:43hit them a little bit more
07:44on the counter
07:44so you don't have to
07:45create everything from scratch
07:46and even players
07:47behind the ball.
07:49So,
07:50but I just think
07:51definitely away from
07:53been very good
07:54in terms of
07:54what we said before.
07:56I think we've been
07:57extremely good
07:58in the foundation
07:59in football
08:00in terms of
08:01we have a good base
08:03in the middle,
08:04low block
08:04and also very high.
08:05I think it's very important
08:06that we
08:07probably have
08:08most aggressive teams
08:09in the high pressure.
08:11And I think
08:12that's a big part
08:12of why we also
08:13are quite good
08:14away from home.
08:15We need to
08:16continue tomorrow
08:17against a very good team
08:19but we are for that.
08:20And just one for you,
08:21Kevin.
08:22A bit of late notice
08:23on Sunday
08:24it's coming for
08:24Christian Romero.
08:25Has that ever happened
08:26to you in your career
08:26where you've had to
08:27sort of dive in late
08:28and then really put
08:29in a good performance
08:30after that?
08:30Yeah, it has.
08:31I think I'm
08:32experienced enough,
08:33old enough now
08:34to deal with
08:35whatever comes in
08:36the game of football.
08:38You know,
08:38things happen
08:38that aren't expected
08:39but, you know,
08:41I felt ready
08:41and I was ready
08:42and I'll always be ready
08:43when the guffer
08:45needs me
08:45and that's what
08:46I'll try to do
08:47in the game.
08:50Hi Thomas.
08:51Just following up
08:52on what you said
08:52about there aren't
08:53many teams
08:54sort of playing
08:54free-flowing football.
08:55I mean,
08:55I think that's right.
08:56Why do you think
08:57that is at the moment?
08:57Is it lack of training time,
08:59the way the game's going?
09:01What do you think?
09:01Oh, that's a big question.
09:04Please prepare me
09:05next time
09:05or something.
09:06It's a big question
09:07like that.
09:10I, you know,
09:12I was looking
09:12and this is
09:13with the biggest respect
09:14to Villa,
09:14for example,
09:15they've won the game
09:15but I think
09:17they're a very good team
09:17and I think
09:18they're also
09:18on that top
09:19they've been
09:19extremely free-floating
09:20but they didn't
09:21really create anything
09:21and they scored
09:22two goals
09:22so it's just like
09:24and I think
09:25both teams
09:26also we didn't create
09:27massive, massive
09:28chance against Villa
09:29but enough.
09:30Both teams, you know,
09:31tried to cancel
09:31each other out
09:32and there's
09:34me looking at it
09:35but I got a big
09:36coaching staff.
09:37I got,
09:38I don't know
09:38how many analysis
09:39guys is also helping
09:41and so I think
09:43every team prepared
09:43so well
09:44to try to
09:45cancel each other out.
09:48It can be something
09:49with training time.
09:50It can be,
09:50I haven't thought
09:51about that
09:51and then I think
09:55depending on teams
09:56I think there is
09:56part of that relationship.
09:58Kevin knows that
09:58if you work together
10:00constantly in the back four
10:01or you know
10:02you play every game
10:03and you know
10:03we have two in front of you
10:04how do you hit them
10:05with the right passes
10:07so I think there's
10:07some of that
10:08where a team
10:09then suddenly
10:10suddenly click
10:11and then even
10:13with the best team
10:14suddenly they play
10:15three very good games
10:16and then oof
10:17they lack a little bit
10:18of flow
10:18so it's a little bit
10:20up and down always.
10:21I mean is it
10:22I don't know if easy
10:23is the right word
10:23but is it kind of quicker
10:24to sort of instill
10:25the defensive principles
10:26whereas the attacking blend
10:28sort of takes a bit longer?
10:32I think
10:33I think yes
10:34because I think
10:35it's
10:36relatively easy-ish
10:39to do the defensive bit
10:41because you need
10:42to have your key principles
10:44and what you want to do
10:44in high pressure
10:45middle pressure
10:46how to find the box
10:47install mentality
10:49of sprint back
10:51recovery runs
10:52I think that's one thing
10:55but offensively
10:56there's a lot of patterns
10:57there's a lot of things
10:58you need to click
10:59and you also
11:00how can you say
11:01try how is the right blend
11:03with the players
11:04who is connecting well
11:05that's also part of it
11:06I think.
11:07Just lastly
11:08sort of linked to that
11:09can I just talk about
11:09the midfield balance
11:11whether you're happy
11:12with that kind of tactically
11:13there's been a sort of
11:14an idea that maybe
11:15some of the passing
11:16has been not quite
11:17ambitious enough
11:18from central midfield
11:19is that something
11:19you agree with
11:20is that something
11:20you're working on?
11:21I think in general
11:23I've been overall happy
11:25with the midfielders
11:27that's played so far
11:28this season
11:28of course we always want
11:31passes through the lines
11:33or Dyax
11:34or balls in behind
11:35but I think overall
11:36I'm quite happy.
11:37Hi Thomas
11:40Brennan Johnson
11:42scored arguably
11:43the most important goal
11:46in the club's history
11:46he started the season
11:47really well
11:48but he just seems
11:49to have kind of
11:49fallen away
11:50is it as simple
11:51as that
11:52you prefer Mohamed Koudis
11:53on the right
11:54at the moment
11:54or can you provide
11:56some context
11:57as to why Brennan
11:58hasn't really had
11:58many opportunities?
12:00I think for me
12:02Brennan is a very
12:02important player
12:03he's a fantastic
12:05important goal
12:06last season
12:07also the top scorer
12:08I think
12:08in the club
12:09last year
12:10as I remember it
12:12also started the season
12:14well
12:14he has scored
12:15two good goals
12:15so again
12:17probably a little bit
12:18down to
12:18how do we put
12:19the players out
12:20that make it fit
12:22Brennan trained
12:23very well
12:24the last couple of weeks
12:25doing what he's doing
12:27very well
12:27scoring goals
12:28in training
12:28which is important
12:29to keep
12:30showing that
12:32I'm not taking
12:35the right decision
12:35if he's not in the team
12:36I think Brennan
12:38can play both
12:39to the left
12:40and to the right
12:40as we said before
12:41of course
12:41Mohamed Koudis
12:42has done very well
12:43on the right
12:43for example
12:43and then on the left
12:45I actually think
12:45Wilton have done well
12:46so it's just
12:47a little bit of competition
12:49Brennan just needs
12:50to keep going
12:51he will get
12:52his games
12:53and just on the system
12:55I think it's easy
12:56for maybe
12:57us and fans
12:58to question the system
12:59after a defeat
13:01but just going back
13:02to the Super Cup
13:03when you played
13:03the back three
13:04it seemed to be
13:05a template
13:05that really works
13:07and Spurs look
13:07really sort of
13:09strong and efficient
13:09have you considered
13:11sort of using that
13:12or going back to that
13:13or do you think
13:14the 4-3-3
13:14will still be
13:15the main system
13:17that you operate with
13:18I've shown before
13:20for me it's not
13:21about the system
13:21for me it's guiding principles
13:23I think
13:25right now
13:27I still think
13:27the 4-2-3-1
13:28is the go-to
13:30depending on types
13:31so
13:32and as I said
13:33I think
13:35if we had won
13:36that game
13:36against Villa 1-0
13:37which we easily
13:38could have done
13:38whatever they want
13:39I'm pretty happy
13:40so I think
13:42it's
13:42I think the performance
13:43were all good
13:45very competitive
13:45so
13:46I'm happy with that
13:48I'm very aware
13:49that we need to add
13:49extra layers
13:50which we're working on
13:51and just a quick one
13:53for Kevin
13:53if that's alright
13:54obviously on Sunday
13:55the challenge
13:57involving Lucas Dean
13:58clear that you didn't mean it
14:00but it was quite a nasty
14:01injury in the end
14:02and Lucas seemed to
14:04make his frustrations
14:05known with the
14:06fourth official
14:07did you get the chance
14:08to speak to him
14:08after the game
14:09I know it wasn't
14:10there was no malice
14:12in the tackle whatsoever
14:13but obviously
14:14quite a nasty cut
14:15in the end
14:15yeah I mean
14:17these things happen
14:18in football
14:18of course
14:18there was no
14:19ill intent
14:20nothing behind it
14:21it's just an
14:22unfortunate situation
14:23I apologised to him
14:24while he was on the floor
14:25because I felt that
14:26I did catch him
14:27but I clearly
14:28cleared the ball
14:29and then with the
14:30follow through
14:31which does happen
14:32in football
14:32sadly I saw
14:33the picture of his ankle
14:35and I haven't had a chance
14:36I didn't have a chance
14:37after the game
14:38but I apologised to him
14:39on the pitch
14:39and you know
14:40I would like to apologise
14:42to him publicly as well
14:43obviously
14:43no malice
14:44no nothing behind it
14:45and my intention
14:46is never to injure anybody
14:47but yeah
14:49I think we're just
14:50part of football
14:52sadly
14:52thank you
14:53final one
14:54on the back please
14:55hello Kevin
14:55just a photo of you
14:56it's possible in French
14:57yeah
14:58quelle différence tu vois
15:00déjà est-ce que tu as pu voir
15:01un peu des différences
15:02entre entre l'AS Monaco
15:03que tu as connue
15:04et que tu as connue
15:05très très bien
15:05et l'AS Monaco d'aujourd'hui
15:06sur les premières séances vidéo
15:08peut-être que tu as eu
15:08merci
15:09oui c'est due à dire
15:11parce que
15:11il y a un nouveau entraîneur
15:13mais quand Adi Huta
15:16il était entraîneur
15:17j'ai vu dans Monaco
15:18ils étaient en très bien forme
15:20c'est pas comme
15:21l'année dernière
15:22cette année
15:23mais c'est le foot
15:24parfois il y a des années
15:26où ça marche
15:27beaucoup plus facile
15:29mieux
15:30et cette année
15:31c'était pas facile
15:33mais ils ont
15:34très bien joué
15:35quand même
15:36et je crois
15:38c'est difficile à dire
15:39parce que
15:40aujourd'hui
15:40ils ont un nouveau entraîneur
15:42et ils n'ont pas joué
15:43beaucoup de matchs
15:44et quels menaces
15:45sont les plus importantes
15:47pour toi
15:48à l'AS Monaco
15:48quelles vont être
15:49leurs armes
15:50les plus tranchantes
15:51ils ont beaucoup de joueurs
15:53efficaces
15:54très fort
15:55surtout offensivement
15:57et je crois
15:58si on défend bien
15:59on peut gagner
16:01de match
16:02ok
16:06thank you very much
16:06je vais vous donner
16:09un petit peu
16:10à l'as Monaco
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