00:00Hi Thomas, congratulations. You must be so pleased to come to such a difficult
00:13ground and win so convincingly. Very, very, very happy with that. I think we were all
00:21very, very solid performance, especially pleased with the first half. I think we
00:25were good in phase one, good in phase two. More passes controlled the game, more in
00:30phases. In general, second half was a little bit more of a dogfight at times.
00:35And going here to Everton, which is against a very good team, well set up by
00:41David Moyes and a very good home crowd. They've been unbeaten here so
00:48far. You know, to any ground in the Premier League to win 3-0 away from home is a very good result.
00:53So, yeah, very happy, happy with obviously the set pieces as well. What I would say, the clean sheet mentality,
01:03that is a very good foundation to stand on and that gives you an ability to perform at a certain level,
01:11where we want to always do a little bit more, but be really, really, how can you say, competitive and
01:17especially away from home. And then I think we are, is it three years ago we played Champions League or three or four years ago?
01:27But it's still quite an inexperienced Champions League squad to go every third or fourth day.
01:34And one of the most difficult things with that is to be able to compete in both tournaments and especially
01:39after an away trip in Champions League and then go away in the Premier League again. So to keep the energy,
01:46the focus, the intensity to be able to do that. I'm very pleased with the players, how they handle that
01:51to get the win today. Plus, we also did it after border travel and then travel to Leeds and win.
01:56So I think it shows a lot about that mentality. There's things we like to work on, but the most important thing is the mentality.
02:03You mentioned the clean sheet. I mean, how important have Mickey and Vicario been, obviously both outstanding again today,
02:12but to do that in the absence of Romero, who is obviously a huge loss as your captain?
02:17Yeah, I agree. And I think we maybe forget Kevin Dunso. Maybe he was not as highlighted as the two others,
02:23but I think Kevin has done very well to step in, in big, big shoes to fill out after Kuti.
02:29But Mickey, man of the match, clearly, defended well, two goals and good on the ball.
02:39And I think Vicario, man of the match in Monaco. But today, I think his performance was more complete,
02:45good with the feet, very good in the box and two exceptional saves.
02:50Hi Thomas. There's been a lot of talk recently about Paulinho and Bantanko starting together.
02:54Thank you for that question. I'm looking forward to that. If you didn't mention that,
02:57then I probably would have said something.
02:58Well, I was going to say, are these the kind of games where it is clear what they do bring to the team when they start?
03:03I think it's very clear. I think both of them today was excellent. I think they were very good on the ball.
03:12I think they were defensively landed on the second balls when they needed to.
03:16I think we controlled the game more. I think the bounce passes and the bits and pieces
03:21to build up and control the game was very good.
03:23So in a time where we are building and going to the next level, I think they are extremely important.
03:34Hi Thomas. We've spoken a lot so far this season about your attacking set pieces.
03:38I just wanted to ask you about the defensive set pieces because you're exceptional from them today.
03:42So what have you and Andreas done since the summer to improve the team's record from them?
03:46Yeah, I think, of course, obviously, all the set pieces of Diff.
03:53And I agree today, of course, we scored two goals, but it's equally important that we can keep the ball out of the net.
03:58And the team did very well. And I think Andreas and Sean, our set piece analysts, have done a top job with the team
04:11throughout from we started to now. And that's both the structure of how we want to do it.
04:19But also we know when there's a structure, but there's also the physicality and then you need the desire.
04:25But the structure and the principles for it is very clear.
04:29So if I've got this right, Van der Ven didn't score any goals last season and he's now on five in 14 appearances.
04:35What have you done or said... Top scorer.
04:37I think he might be, yeah. Not bad, huh?
04:40What have you done and said to him to sort of, yeah, just turn him into an elite striker, apparently?
04:44Yeah, first and foremost, I think he's really growing and taking some big steps.
04:51I'm very pleased with him overall. I think he's taking more leadership. I think he's
04:55defending better and better, not only using his pace, but also more clever positions.
05:01Very happy with that. And then I said, actually, to the beginning of the season, I said,
05:06it's OK to score with your left foot and your right foot, but you need to score ahead of goal.
05:09You're a centre-back. You need to score more of that.
05:13And then we have worked with it, and that's a big praise to Mickey, but especially to Andreas.
05:20And the way he, how can you say, attacked the ball, also get in there where it hurts,
05:25I think is key. Now, yeah, hopefully continue.
05:31Hi, Thomas. You think you've got the only unbeaten away record in the Premier League so far?
05:35I mean, what does that say? And what do you read into that?
05:43I think normally it's very difficult to do that. And it's been very difficult, no doubt about that.
05:50But I think we have a foundation where we, off-diff, have a solid foundation. But of course,
05:57when you go away from home, you normally need to defend a little bit more, especially where we are.
06:02And I think the, how we defend high, high pressure, but especially the middle block,
06:07but also the box, I think is important. Set pieces, both boxes can make a difference
06:13on a day like that. And then we're adding layers. And then the overall thing, as I said,
06:17is that mentality to want to run hard. And every team needs to do that.
06:25Hi, Thomas. It was Randall Colomar on his first start today. How do you feel like he did? And
06:30how do you feel like your attack is working at the moment?
06:33I think it was pleasing to see his first 60 minutes. He's still building his physicality and sharpness.
06:41Pleased with what I saw. But it's the first steps, so there's more to come.
06:47I think in times, I like some of the movement, the interactions with the front four, but that is
06:53an ongoing, how can you say, project or process.
06:58With Xavi Simons, obviously, it was another game where it didn't quite come off for him. Do you
07:03think building that relationship with someone like Randall may help him as well?
07:07Yeah, I think it will help in both things. I think actually, like Xavi, I think he found some good
07:12positions and maybe the final top actions, but I think still those good actions may be missed,
07:19but that's just, you know, need to keep going, keep building and keep working on it.
07:22Thomas, it felt very symbolic at the end, the way you brought the players that close to the
07:29fans and you stayed there for a long time. It was sort of a moment where you seem to be bringing
07:35everyone together, is that fair to say? Yeah, maybe. I think it's a big part. I think
07:42it's important to do it when we win. It's important to do it when we draw. It's important
07:46also to do it when we lose, because we are in it in good times and bad times. And of course,
07:51it's a very good time today. I'm very happy with a win, a difficult away win. But of course,
07:58as you say, the togetherness that is on and off the pitch that is between players, staff, fans,
08:06the stronger that can be, the better it will be. Can I just ask you about Poro's corner taking?
08:15Is that specifically worked on to be that narrow to the post? Because the deliveries were absolutely
08:21exceptional and so accurate in terms of where they were going. Is that a specific sort of...?
08:26I think we have a plan to play close to goal, but it's sometimes difficult to hit it that precise
08:34all the time. But as long as it's in a very good area close to goal, then there's more opportunities
08:40to potentially score. Thomas, realistically, how far can this side go this season? We're
08:48quarter way into the season. It's been a very good start. What would represent a successful season?
08:53How far can the team go? I think we are in the beginning of building something.
09:01I'm very happy with a lot of things. As I said, defensive side of it, mentality, set pieces. But
09:08I think there's a bit we need to work on, especially offensively, to be more free floating still.
09:12And for me, it's a long season ahead. I just said, I'm very happy going away from home after two away
09:20games in Champions League. That's a big part of it. But to continue performing day in, day out
09:27is a challenge which we embrace and want to do. Who knows? But I need to take it one game at a time.
09:37Do you see the team as being special contenders? No. I think there's probably a few teams ahead of us.
09:46I think it's fair to say that. I'm only thinking of one game at a time and let's see where we are in April.
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