00:00Do you like to rotate it with Matteo or Ryan Deers or Gonzalez or would you like to have one player who sort of...
00:06Right now the first option when Robyden cannot play is absolutely Nico.
00:11Nico was making steps forward and didn't play against Aston Villa unfortunately for us because he was not perfect.
00:19Have I been traveling? No, can the day before we played before Aston Villa? I don't remember.
00:24Before Aston Villa I have a problem in the feet and that's why it was not perfect for Tijani but I think in that position he understands more and gives us more there is Nico.
00:36In terms of your team, you used to have Fernandinho in that position, yes?
00:39Sorry?
00:39You used to have Fernandinho in that position, yeah.
00:42How has your team changed between that team with Fernandinho as a number six and sort of Rodri now or Nico, whoever it might be?
00:48Not much. It has to help us to be in Premier League. It's necessary to have this physicality as a player for obvious reasons.
00:56Everybody knows that it was less, for example, in Barcelona. Even in Bayern Munich, but here we need it.
01:05We need this type of a little bit more physicality but be involved in the process to play always is massively important.
01:12So, the structure, when you can always say, well, I've said many times with Leroy and Kevin in his prime, with Leroy and Raheem in his prime, my God, our traditional game was unbelievable.
01:29You know, when you have Real Mares or have Bernardo in the sides or another one, we have less traditional team.
01:33But the basics or the fundamentals, people ask, you know, I have to change, I have to change, I have to change.
01:41I don't have to change anything. I'm more convinced than anything that what we have done in the past, we can still do it, do it, do it.
01:47It's just apply better, better, better. So, this is what we have to do.
01:52Pep, you yourself have pointed to one problem you perceive, which is a lack of goals from the rest of the team other than Erling.
02:00Is this something you're actively attacking and how long can Erling carry that load?
02:08He's doing it quite well at the moment.
02:10We have an alternative like Sanchez. I would not let him play, you know, the ones who are going to score a goal because he's not playing.
02:16This is the alternative you have to find. No, definitely, we have to, the numbers of the people up front have to be better.
02:21They know it, we talk about that. So, at the end, it's numbers.
02:24But I think have players to ability to score goals who might have it. Ryan Cherky, I think, have this talent to feel do it.
02:33And they're playing good.
02:35But, of course, that define the big, big teams or the big players up front is when the impact for the assists and goals is being provided.
02:42And, you know, that's why I'm so optimistic. Being in that position is still there. In Champions League, we are in better position than the last season.
02:50And we're having covered two chances in Dortmund and Leverkusen at home to be close to qualifying in the first eight of the last season.
02:58I think even the results, yeah, we are six points behind Arsenal.
03:02That looks like an unstoppable right now because they play fantastic.
03:06They don't concede goals and they are so solid. They can score for many different situations, positions and many players.
03:13But even with that, I think when we make this step a little bit better, we'll be closer.
03:18We'll be closer. We'll be, in that game time, more tighter. We'll be able to win.
03:23And there's no sign whatsoever of Erling growing tired of the responsibility.
03:28In fact, he seems to be thriving on it.
03:30I think he's not tired of scoring goals. I think he's tired, yeah, sometimes, maybe when you play a lot of games,
03:35maybe there, but in fact, he didn't play. He's fresh.
03:39And, yeah, when he will be tired, I will tell me when he will believe we can.
03:43Before, maybe in the beginning, now, we couldn't do it. Omar was injured.
03:48But I can play with a false knight with Ryan Cherky, for example.
03:51I think in that position, Ryan should be perfectly.
03:54So, like I said, when we have all the team, we can play in different shapes and different ways to play.
04:00Sometimes, depending on the opponent.
04:02Hi, Pep. You mentioned Nico Gonzalez there.
04:04I think you've spoken a couple of times about how you find him a really coachable individual.
04:08Just how high do you see his ceiling as he progresses further into his career?
04:14He'll be better.
04:15When you are coachable, not just for me, I'm talking for his mates,
04:18when he listens to his mates talking, when Roderick talks a lot with him,
04:21or Pep talks to him, or whatever.
04:23When you are coachable, you will be a better player.
04:25So, at the end, until the last day you are a football player, always you can improve.
04:31You are open-minded, and there are players they are.
04:34And Nico's the perfect example.
04:36The other ones, like, yes, but I didn't want to tell me, you know.
04:41But it's one of the personalities.
04:43It's fine, you know.
04:44In that players, I speak less.
04:48We talk less.
04:49And with Nico, it's also open.
04:51I want to learn and do it that.
04:52So, that's why we...
04:54It's nice to, you know, to be lived with this type of players.
04:59We are here to just tomorrow be better than today.
05:02It's not possible.
05:03Okay, it's not possible.
05:04But to be better, you have to be open.
05:05If I'm close in mind, not only what I know, I don't want to be at absolutely anything.
05:11I'm completely the opposite, you know.
05:14And the players have to be the same.
05:16You welcomed Omar and Ryan Aitnori back into the team on Wednesday.
05:20Obviously, they're both going to be away for the Africa Cup of Nations for a few weeks.
05:24Just how much would you feel their absence, I guess,
05:27given their qualities that they can revive for you?
05:29That's what it is.
05:30It's a schedule of this competition for the country, so they have to go.
05:35So, we will...
05:37Always, I try to solve the problem when the problems are in front of me.
05:44So, right now, I don't think at all.
05:46I have to use them from Sunday, the best, and next Wednesday, and next Sunday,
05:51before international break.
05:53When it's going to happen, you cannot be here.
05:55And after, we'll see where the situation is, we'll take the decisions.
05:58And just quickly, is Mateo Kovacic fit and available,
06:02or is he injured?
06:03He wasn't involved.
06:03We'll see.
06:06Thank you, everyone.
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