00:00Luke Edwards, please.
00:02For 35-40 minutes, you played really, really well, but then closed effectively for half-time.
00:10Yeah, I think we played really well, as you say in that opening passage of the game.
00:17Really dominant, strong, territory was really good.
00:21We didn't create a host of chances in that period,
00:25but I think you could say we were a better team and deservedly scored.
00:29Imploded, I don't know if that's the right word.
00:31I didn't defend well enough definitely for the two goals, really.
00:34The first goal, I could go through both and sort of pick them apart.
00:38I think you've got to give Ekotiki a lot of credit for the second one,
00:42but that's still a tough angle to score from.
00:45But that's what happens here, if you get the crowd in the game, and we did,
00:49and before you knew it, we were chasing the game.
00:52Yeah, it's a tough place to play.
01:06It's a tough place to get on top, and that's the frustrating thing, because we did.
01:12We had quiet in the crowd, we had done so much right in that opening half,
01:17so then to go into half-time 2-1 down was a difficult thing for the players,
01:22because they'd given so much, they'd done a lot right.
01:24And suddenly, as I say, we're chasing the game.
01:26Then we do the same in the second half.
01:27We start the second half really well, really strong, with a dominant team.
01:30And then we're 3-1 down, so it's a day I think we'll look back on with regret,
01:35because we didn't defend the goals well enough, that's obvious,
01:38and that's what's cost us the game.
01:40Thank you. We'll go to Chris Lee and then Craig, please.
01:43Chris?
01:44Can you just talk us through the selection?
01:45Obviously, you had three strikers on the bench,
01:47but you went to Anthony Gorkman through the middle.
01:49What was the thought process?
01:51Yeah, we wanted to go for real pace today against their back line,
01:54so that was the idea behind the selection.
01:56And I think Anthony played really well today.
01:59Not just his goal, but his all-round play, his running ability,
02:03his athleticism was excellent, and his technical ability.
02:06So I thought he individually played really well,
02:08and I think it helped the team, and I think we gave them a problem.
02:11We couldn't use Louis Miley and Sven Bottmann today,
02:16so really in terms of team selection and formation,
02:19it was sort of forced upon us to a degree, which is a disappointment.
02:23That's where I have to credit the players that we did use,
02:26and they've gone again after playing in Paris on Wednesday.
02:28With all the travelling, we're in a difficult spell
02:31because we can't rotate too many players.
02:33You mentioned the start of the game and how well you started.
02:36There's a whole similarity with the whole game
02:38and maybe against some of the other matches
02:40against some of the very biggest teams this season,
02:42where you've had the love moments and have quite taken them down.
02:45Do you think you've got to be positive?
02:47Yeah, I agree.
02:49But today we sort of got the goal and we've quietened the crowd.
02:54We've done so much right and then we didn't defend well enough
02:57and we have to hold our hands up to that.
03:00I can't say anything other than we need to defend better,
03:03especially coming here or any stadium away game.
03:06You look back at the four goals we conceded today
03:09and how we've ended up conceding four is a bit of a mystery.
03:12But there were some moments we didn't do well enough.
03:16Lee Ryder?
03:17I think the performance aside, the damage to the league table
03:21is pretty severe now, some way off the top five.
03:25It's going to take a big effort to get back into that race now.
03:29Yeah, I don't know, I haven't seen the league table.
03:32I'm just sort of digesting the result today.
03:35Our league form has not been consistent enough,
03:38it's not been strong enough throughout the campaign.
03:41But there's still time left and there's still a lot of games left
03:44and a lot of points to play for and we have to be positive.
03:47We're in the middle of a really tough spell of fixtures.
03:50So the one thing I'm not going to do is turn on my team,
03:54I'm going to support my team.
03:56The players are giving everything,
03:57we've got a small group of players who are fit,
03:58we've got a lot of players who aren't available,
04:00big players as well that would make a huge difference.
04:03With the window still open, what's the most realistic update
04:08you can give us at Kami Lang-Wahatton,
04:10signing new players?
04:12No.
04:14OK, we've got a few to get to, gents.
04:16We've got to Craig, Jordan and Kira, please.
04:19You mentioned that he's a defending manager,
04:21from a coach's perspective,
04:22can you just take us inside what did happen?
04:24It's the one that don't deserve to be four minutes to go
04:26for half-time and three minutes to go,
04:28actually if he gets away from you,
04:30what did happen and what could they have done differently?
04:33That would be a long conversation if I was to go through all goals.
04:36I just think we had a goal kick ourselves
04:40and I think we conceded from that goal kick.
04:42And the second one was a quick goal kick for them.
04:45And I think it may have been from a set player,
04:48I'm not 100% sure,
04:49but we obviously didn't organise ourselves in the correct way.
04:52And we got punished, but we got punished, I have to say,
04:54from a great goal from Eketike's perspective.
04:56And sometimes you have to acknowledge the quality of the play against you.
05:00Although acknowledging again that we could have defended it better.
05:04Could you almost prophesise that when we spoke yesterday
05:07when you spoke about Eketike?
05:09Yeah, he's an outstanding player and I think you saw that today.
05:13He's got a little bit of everything and I think that's his biggest strength.
05:16He's tall, he's quick and he can finish.
05:19John?
05:2116 points dropping in positions.
05:24Why are defending these becoming a big issue?
05:26Yeah, I don't think today was defending a lead.
05:28Personally, I know that you'll come back and say,
05:31well, you were winning and you ended up losing the game.
05:34But to me, that was far too long in the game for that to be an issue.
05:37We weren't protecting the lead, we weren't defending deep.
05:40The goals have happened, of course,
05:43and we have to take responsibility for that.
05:45But I don't think it was a defending lead problem.
05:47You mentioned you weren't able to use Lewis and Sven.
05:49What are their issues?
05:50Sven had a tight thigh and we were under the advice not to use him.
05:55And the reason they were here and on the bench is because
05:57we were giving them every opportunity to declare themselves fit.
06:01And, of course, in the warm-up they might have felt different.
06:04The recovery time is so small you don't always get the information
06:07that you need and the speed that you need it.
06:09And with Louis, yeah, he couldn't bend his knee
06:13the sufficient angles to declare himself fit.
06:16Kieran?
06:17Is tonight even more painful when a player returns to the game
06:22and a player trying to select him last summer?
06:25Not really.
06:26It's not about that.
06:27It's about us being them.
06:28And, yeah, obviously their team's very strong
06:33and they've got outstanding players.
06:35I think we controlled those players pretty well through the game
06:38but just in the key moments we didn't.
06:41I can't be nudging down a single question
06:43so we'll get a few more in.
06:44Back of the room, do you have a question?
06:45Yeah, I'd say probably the best chances we have would be
06:54Sven and Louis who were on the bench today.
06:57Bruno I'm not 100% sure whether he'll make it or not.
07:01There's a chance.
07:02The others, no.
07:05OK, we'll go to Dom and then finish in front with the other Dom, please.
07:09You said in terms of incomings,
07:11could we expect any outgoing from the final 48 hours?
07:14I think the only one that possibly could leave would be Jamal ourselves.
07:21OK, Dom, finish, please.
07:23There's been a bit of speculation on Joe Willock
07:25because he's shown in the last week how involved he's still in Spain.
07:28Yeah, I think Joe's played really well in the last two games.
07:31Very pleased with him today.
07:32I think he suffered a bit of cramp in his hamstring.
07:34He was physically all out.
07:36He gave everything.
07:37I think we've seen a return to the very best Joe in the last two games.
07:40I've been delighted with him
07:41and that was a big physical effort for him.
07:44Very minimal recovery time.
07:46He hasn't had a load of minutes.
07:47So I think he'd be really proud of what he's given the team
07:50and certainly a fit and firing Joe Willock
07:52is still a huge asset for us.
07:54So, just very quickly,
07:55if you make a decision on that target,
07:57will it be all day?
07:59Yeah, well, that's something that we'll be discussing
08:02until the end of the window.
08:04OK, thank you, everyone.
08:06Cheers.
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