Real Oviedo Head Coach, Juan Antonio Anquela, appeared in the Press Room at El Requexón this morning following the team’s training session.
The Coach began by discussing the state of the various players who have trained away from the main group in recent days, saying that “they are better now, and we will see tomorrow.” As he is forced to look for a striker to cover the absences of Linares and Toché, Anquela pointed out that, “Steven has been with us all week, and we have solutions within the team.” Talking more specifically about the young forward, the Coach said that, “he is a penalty area striker. He’s done well when he’s played with us before, and he’s already made his debut. His game is all about goals and that is what we are looking for.”
With respect to Granada, Anquela said that, “they won’t make it easy for us at all because they are a fantastic team. You only need to look at the names in their squad.” Real Oviedo face one of the Coach’s former clubs this weekend, in a game which he says, “is about competing. A short while ago it was as if we had everything at stake, and then the world ended. I’ve always maintained the same line and ideas. Everyone is doubting this team now, but you can never doubt this team. This team does what it can and gives 100% in every match. You can’t say anything to someone who always gives everything. Now everybody is saying that this is the same as in past seasons, and that we are going to collapse… there was a moment in this season when we were top, for one day, with this team. That was the day when we took the lead in Albacete, and then when we were 1-0 up in Cádiz we were second. That was a very short while ago. This team will start winning and playing well again, because we are convinced that we want to, and we are working well. It’s clear that we’re on a poor run, and that we played badly in Tenerife. That’s the only match I have complaints about from this run without winning.”
The Coach admits that the team “clearly needs a victory. It will come when we push and go back to being what we want to be. We suffered from this ‘disease’ during the first half of the season and it’s because of the division. It is called the Segunda División and a run of form. We already know the solution, the ‘cure’, and it is competing. We have done so all along, and I have no doubt that we will keep doing it. I hope that we can celebrate a good performance and that the fans become proud of us again.”
Asked about the option of changing formation, Anquela repeated that, “we have played in every possible way with this team. I adapt to what I have available. It’s very unusual for us not to change the formation during a match.”
With respect to the need to create more goal-scoring opportunities, the Coach believes that, “it’s about a lack of mobility, since you get in behind with movement. In recent matches our full backs haven’t overlapped as much, and if we always ask for the ball to feet we won’t break through. It’s obvious that we are struggling to create chances let alone score goals. It’s quite possible to solve the problem. We are solid and have an advantage out wide. At the moment we aren’t making the most of it. If we keep playing like this, we will keep having problems until we do what we need to.”
Anquela will again watch the match away from the bench, as he continues his ban after his dismissal against Barcelona B, but the Coach merely feels “impotent” away from his usual place. He concluded by saying that, “you suffer more at home when you are fired and you have to watch it on television.”
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