Aguirre: “We’ve drawn positive conclusions in the Copa del Rey” 

Valencia CF coach Javier Aguirre held a post-match press conference following his team’s Copa del Rey triumph over UE Tavernes.

Bringing back players

The match provided playing time for those who haven’t been getting minutes. We gave time to Foulquier and Copete, who hadn’t played in a long while, as well as Sato and Elliot and Rioja. There was also time for the goalkeeper; even though he wasn’t tested much, he still needed some playing time. That’s what this game offered: Minutes for the players who train every day but don’t get to play, even though they deserve to. Today was a good opportunity to see them in action, to watch them, and to observe how they perform both with and without the ball. That was my main priority for this match.

Luis Rioja

It was a test, but that’s also what games are useful for: Trying things out. Jesús Vasquez isn’t available, and neither is José Luis Gayà, so for the match at Vallecas it’s a possibility that he plays at fullback.

The fans

The fans are the ultimate authority, as they pay for their tickets, and it’s not my place to say whether what they do is right or wrong. It’s not for me to point fingers or criticise what they do because, I repeat, people do it naturally and they aren’t being prompted or coached; they simply choose to do it.

I believe this situation can only be turned around through better performances; both from the team and from me, of course.

Winning at Mestalla

I’ve had four games, and it tells me that we need to improve in La Liga. As for the Copa del Rey: Obviously, we were facing an opponent from a lower division, and we got on the scoreboard early, which caused the team to relax a bit. They started playing with less urgency, as was evident in certain moments of the match. As for the other two defeats, against Villarreal and Real Madrid: Against Villarreal the losing goal happened in the 96th minute. Then there was the match against Athletic Club, which ended in a goalless draw. And against Real Madrid, we competed well until that foul occurred, leaving us down to 10 men. It’s always good to win; it’s even better when it’s at home, and better yet when it’s in the league.

Aimar Blázquez

He got some good, quality minutes, a nice brace and did really well.

Managing the Copa del Rey and LALIGA

The starting XI was different from the one against Real Madrid. I like that there’s at least some internal competition, and it’s not a given that the same players will always be on the pitch. Aimar is a great option among the forwards we have. He’s a product of our academy, as is Aarón and Mayol. I was also impressed by Iker Córdoba; he performed well and left a positive impression. Then there’s Otorbi: I’m not sure if he’ll be ready for the match at Vallecas, but we’re keeping a close eye on his progress. I truly believe this fresh blood from our academy brings a lot of quality to the team.

Copete

I’ve known José for several years now, and he’s very enthusiastic. It’s been a very tough, long road for him, as he’s been out for nearly 10 months. Naturally, he is lacking playing time and match rhythm, but he has a great attitude and a strong competitive spirit, which helps compensate for that lack of minutes and match fitness. He’ll surely integrate into the team little by little, and the same goes for Foulquier. These guys have been through a lot. We’re also missing Canós and Diego López, who are dealing with long-term injuries; it requires a great deal of mental effort and resilience and you have to stay strong. I’m going to ask José to be as competitive as he’s always been: to encourage his teammates, fight, compete, distribute the ball well, challenge effectively in the final third, and show courage. Hopefully, we can get back the player that Valencia CF originally signed.

Mestalla

The atmosphere was fantastic tonight. I think both sets of fans showed each other respect, and both supported their respective teams unconditionally. It was a great classic cup atmosphere, even if the timing was a bit unusual, being on a Tuesday at 9pm during an international break. Given the unfortunate circumstances that made it impossible to play on the original date, I’m grateful to our opponents for agreeing to come here. I’m also deeply thankful to their fans who travelled to be here and cheered for their team the entire time. And I’m grateful to our own fans—even though we don’t always give them much to celebrate, they remain right there by our side, through thick and thin.

The forward line

We played with two forwards last time out. We need to find the right balance so that we don’t concede goals; we’ve been doing well in every league match, with the exception of the game against Real Madrid. We also need to find the formula for scoring goals. Today we created a good opportunity, though I must commend the opposition goalkeeper, who made some truly top-class saves. On top of that, we missed a couple of chances we really shouldn't have. We’re continuing to focus on finishing, because repetition is how you improve.

Sato

Sato is one of the 24 players I have at my disposal. He’s someone who can step in at any moment. He’s fast, has spark, and is strong in one-on-one situations. I was telling a Japanese reporter down on the pitch that he’s still lacking just a little bit, as the Spanish league is very physically demanding. I’ve worked in Japan and I know the Japanese players; they are a joy to watch, but he needs to be a bit more aggressive when it comes to winning the ball back, a bit more assertive in his one-on-ones, and do more work off the ball. Still, he’s a capable player for a team like Valencia CF. I think he had a solid game, although one has to keep his contribution in proper perspective. As for playing on his natural side versus cutting inside, a good player adapts to what is asked of him.

Hugo Duro

He hasn’t played recently because Sadiq returned and was in good form. Danjuma was playing in a central role, and Hugo is part of the 24-man squad. People always talk about the players who aren’t on the pitch, which is fine, but only 11 can play at any one time. Hugo is doing well; he’s training hard and is very eager to get back to the level I saw from him at Valencia and Getafe. He’s a good guy: I spoke with him this week and he seemed in high spirits. He’s also had a full 90-minutes, as he didn’t travel for the last two matches.

Elliot

A good player can perform wherever you put him: As an attacking midfielder, or in a three-man midfield setup, or even in a more hybrid role, as he’s a versatile player. I believe he’s better closer to the penalty area, where he can deliver that final pass. He doesn’t quite feel at ease out wide; he’s much better centrally, where he can provide the final ball or take shots from distance. He does struggle a bit when he has to track back, but honestly, everyone just wants to play, wherever you put them, which is a good thing; it speaks well of the team’s spirit.

The dressing room

The player who doesn’t get to play is the one who concerns me the most. Those who do play know they’ll get their time and they’re happy, whether they win or lose. It’s tough to know what to say to someone who did play, but maybe didn’t get the result they wanted, but it’s the ones who don’t play that I make a real effort to connect with. Harvey and Hugo, in particular -along with Raba and Sato- are players I keep a close eye on, offering encouragement. The same goes for our goalkeeper, Rivero; Cristian is an incredibly professional young man, but I’m not putting him in the lineup. It’s always complicated to make changes in the goalkeeping position, but that’s part of my job. We train every single day. Physically, we push them to the limit. Mentally? The one training them every single day is me, there constantly, checking in, noticing who’s struggling or feeling down, and I make sure to reach out. These guys are still very much fully part of the team and deeply engaged in the training dynamic.

Aspects to improve

Tactically, I think we lack cohesion -especially in the final third, where we’re a bit short on ideas. Physically, we run a lot, but we also need to work on our finishing, which is a technical aspect: crosses, shots, one-twos, and positioning ourselves just outside the box. I know "expected goals” can seem like a load of nonsense, but the fact is our expected goals are actually quite good; the issue is that the goals we’re scoring don’t align with the opportunities we’re creating. We train again on Monday and Thursday; it’s not that the players stop working, as they’ll do some things on their own,  but once they’re back, we’ll really ramp up the physical intensity to get them ready for the match in Vallecas.

The formation

We’ve had a 4-4-2 formation for all four matches in defence. In attack, however, we build up play using three players. It might have been more noticeable this time because Rioja was the left-sided player, with a different profile than, say, Gayà or Jesús Vázquez. Naturally, Maffeo has different characteristics than Arnau, but the principle remains: we need three players to build up, two players wide, two midfielders in the middle, and a forward. Today, we fielded two forwards, partly because we anticipated the opponents would defend with a back five and a four-man midfield, so we added more attacking presence. Ultimately, it’s about fielding our best players and training well leading up to the match. If we need to play with a back five, we’ll do it and it’s not an issue, as we’ve already done it against Real Madrid.

Elliot

He came over and apologised to the group and to me after his red card in LaLiga; he felt terrible. He said he didn’t understand why he was sent off, partly because he barely speaks Spanish, but we explained to him that, even in England, this wouldn’t be grounds for a sending-off or a suspension. The referee, however, deemed it an act of dissent and the player was deeply embarrassed. I think that today, in front of the fans, he showed his genuine remorse. He’s a very decent person and a great player. I truly hope we can integrate him into the squad, help him feel comfortable, and get the kind of football we expect from him. Harvey is also excellent at set-pieces and has a powerful strike; he’s definitely a player worth salvaging.

Van Oevelen

 He’s not going to play just because Ipswich say he has to. If he’s fit and ready, he’ll play; if not, someone else will. That’s all there is to it, and I have no issue with that. Honestly, it’s of no concern to me. He didn’t really have much to do today, but he trains well. He had that knee injury, but he’s healthy and strong now. Cristian is also doing very well. I have three good goalkeepers.