Bordalás: “We didn’t start the game as we should, and we paid dearly for it”

José Bordalás spoke to the media after Valencia CF’s 2-1 loss to Alavés at Mendizorroza.

Was this the worst game for Valencia CF all season?

I don't know if it was our worst game. I don't compare them, but it was a very bad game. Especially the first half. We threw it away. I am the most responsible, but the team were not in the match. We cannot face a game in this way. The opponents overcame us in intensity -they have beaten us in that alone: Not in how they played, but in intensity, challenges, set pieces... They took the lead, and in the second half we made an improvement, we got the equaliser and again, from another set piece, with a penalty conceded by Yunus Musah, they took the lead again and left us without a chance. Matches must be faced with the appropriate level of intensity.

Are aspirations of reaching European competition positions becoming impossible?

Nothing is impossible. You have to be realistic. We've had a bad run and with these numbers aren’t enough. We have to be realistic. We knew that we were up against a side with a great need of a win, and each ball was life-or-death for them. If we did not go into the game with the same level of intensity and attention, we could pay for it -and we did. There is nothing to complain about: They beat us in that aspect and we lost the game.

In the second half it seemed that Valencia CF's goal spurred on Deportivo Alavés. Do you agree with that?

Yes, especially because they started to employ a direct strategy with Joselu. We didn't interpret it well because we wanted to play the ball short. We didn't clear the ball, they pushed because of the need to win, and we had to take off that pressure with some long balls. We didn't do that. We didn’t interpret it well and there were several minutes where we did not leave our own corner. There was a set piece play from which we committed a penalty.

On Thursday we saw all the virtues of this team. Today did we see all the shortcomings?

There is something that is non-negotiable, which is the level of intensity with which you have to face a game of football. If you don't face it that way, your performance drops a lot, and today was that day. We didn't start the match as we should have and we paid dearly for it. They were much more adept at handling the situations that were decisive in the game.

Are you surprised to see Deportivo Alavés so low down in the table?

Yes, it is surprising because they are a team that I'm very fond of; I always wish them the best. We are in a difficult league, which is complicated for everyone. We would like to be much higher up the table, but that gives a good reflection of the difficulty of the league; any team can beat you, and the positions in the table are secondary at many times. We are all playing with a lot at stake, and each game is tough. That is the reality of football.