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Every word: Ruben’s post-match press conference
Monday 28 April 2025 09:47
Ruben Amorim was full of praise for Luke Shaw after Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Bournemouth – the defender’s first club start for more than 14 months.
In the post-match press conference, our Portuguese head coach revealed that the plan was for Shaw to be removed during the second half, in the same way that Casemiro, Harry Maguire, Kobbie Mainoo and Noussair Mazraoui were.
Thursday’s huge Europa League semi-final first leg against Athletic Club loomed large over the planning for the preceding Premier League game, according to the boss, with Ruben acknowledging that some players’ minutes had to be controlled with that challenge in mind.
But such was the way that the game developed, and Shaw’s influence within it, that Amorim explained that Luke had to be kept on the pitch to aid us in the search for a positive result.
Read Ruben’s full comments on the England international below, plus every other word that left his mouth during the post-match media briefing…
Ruben’s post-Bournemouth press conference Video
Ruben’s post-Bournemouth press conference
PRESS CONFERENCE | Our head coach was asked about Shaw, Mazraoui, Hojlund and more, following our draw v the Cherries…
WE’RE MAKING THINGS HARDER FOR OURSELVES
“The start of the game was hard for us. High pressure from the opponent, we lose some possessions in our build-up. If you look at our games, it’s always a little bit our fault, the way we suffer. Suffer goals and then everything is so much harder to do.
“But if you look at the game, especially the second half, and especially [after] the sending off, we arrange ways to get inside the box and that is something that we are improving. We created chances. We managed to score one, but I think, I feel, that we lost two points today.”
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PLAYERS
“It was just to adapt. You can see that we changed a lot of players in [to] positions that they never played. So it was just a way to [change the] tactical aspect. But also [it’s important] to understand the players that will have [the responsibility of playing in] extra [added-on] time. So if you suffer a goal in transition, [it’s because] you lose your head. You have 10 minutes more [added on], but if they score one goal in transition, one against one, it could kill the game. So these small things [were what we discussed], not so much tactical aspects.”
HOW’S MAZRAOUI (AFTER THE RED-CARD CHALLENGE BY EVANILSON)?
“I think he’s okay. In these kinds of situations, in this moment, anything that could be a danger for a player that [plays] in one position [where] we lost [Diogo] Dalot, we try to save that.”
This would have been a worldie! Video
This would have been a worldie!
SO CLOSE | The captain almost scored a worldie with this second-half strike from range…
NO COMMENT ON STRONG CHERRIES TACKLING
“I’ve nothing to say. It’s the Premier League, and we need to play like that, because it’s the way we want the game, and sometimes things happen. But I have nothing to say about that.”
ON POINT-SAVER HOJLUND
“I see the training. I see the way they behave, the way they want to improve. I see the games also. And I try to put the best XI [on] to win games – that’s all. Of course, I want to support my players. I was a player and sometimes you have bad moments, difficult moments, in a big club. So I think it was a good moment for him, but it’s just a goal. Let’s focus on Thursday.”
THE IMPORTANCE OF SHAW
“That was not the plan, to have [Luke play] 90 minutes. But you need to win games, and you can feel that he was overloading [the opponent] in that part of the field. He’s really good on crosses, he’s really good in the final third, [with] the decisions. He has a lot of quality. When we are losing and drawing, you don’t think about the next game. You need to win. So I was not focused on the next game.”
WE MUST FOCUS ON OURSELVES, NOT RIVALS
“The first thing is to focus on ourselves, and not the other teams. The next thing is to be really honest. We are in the different levels at this moment, but then explain that everything can change. I remember when I started seeing the Premier League, it was the opposite [and United were on top]. So we need to focus on step by step, not trying to think too far ahead. We have an ultimate goal, that is winning the Premier League, and again. I’m not crazy! I know that it’s not going to be next year. But we are trying to build something and the small things are really important. And we did that during this year, but we need to improve next year. We know that this is important for the fans, but we need to be honest with them and to work hard every day.”
Bruno’s visionary pass to Garna Video
Bruno’s visionary pass to Garna
MAGNIFICO | You’ve got to see this incredible long-range Bruno Fernandes pass to Alejandro Garnacho…
ON NEW STRIKER SPECULATION
“We have a lot of things to do still this season and we are focused on [that]. We like our strikers, we are improving our strikers, we’ll see what happens in the next season. But in this season, Josh [Zirkzee] cannot play, Chido [Obi] is not in the list unfortunately for the Europa League. He has the Premier League to win every minute and to work on, and Rasmus is scoring. So we’ll see.”
BREEDING A WINNING MENTALITY
“[We have to] do the things that I believe, and then work hard every day. Then like today, when things are hard, we have to push and we have to believe. That’s the only way to put the mentality [in]. Try to win every game; that is our mentality. We want to win.”
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Monday 28 April 2025 09:47
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