Benitez on.... West Ham United

  • by Staff Writer No.2
  • Sunday, 2nd December 2012

Chelsea's Interim Manager Rafa Benitez does his best to maintain his dignity in the face of some tough questioning during the post-match press conference, which, as usual, we bring to you in full....

Rafa: How do you explain being so in control of the game then letting it slip like that?

As everybody has seen in the first half we could have scored two or three goals and finished the game. We were totally different, we didn't do it in the second half. We didn't start well, they were on top of us and we couldn't manage. The first goal was a bit controversial and made a big difference.

We had a reaction but we weren't in control. We were giving the ball away easily and we were not comfortable in possession and they were pushing.

It's difficult to explain when you are so good in the first half how you cannot manage in the second half.

You mentioned fitness yesterday. Is that part of it?

It's a bit of everything. You can physically control the second half easier if you are 2-0 or 3-0 up. We didn't do that and we were suffering.

What do you have to do to turn it around?

The only way is to keep working in training sessions and to do the right things. We have two games every week and it's not easy in terms of what you can improve. We usually have a light training session before and a light training session after.

We've been a little bit better in defence - we've kept two clean sheets and today we've had a lot of chances so we've been a lot better in attack. But now we've had this situation in defence so we'll have to improve again.

There seemed to be a lack of fighting spirit in the second half. West Ham seemed to be more......

The kind of players that we have, sometimes they have to be in possession. If you're not in possession physically you have to manage and be strong and we didn't [today].

You haven't got those type of players then?

We have some of them. But we also have some players injured and they will come back and give us another....character, something different, but we'll still have to improve on the second half.

Some of the Chelsea fans were singing 'you're getting sacked in the morning...

We know we have to win games to change things around.

Is part of you not worried that this just isn't going to work?

My concern is to improve the team, to recognise what is going wrong on the pitch and to start winning games and to turn things around.

Do you fear for your job at this stage?

As I said before, the main thing for me is to improve the team. I don't think about anything else.

Is it a tougher, more difficult challenge than perhaps you thought at first?

Could be, it's a top side, it's the middle of the season and obviously the results were not the best. We will try to improve things - it will take some time maybe. We will see.

What things are you doing that Robbie Di Matteo wasn't doing?

I know of the things they were doing but I know what we are trying to do, to keep the balance...

Do you know what Robbie was doing?

Yes but I will not talk about these things here. We are working the defence, trying to improve transitions and to create chances. The first half today, the previous two games we had two clean sheets and as I said before we were stronger in defence. Today we had a lot of chances so we were improving the attack at the same time. They didn't have chances so we had the right balance in the first half. In the second half we didn't start well and we couldn't manage.

Do you feel that your title challenge could already be over? If Man Utd win later on they could be ten points clear of you...

I don't want to think about the other teams. I will think about my next game. Our next game in the Champions' League which we will try to win and see what happens. And after we will think about the next one. You cannot be watching the table every day when you know you have to improve things.

Ten points is a big gap...

Yeah but I have to concentrate on the next three [points].

When you're trying to come back in a game the chanting can't be helping the players...

We have to improve on the pitch then the fans will be happy.

Do you fear that someplayers are affected by the negativity from the fans? It does affect some professionals. Do you fear that your players pick up on that? In the second half they didn't seem to have the fight to get back into the game...

I'd hope that wouldn't be the situation. Why? Because we have experienced players that have been playing at this level for a while so they know that they have to manage and to cope with this.

Only three players went over to the crowd to show their appreciation at the end of the game. Is that an indication that the players are worried about facing the fans?

It's an indication of the disappointment that we had at losing the game.



Are you comfortable that you've got the support of the players?

After a week you can see how they train. They want to improve and they want to win.

Rafa I know it does seem ridiculously early to be asking these questions but when results are poor and the opposition from the fans is so obvious do you not fear that it might not last very long, that you may not last out the season?

Again I will say that it depends on the things we can do on the pitch. If we improve on the pitch it will be easier for everyone.

So you are not 100% sure you can weather this?

We didn't win today. That is the main thing. We ran the first half. If we could have done the same in the second half everybody is happy.

Did you ever think twice about taking the job given that you must have known there would be some opposition?

I'm here because I wanted to be here.

So you didn't think twice?

I came in because it's a top side and you can compete for trophies.

Chelsea were a top side in March. Is it true that Chelsea approached you when AVB was sacked?

I'm here after a defeat. This is the time to talk about the game.

You said you came to a top side, presumably they were a top side when AVB left..

Again I will say that I'm not worried about the past. The future is to try to improve the team and to try to win games.

Rafa: you seemed very unhappy with the equaliser - you had a long conversation with the fourth official. Did you feel that that was unlucky and that it changed the game a bit?

We could use some luck!

It must be disappointing when it changed the game?

I know that we didn't do well in the second half so I don't want to use any excuse. But the first goal you can say that it was unlucky. If you want!

It was a foul wasn't it?

I will say "unlucky". [laughter]

Thank you.

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