Pellegrini on...West Ham United

  • by Staff Writer No. 2
  • Sunday, 20th October 2013

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini shares his thoughts on his side's first away win of the season...

Manuel, how happy are you at getting your first away win?

Very pleased. The most important thing today was to win the game. We continued to play in the same was as for other away games. We knew if we played the same as we did at Villa we would win away. That was the important thing for me today, To get the win and to play the same way.

How important was it to get that win away today?

Very important! 1 from 9 is not a good average for us. Before we started the game Chelsea, Arsenal & Everton won their games. We could have lost more points playing away so three points is vey good important for us.

Aguero's performance was the catalyst for this evening...

Yes he's a top player. He makes an important difference. It was importat for the team that he didn't play in the second game this week for Aregentina. He was fresh and that was important.

How did you find it against West Ham's six in the middle this evening...

Well we knew West Ham would try to play in the same way as they did against Tottenham..They played very well. I told the players to be patient and to move the ball around until we found the space. We did it very well. West Ham's goalkeeper was, I think, their best player. He made at least four or five important saves.

To use that space you need someone like Silva. I thought he was magnificent. There was nobody near him. He seemed to find that space.

Well he's another top player. He played very well. It is not easy for other teams to mark Silva. He has the quality to lose that marker. He was another player that was fresh. That was my first thought about the eleven that started. To have the maximum amount who were fresh from the international break.

When west ham got their goal back were you worried at all that nerves might play a part?

Well of course it's difficult when it's 2-1 and you're playing away. West Ham had that moment when they had a lot of possession. But when we got the third goal – all finished.

You've got an important Champions League match coming up on an artificial pitch. Are you concerned at all bearing in mind what happened in Hong Kong?

We don't know about the condition of the pitch. We hoe that because UEFA are allowing the game to be played there it is a good pitch. We've just been thinking about the game we played today. About West Ham. Tomorrow we'll think about the Champions League.

You changed your whole back four today. Does that show that you won't be afraid to make changes for the [Champions League] game?

[following a long pause for the interpreter] No today had nothing to do with the Champions League match. It was as I said Micah Richards was fresh, Garcia was fresh, Clichy was fresh – he didn't play in the second international match for France. I'm sorry to repeat myself but that was the most important reason.
It shows the depth you've got in the squad. That you can leave other players on the bench.

[Further interpreter pause] Maybe. It's more important that I trust in the players. At the beginning of the season I spoke with the owners and told them that we needed a squad with two important players for each position. We have a lot of matches and we need to have the same quality.

Thank you.

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