The way we started. In the first 20 minutes, we created so many chances to go one-nil up. After that, we didn’t create as much because they were defending really deep and it was difficult for us to find our spaces. The goal just before half-time really helped us to go into half-time and changed our position a little bit on the pitch. The second half was much better, we created the spaces we wanted and started it well. We scored a good goal, a very high-speed goal. It was a good move from Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent was there to score the goal. I need my forwards to be in the box when there is danger and they did really well. After that we controlled the game and tried to score more. In the end, we lost a little bit of control. Sometimes we lost the ball in midfield which normally doesn’t happen. I think those were a couple of moments but overall I’m really pleased with the performance. We knew it was going to be hard today but in the end, two goals and the three points we wanted.
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How important is Joe Aribo to the team at the moment?
He’s very important, don’t know how many times he’s going to be man of the match this year. When he controlled the ball out of the air, the high ball, I knew he was going to be man of the match. He’s very important because he’s good at attacking and defending. He has great stamina and is very important for the connection between defence and offence. We are really happy with him, with his performance and the team’s performance.
That’s five clean sheets in seven games, what do you put that down to? Application or organisational shift?
It’s both. The players have to be ready whatever is happening on the pitch. We need to be ready when we are attacking, and makes sure we are well organised to get ready if we lose the ball at any time of the attack. We also must show the character you need to have to focus on getting the zero.
Did Borna Barisic come off injured?
No, he’s okay. It was more like his energy levels dropped and he had to come off. It was more about just not feeling well rather than being injured.
You must be pleased with Alfredo Morelos since you came in?
I’m pleased with his numbers. As I said, I want my strikers to be in the box to score and he’s been scoring a lot lately which I’m very happy with but sometimes in moments of the game he needs to be there to be available when teams are pressing us. Today he did really well and was there with the second goal to receive the ball. Many times he was there to receive the ball. Sometimes we needed that in moments of the gam but overall I want him in the box for dangerous moments.
Were you surprised St Johnstone were so defensive from the very start?
No. We prepared for this. Sometimes they were sitting really deep and sometimes they were really dangerous during moments of transition. We didn’t give many chances away, which you want at home and to break a defensive formation, sometimes you have to have patience. Sometimes you have to invest in moving the ball around and making sure their energy levels will drop. I knew in the second half we’d have more space. Our possession game and speed of play was much better in the second half.
Ianis Hagi was putting his body on the line in this match. Is this something you’ve been trying to develop in his game?
Not only in his game. It’s part of who we are and who we want to be a club. To be dominant, you have got to be doing everything to win games. Sometimes you don’t win by playing beautiful football. In some moments you have to be physical so I am pleased to see Ianis is not afraid to go into duels. That’s what I want because we will need that at times. It’s only about him, though, as a team we have to be physical. It’s an aspect we all have to have. You saw against Hearts there were moments in the game where we had to be physical. And we did.
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What was the thinking in bringing in Ianis Hagi at the expense of Fashion Sakala?
It was a different game today. Against Hearts I knew it would be one-v-one with speed so that’s why Sakala played on Sunday. Today is a different game so that’s why we altered the playing style of our wingers.
How pleased were you with Glen Kamara?
I told him that, for me, he lost too many balls today. That’s not really how I see him. He’s very important because he’s a player who sits just in front of the defence. He wants the ball, he wants to look forward, he’s not afraid when he receives the ball and gets pressured. I think we will have some good built up and eventually we will create some space up front. The players are learning that and improving each game to know which moment needs which kind of play.
Are you aiming to keep a consistent selection with minimal changes?
It depends, you have to look at how your team feels. Physically, we will asses the players but after a game on Saturday we have eight days to rest and then we will go into the final week before the winter break with three games. So I’m more than happy with all the energy the players will give to the team. We will work hard for Saturday. It’s a short time but it’s just the way it is. After Saturday we can have a little bit of a rest and make sure our stamina levels are high.
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