Unai Emery did his homework on Blackpool and it paid off as we earned a place in the last eight of the Carabao Cup.
The head coach spoke to the media shortly after our 2-1 win. Here’s what he said:
on it being an off night...
First, congratulations to them because they are a very organised team and I think today they competed very well against us. In the 90 minutes, a lot of things happened in the game in the 90 minutes but I think we controlled a lot of moments in the match and we were 2-0 up and the match is, for us, in a good moment. This red card to Matteo affected the balance more for them and their goal also, we can and we need to continue our work to the last minute with our performance and our players to win today. But I think that doing our work, we deserved this victory also.
on Guendouzi's suspension and missing Liverpool...
That is football. When you are playing, when you are on the pitch, you can have things positive or negative. Like an injury, a red card or 90 minutes of hard work. With the red card, it's like that. It's football. We have a lot of players looking to play and to take this responsibility to show their performance, their quality for the team and I am going to prepare with other players and thinking that we can also have a performance for a big match on Saturday.
on facing Tottenham in the next round...
We are here to do one thing in this title and we are going to play against the big teams. I think this is the moment also to play the first derby against Tottenham. For us, it's different if we play away or if we play here at home. I think it's important for us to play here with our supporters at Emirates. I think this is the moment for both clubs, a great moment, but only one can win.
on whether Guendouzi was naive...
He is playing well and he is playing with one very important thing: good spirit. He is competitive. The action is one action. He plays this action, normally, he is pushing behind the player and the second yellow card… I don't know if it is experience, but he is playing with the spirit like I want today and in every match. We spoke in the dressing room at half-time. I said it is very important to keep control, but I don't think that he really lost control in this action. He played how the action demanded and the red card is one circumstance in the game.
on if he thought Cech looked nervous with the ball...
It's normal, the centre backs when they are with the ball and have pressure from the opposition, they need to play with the goalkeeper and continue building up our attacking moments. I want to give them confidence, give them calm and it's true, today after this mistake the supporters also when the ball was arriving to him, I think it's better in my opinion to continue giving him and the other players also, confidence to continue our style and our ideas in the game. He has experience and also he can do good and we are going to continue with this idea with the security and with the confidence.
on whether the Spurs rivalry has been explained to him...
Yes, I knew this rivalry. Not like you or like every supporter here in London or for supporters of Tottenham or Arsenal. But we are going to play against them in the Premier League or like now in the Carabao Cup and I am going to research a lot of information about this.
on Ramsey's contract...
The most important thing for me with Aaron is that I spoke with him last week and his spirit, his quality, his performance and his focus is with us. In training, in matches and again today and also on Sunday when he played 20 minutes at Crystal Palace. He played with this spirit and his focus with us and in training and every match, like today also, he is working very well.
on what he thought of Blackpool...
For me, it's a very organised team. Tactically they do very well and it was difficult to win against them. They have players with quality. I don't know the level in League One for this team against other teams, but for us I know, and I spoke before the game with people to know the level of this team. They are in League One but they said they watched every match and in every match it is difficult. I know that this team was in the Premier League eight years ago. It's a reason also that firstly I have respect and secondly because I want to win each match, like today against Blackpool. We needed our performance with a big preparation.
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