Dani Ceballos, Nicolas Pepe, our potent front three and the impact of VAR.
Unai Emery discussed all that and more when he faced the media after Saturday's win over Burnley.
Here's a transcript from the press conference:
on the result...
Good afternoon. Yes, really we can be happy and I think that our idea, our game plan on the pitch was knowing it was going to be tough, because we needed to adapt to their game plan: long balls, second action, pushes and high pressing. And after, we wanted to impose our game plan. Really, I think we won in our moments... we made the difference to win 2-1 but in a lot of moments we couldn't impose our game plan because they pushed and their game plan was to make us struggle.
on David Luiz, Pepe and Ceballos’ performances…
What we wanted to create was a big atmosphere with our supporters together, today and this season. Today, with some new players, they made an impact in the first match here. We created this atmosphere today, also with some other players, like Willock, who played very well. We can also say that the young players have the chance to play, and you need to do this - and he did. I think you can speak about all the team because we worked together with an individual quality and capacity, but above all thinking like a team. Also, creating something special for each match with our supporters here at the Emirates. I think today we did that.
on Ceballos and what he adds to the midfield...
With him, it's for us to use his qualities in the best position in our team with our ideas. I spoke with him - before coming here - to play like an eight and a 10. Today he started like a 10, but a lot of times he was changing with Willock into the eight position, where he can feel better on the pitch.
on having six points after two games - having had none after two last season…
We have 36 matches to play. We’ve started with two victories and last season we started with two defeats. But after, we progressed well in the table. Our challenge is each match. We are happy we have six points but next week we are going to play against Liverpool, and it’s a big challenge. Being in this position is better but the difficulties come in each match. We want to be competitive and consistent in our way, and at the moment we did that in the two matches. But we know we need everybody, big experience, big performances, to be competitive individually and improve in each match and in each training session. Let’s be positive and realistic - it’s going to be difficult. Let’s enjoy each moment.
on if he will stick with a winning team against Liverpool...
One thing we wanted to improve is to be competitive in each position in the squad and also to take different possibilities. For example, today Xhaka is out, also Mesut is out, Rob Holding is out and Hector Bellerin too. We had different options for a bigger performance. When every player is good to play, that's perfect. But the way is long, the season is long, they are coming with different issues and different circumstances for each player, with injuries. Last year for example, I think we lost some points in some moments when we didn't have different possibilities for some matches. We lost in those moments. This year I prefer to have on the bench some important players but really, really with the possibility to be with a good impact after. I think the team is going to be more competitive. That's my idea.
on if he had any complaints over VAR…
For me, VAR is positive. When they are checking, I think it’s because they needed to. After, the decision was correct.
on Aubameyang, Lacazette and Pepe...
The structure of playing in their game plan is very strong and we needed to adapt to that. Afterwards we needed to impose our capacity, our quality, our skills, our structure also offensively and defensively. I think we did that. But for example today, if we can take off the result, I think we can do better. After, the goals of Lacazette and Aubameyang is amazing. And Pepe's impact is very good. Forty-five minutes today, he has been with us only two weeks and he needs to fit more. I spoke with him yesterday about how he is feeling every day with us, how he is feeling before the match, and he is feeling progressively better, but he needs more. Today, I think 45 minutes was perfect for him.
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