Iraola on Bournemouth stunning 3-2 comeback win at Everton

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Iraola on Bournemouth stunning 3-2 comeback win at Everton  31/08/2024  Goodison Park, Liverpool, UK

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00:00Obviously, it's a very important win for us. I think it has been the worst game we've played

00:27from the four games we've played this season. I think we were the best team in the previous

00:33three and I think Everton has been the best team today. I think most of the game, we've

00:39played more of the game Everton wanted to play than our game and I have to accept that

00:46I think they deserve to win today, yes.

01:02I think we had the advantage of two main reasons, I would say. One, the spirit. This team has

01:10a spirit, they always keep believing. I think we finished physically very, very strong considering

01:18we played two days ago against West Ham away, a very demanding game. I think we have to

01:24give credit to the players and also we have the experience from previous comebacks. You

01:32can feel it when probably you need this first spark of scoring the first one and everyone

01:39started to say, we can do it because we've done it previously. I think the ones that

01:45came as subs gave us that energy but also Antoine, I think he won a couple of duels

01:52here defending. Even Luis Kuk scoring the second one from his position, first goal that

01:59I've seen him score really. And also scoring the 2-2 and the feeling of going quickly for

02:05the ball because we were feeling that the momentum of the game has changed and now things

02:11are happening in their box and not in ours. I think it's great for the players.

02:26I think we needed something to happen because it's true that I was feeling that physically

02:30we were finishing strong with the subs, with Antoine, Taf. I think they were starting to

02:39make the difference 1-1 but probably it was too late and we needed something to happen

02:46to really start to believe and also to make them fear a little bit because I think they've

02:54played very well and they've had the situation under control most of the game. And once we

03:02scored the first one probably this has changed, yes.

03:05In all four of the games so far, something has happened in the last five minutes. Is

03:11there any way you can explain why things happened so late in both games?

03:17It's not new from this season. I think last season it was kind of similar. We lost a lot

03:22of points in games that we were winning. We had very good comebacks and we recovered

03:28a lot of points in games that we were losing. I think the way we normally play, quite open,

03:34quite physical, it opens a lot the game at the end. Probably today was not this kind

03:39of game but it's true that in the third game of the week for both teams we could finally

03:47find some spaces. From the 70-something minute we could start filling some spaces. And that's

03:56the reason why for us the subs are so important because at the end probably you will find

04:00more chances playing the last 25 minutes than the previous minutes because the first half

04:07everyone is fresh. It's more difficult to make one against one and make the difference.

04:13Did you talk to the fan? I wasn't like you spoke to Sean Dierks. He said that you didn't

04:19deserve to win today. Is that what you said to him?

04:21I told him that they deserved to win today. I felt that they deserved to win today. For

04:27me it's very strange because I think we've deserved much more in the previous three games,

04:32much more. For me we were the better team in the three games and today it has happened

04:38the opposite. I think they've been very solid. They've played, they've pushed us a lot. They

04:44scored the 1-0 from a lateral free kick but it's because they are putting a lot of time

04:49the ball around your box and then you have to defend crosses, defend corners, lateral

04:55free kicks and there is a moment where you can feel that they will get one of them right.

05:00You will make a mistake. And I was feeling this during the game that we couldn't deal

05:05well with this pressure and it's true that we finished stronger, we scored the goals.

05:12I have to give credit to my players. They kept believing but mostly, most of the game

05:18they've been better than us I would say, yes.

05:23I love this kind of stadiums. I love them because they play the game. When they put

05:45you under pressure, they haven't even shot on target or even outside and you can feel

05:50one corner, one lateral free kick. Really nothing has happened but you are like uncomfortable.

05:59You are there defending and you don't feel safe because everyone is pushing, every throw-in

06:04and obviously when things don't go so well it can go against you but I always prefer

06:13like this. I come from an athletic club, we have an amazing stadium, amazing atmosphere

06:18and I always have loved it because they really live the game, you can feel the passion and

06:27I like this kind of atmosphere.

06:35But it's normal, it's something normal. It will happen in every place. You think you

06:40have something that you really don't have still and you start feeling, maybe we can

06:47lose something that we think we already deserve and it's the nature of football. Sometimes

06:54you go winning half-time and you feel like, now I don't want to lose. No, no, you don't

06:58have anything in half-time. You have to finish your job for sure and they know this. They

07:04have a very experienced team but I think it has been probably unfair for them, yes.

07:12Did you ask the team to change the way they were playing tactically after the substitutions

07:20or do you think it was just because it was fresh legs and the fitness made a difference?

07:25We always ask them to change things, especially when you are losing. Sometimes it works, sometimes

07:29it doesn't work but I don't feel like I've done amazing substitutions, I've put down

07:36or left back and then something has happened. No, no. I think it's 99% merit of the players

07:43of the change of attitude, the willingness to rebel in front of a difficult situation

07:50and this spirit that they score the 2-2 and go quickly and they have another chance and

07:58then pick four makers safe and they keep pushing and believing and making everyone feel like

08:06they are going to do it. This is everything from the players for me.

08:11Can you explain what you want the team to do differently?

08:15Yes, I put Dango as a left back but giving a lot of confidence to push forward. I've

08:25changed Dean and Adam to improve in this build-up, also to Dean because he's very good on the

08:31ball to take more advanced positions, to try to push the left side with Dango, Sini, Justin

08:37after and I think Ant personally has assumed some leadership, some duels, some ball carrying,

08:47some ruthlessness I would say and after Justin was very tired, I think we needed some energy

08:56in the number 9 position and Sini has been able to give us this and even Justin, I think

09:02he was the one who finished more tired with less energy, even from being smart, he could

09:10put some good deliveries.

09:13Do you want to finish anything up or are you ok?

09:16Yes, obviously Vanport was getting that win going into the international break.

09:22For us it was a key win because I think we didn't get the reward we deserved in the previous

09:29games and also after the break we have games against Chelsea, against Liverpool that in

09:38theory at least are very difficult so for us to get this win I think is very important

09:46and also it's fair considering everything, how we started the season because I feel like

09:55the players have done a very good job in these first four games.

10:02Finally for me, Lewis Cook, captain of the side today, with Neto on the way out yesterday

10:09is that probably something that we'll see more of going forward?

10:12Yes, for me it's clear.

10:16Our captain is Adam Smith, he has the experience, the leadership and he is already a top captain.

10:28Lewis Cook also has the experience to be a captain even with England in the youth teams

10:35and they are very, very good.

10:39I don't want them to change anything, they have to continue doing what they do.

10:45A lot of players I think can step up and even without the armband they can be a support

10:53for the others.

10:55Probably I don't give the importance that here in England you give to the one wearing

11:01the armband because I think there is leadership that comes naturally but I am happy that in

11:07the first game he takes the armband, he can score.

11:10Probably not his best game, I told him, but he has been able to score a goal, yes.

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