Ruben Amorim conducted his pre-match press conference for Monday's trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday night, after the draw with West Ham United.
The boss was clearly still frustrated with the result against the Hammers, which means we are eighth in the table after 14 games, but within two points of the Champions League places.
Ahead of the meeting with the struggling Black Country outfit, the boss was asked about Kobbie Mainoo's involvement so far this season, plus the squad's physical and mental conditioning.
He also gave updates on two Reds who are injury doubts, and touched upon the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, which will see us lose Amad, Noussair Mazraoui and Bryan Mbeumo for a period.
Read every word below...
When you look at the senior squad, I think there are only four players who’ve not started a Premier League game this season. One’s Tom Heaton, third-choice goalkeeper, Tyrell Malacia last year, the club were open to selling him, and Lisandro’s just come back from injury. I mean, for Kobbie, can you see how it must be quite deflating and demoralising for him?
“I see it. I see it, and I just want to win. I try to put the players... I don't look who it is. I don't care about that. I'm just trying to put the best players on the pitch. You have [Manuel] Ugarte that played two games. One of them, Case was out. Bruno is always fit [and] is the guy that is doing his position. So maybe it has to do with that.
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Do you think AFCON could be the opportunity for Kobbie?
“I don’t know, guys. I don't know, I don't know. It's the same question. I don't know. I don't know what is going to happen. It depends. I see the training. I see [what] is the best thing for the team. I will put it [in the team]. That is the only way I know how to respond to that.”
Obviously, Wolves provided some low moments and Molineux last season felt like one of the darker moments. How important is it not to take the fact that they've not won a game this season for granted? Because you’ve just played 18th...
“Everything can happen, and that will change. There is no team in the Premier League history that didn't win one game. So, it can be any game. So, we need to try to improve, to rest the players, work really well, and prepare a tough match because, with us, it’s always a tough match.”
Do you understand why we ask about Kobbie, because he's homegrown?
“Yes, of course. Of course, I understand, and my job is to answer, but I'm trying to answer always the same thing, and you ask me always the same thing. I understand what you are saying. You love Kobbie, he starts for England, but that doesn't mean that I need to put Kobbie [in] when I feel that I shouldn't put Kobbie [in]. So, it's my decision.”
It does feel though, for all you say about the Academy, that you don't actually trust the Academy...
“Why?”
Because you never pick any players from there...
“Any players? We have Kobbie Mainoo.”
[Shea] Lacey?
“But Lacey, in difficult situations? And Lacey, sometimes when Bryan [Mbeumo] is not there, I put Amad [there] because I have other wing-backs to play and sometimes it’s hard. So you are asking me, why I don't put Lacey to play when I have other guys that are internationals and also they are in the bench. So, I try to put the best guys, the prepared guys for this moment of the club, and try to win a game. That's the only thing, guys.“
Ruben, when the team has the opportunity this season to step on and push up the league, to move into the top-four, top-five areas, there seems to always be a setback, like tonight. Do you think there's an issue with their belief, their coping with the pressure of the moment in these games?
“I don't know. I think it's a clear fact, but I think it's not a mental thing. I think they are not thinking, ‘We are going to top five’. No, no. I think it's some moments we play good, sometimes we play bad and we are not getting the results.”
Do you think Diogo and Matthijs will be okay for the next game?
“I think so. We'll see.”
Ruben, you've used the word anxious when you described Patrick Dorgu last week. Diogo Dalot used the same word after today. How do you go about solving the team maybe feeling anxious when they have a one-nil lead?
“I said that Diogo is anxious?”
No, last week, you said Patrick Dorgu, sometimes on the ball, so it's obviously similar with Diogo, he used the word and [said] the team felt anxious when they were 1-0 up today. How do you help the team get through that feeling?
“I didn't feel the team [was] anxious. I feel the environment was a little bit anxious because it's normal, because we prove in the past when people understand that nothing is certain here, but we didn't draw because of that. We draw because in one second ball, we have advantage, we let a corner and, in the corner, and anything can happen.”
Last season, you mentioned the squad's physicality, and how it was different in Europe compared to the Premier League. Today, you've mentioned a lot about second balls. Do you think your team has the characteristics you're talking about?
“Oh, we can win second balls. We were winning second balls, and after the goal, we lost a little bit, the second ball, especially with Matheus [Cunha]. It's moments of the game and that's why I try to put Manu and Mason Mount. They are aggressive, trying to win the second ball, and that can happen in moments of the game, not all the time.
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So is that a fatigue problem?
“No, I don't know. Maybe it's more tactical than physical, to be prepared for fighting for the second ball. Maybe because we score a goal, we are a little bit more relaxed. I have the feeling that we had the game under control because the opponent is not even near our box. I don't know. I have to check.”
Just on AFCON, do you know now when you're going to have players available?
“No, with everything. they are they are going to play the next game and that is the only thing I care [about].”
You didn’t score against Everton here, a right-back scoring tonight. The front three struggled again tonight. Do you feel that you have enough firepower to see your project through or is that something you might consider looking at in the January window?
“No, we need to wait until January. We need to see what we are able to do. So, I don't know and I really don't care about that in this moment. I just want to prepare the game with the players that we have and we have to be better in the next game.”