Ole's verdict on a disappointing semi-final
Transcript“We had some moments but just not enough,” admits the boss in an honest post-match interview...
What did you make of it? “It was a tight game and they played a very good first half. They made us have to defend really well and we did. We kept defending well and they didn’t create too many chances. They had a shot hit the post, but I felt we were in the game and just need a little bit extra. But I am very disappointed to have conceded from two set-plays. After the first I thought we reacted well and played well, when they went 1-0 up, created half chances, but not enough to score.” After a tight first half, was that first goal always going to be important? “Yeah. You have got to open up then and we would have liked to have defended that first free-kick better. That is a poor goal to give away, I have to say. It is not one to analyse on tele here. It was very, very disappointing.” We had more of the ball in the second half, but was it just hard to create clear chances? “Yeah. When you give them a chance to hang onto something then of course it is harder. They defended well and they are well structured. Still, I think we put some pressure on them and created half chances, but not enough to say we should have scored from that one and that one. We had some moments but just not enough.” Can you see the difference from a year ago when they were 3-0 up after 45 minutes? “For me this is a much better and more competitive version of Man United, but still we have lost and we are just not there yet. That is a big word, ‘yet’, but we will get there and these boys are getting better. These disappointments will hurt and those little habits that will create those little margins for you, they have been good but we can also be better at the little things.” With big games coming up, it’s important that this doesn’t derail anything… “Exactly. It is allowed for an hour or so to be very disappointed before you go to bed, but then you wake up tomorrow morning with something to look forward to. You have got to. You have got to be positive again because we have the FA Cup and big league games."