“It’s always important to review a match with a clear head, for analysis with less emotion.” From the start of his press conference, Roberto Martinez wanted to reassure the audience: the defeat of the Devils against the Netherlands (1-4) was analyzed and debriefed. “We will try to learn from this match. We started it well in the first 20 minutes, with a big chance and a lot of intensity. Then it was less good. Especially in our defensive work. In the second half -time, we conceded three goals in three actions and it is therefore obvious that we were not at the top defensively.”
When asked if his team is concerned by this Nations League, the coach steps up to defend his players: “I can tell you that it is. Each player fought and that was seen with our chances at the end of the match. : a post, a goal disallowed and another goal. If I’m disappointed by the reaction of the media or the atmosphere around the team? No, everyone is doing their job. I would have been disappointed if the boys were really annoyed to play these matches but this is not the case. Now, we want to continue to learn lessons to establish the best possible list of 26 for the World Cup. And seeing how we will be able to react against Poland will bring us valuable lessons. When I look at the best European teams, none have won. That’s not an excuse but it’s a fact.”
Changes are expected in the starting XI which will face Poland on Wednesday. But Martinez says he doesn’t want to punish certain players: “For each player, we know the state of fatigue and the risk of injury. The next starting XI will depend more on that than on the result against the Netherlands.”
Asked about his team’s tactics and the immutable 3-4-3, Roberto Martinez says that “It’s always easier to read criticisms of tactics after a defeat. Sometimes I would like someone to criticize my tactics after a victory or dare you say that the tactic was good after a defeat, because that can also happen.”
Finally, the coach had to react to the post-match speech of Louis Van Gaal, who had declared that he knew very well that the Devils did not use enough pressure when losing the ball. “With all the respect I have for him, he also says that Noa Lang has a better chance of winning the Ballon d’Or than Kevin De Bruyne (Editor’s note: Van Gaal had justified his remarks in particular by the fact that the attackers are much more often rewarded than midfielders). But I don’t want to comment more than that on the statements of people who talk about our team. If you want to ask me the question, ask yourself.” The journalist complies and then asks if the Devils should exert more pressure on the opposing team in loss of ball: “I think that to put the pressing or not is a decision which must depend on several parameters. In this case, I think that we especially lacked communication in loss of ball”, justifies the coach.
Lukaku has “a small chance” of playing the 4th game
After long debates on Friday’s defeat, the coach was still questioned about the state of health of Romelu Lukaku, out through injury and already forfeited for the match against Poland on Wednesday. “His injury is a little less serious than feared. However, I don’t think he will play with us again during this rally. In any case, he will miss the next two matches. There is still a small chance of seeing him play in Poland next Tuesday but if we had only had three games he would have been released.”