Pacheta sets out the path to win the match against UD Las Palmas
Villarreal CF head coach, José Rojo Martín ‘Pacheta’, has assured this afternoon that ball possession will be the key during this Sunday’s match against UD Las Palmas (2pm). “Las Palmas are the team that completes the most passes in LaLiga per game, so against us they will surely do the same. We have to be patient in not getting off balance when they do well, and have the ability to get them off balance when we do well. They control the ball, which leads you to get tired and lose your balance, and that’s when they hurt you and they’re vertical. We have to have more of the ball, which is one of our virtues, so I’m sure that whoever has more of the ball and handles it better will have more chances of winning,” he commented.
For Pacheta, the latest victory in Europe has been good for the Submarine: “We’ve come from two games in which we’ve had positive results, I’m never happy with a draw, but in Getafe I was satisfied. We defended very well there. And from the game the other day I was happy with the dramatic late penalty that Pepe saved, and the fantastic atmosphere in the stadium in the last few minutes. People saw that we have to suffer and that we have to adjust things to grow, but I think we are doing things well and we have to keep repeating that. That’s the challenge we have.”
The coach from Burgos lamented the short recovery time his players will have: “I don’t mind playing every three days, what’s more, this team is prepared to play every three days. This is a team that is used to doing that after playing in Europe for many years, but it’s true that only a few hours have passed since the last game. If three clear days have not passed, there is a risk of injury and that the muscle has not recovered and can break. I see the players are much better, with much more tone, but it’s true that we need to clean everything up in order to get the confidence we sometimes lack. I think we are growing in that aspect, and I see that the team is going to get there well.”
The objective is clear: “Our path is to try to win every day, the routine of winning has to be done by winning and that’s what we’re doing. You can do things well, but in the end you have to win, which is what strengthens you as a team and makes the player better. If the player wins, it makes him believe in what he does and believe in you and in the work.”
To finish, Pacheta emphasised the good work done by his team in the last few games: “I think the whole team is improving, I think we are now defending very closely together and deactivating the opposition. We still have to improve, to be more consistent for more minutes. We always have a few minutes when we’re not consistent, minutes when the opposition put fear into us and don’t make us hesitate. If you get that security back, the attacking players look more confident. It’s true that the attacking line of three is the one that has more difficulties due to injuries and expulsions, but we’re in a situation where we’ll gradually recover our strength and little by little that line will also improve.”
