“With the ball Motherwell are a good team, how they build up the game with the centre areas and then dropping players to try and create gaps. In the first half I think we went wrong with the press, and sometimes also the opponent does really good things. We need though to be ready for interceptions and transitions and disturb them a little more than we did in the first half.
“There is a lot of emotions when you are playing at home and you don’t get the ball, but the good thing about the team now is that they don’t get too stressed and open up too much. We tried to correct things but it difficult when the game is going on, so it was important for the players to protect the right areas. And there were not a lot of chances (for our opponents) in that first half.
“Second half was better. We were more on the front foot and arrived with more chances ourselves. In their half also.
“The last four weeks we have grown into the games, we are improving, we are more stable in our defending, we are more stable how we defend transitions. So the team is growing, maybe not fast enough for everyone – everyone wants us to grow quicker – but still we are going in the right direction. The things we need to improve is our own game with the ball. We have to do better when we have control of the ball because when we get the ball up to our front three or front four, we always create things. But we have to do it more consistently during the game when we have control of the ball.
“So some parts are good. Some parts we still need to improve. But now we are collecting points and moving forward. We look forward to the next game.”
The Manager was understandably unhappy with the goal conceded today from a set play.
“We know that Motherwell are really quick at free kicks and corners and they have done it before and we talked about it before the game. For many reasons we missed that one. It is a football game. You can never disconnect from the game. It was a tough learning point for us today. You do not want it to happen, especially when you are 1-0 up at home. But also again, you have to give credit to your opponent sometimes.
“Playing at this level it is more about growing into the mental capacity, always concentrating and staying in the game. The physicality is something you can usually push, but as I have said before, we have to live this to learn this. Players will pick things up on this journey. We were punished today. The focus in a football game is so so important. We realise today we have to improve this part. “
“Players are learning things playing in Europe and playing domestically at the same time – how you sleep, how you recover and how you can focus on the games even if you feel tired. You still have to go out there and compete the whole game.”
The manager was then asked about his substitutions.
“We were planning on making changes earlier but then the game started going in our favour and we started to get some momentum. Marko and Topi did really well and Shinnie and Dante were winning balls. Of course they were tired, but the game was going in the right direction and sometimes when you make changes you can disrupt the rhythm of the game. We did gamble at the end (with the triple change) to try and get something more from the game. Sometimes you do changes and it goes really well. Sometimes it is better when the momentum is with you not to disrupt it.
There were then questions about individual players.
“Emmanuel has not been playing. He came on and did really well against Larnaca but got the yellow card early and then could have got another one. He needs time now to get into a rhythm.
“As well as the goal Jesper also defends really well. He is running a lot. He is supporting and pressing really well. He can find his team mates with set plays and of course when he gets opportunities, he is always dangerous. He has a really good shot. I think there is more to come from him also.
“Dante has been more stable in his position, he is not running around so much, he can intercept more balls, he can help the defenders better, he is coming closer to opponents so I think with his position right now, he is a better player and helping team more.
“The international break, some part of it is about recovery because we have a really busy schedule now with something like 12 games between now and the first week in January.
“Some players need to train extra. Some to need to refresh and come back from injuries.
“We have had some setbacks with some players with minor injuries so it is about getting them back and some of our players who have played a lot, especially our back line, getting a chance to recover. Our defence did very well today because they were tired. They stayed in the game; fought with everything they have but did not make any silly mistakes.
Sometimes when the opponent has the ball as much as Motherwell did today you think everything is bad. But how some players behave under this pressure, with all the emotions around them, they don’t unsure things anymore. Of course you want to do more with the ball.”
