Gil Vicente’s coach said it was the worst first half of the season.
I think it was the worst first half since the start of the championship. In the second half, we were better and conceded a goal when we were playing better. We lacked composure, the ability to control possession. I always said we could lose or draw, but we have to play like Gil Vicente. We lacked the ability and personality to impose our game. Even in Tondela, the first half wasn’t great, but even so, if we had scored first, the team would have gained confidence. That doesn’t mean the first half wasn’t bad.
Is the team feeling the pressure?
I don’t think so. In Tondela we completely dominated, we scored two and could have scored more. Today I felt the team was nervous, very eager, but lacking the character we’ve usually shown. Gil Vicente isn’t going to win every game, but what satisfied me when we didn’t win was that we played our way. Today I felt the team was anxious and nervous. These games have to be played with confidence and today we weren’t the team we usually are. What conditioned the build-up play in the first half?
Vitória came here today with a different tactic, and in the first half the team didn’t understand it. We have a lot of forward support, and today Varela always wanted to rotate. There was a point where everyone wanted to do things individually, and the greatest asset of this team is the collective. In the second half, yes, we were better. Then we started playing to the goalkeeper, playing backwards, backwards. Today we lacked the composure to read the game. Under normal circumstances, they could read it, and today’s first half leaves me frustrated. We lacked a bit of luck, but that doesn’t invalidate the fact that Vitória deservedly won.