Ancelotti: “We want to get back to winning ways and bounce back quickly'
“The players and I are aware of what we have to do better”, said the coach.
Carlo Ancelotti spoke in the press room at Real Madrid City ahead of the LaLiga matchday seven fixture against Las Palmas Wednesday, 7pm CEST. The coach stated: 'Every team has its strengths and features. Las Palmas play good football and like to control the ball. As for us, we want to get back to winning ways and bounce back quickly after Sunday's defeat. We have to go into games with a different mindset, given that we've been hurt a number of times in the opening minutes'.
'It's normal when you're the Real Madrid coach to receive criticism if things don't go well. It doesn't affect me. I have to assess what we did well, which is a lot, as well as the things we didn't do so well against Atlético, which are few. The evaluation I make is different to everyone else's'.
Tactical approach
'The players and I are aware of what we have to do better, considering that up until now we have done well, and we must carry on doing well by improving what we didn't get right against Atlético. Every system has its weaknesses. There's no perfect system. We've got experienced and very reliable players'.
'It's more difficult for us to control the wings with this system, especially in our own half of the pitch. But we're much more aggressive up front because the two forwards put pressure on the centre-backs. Bellingham's position has brought us an advantage and the attributes that the players have must be adapted to this system. We have to work on our weaknesses. We saw that in pre-season and we've done really well in the league. We'd only conceded three goals in the first six games. In the game against Atlético we forgot a little bit what we were doing'.
Returns of Carvajal, Vini Jr. and Arda Güler
'They're all available and that's very good news. I have to assess whether to give them minutes from the start or throughout the game'.
'Güler has recovered well. He's lacking a bit of fitness and minutes, but that's normal. He's also to get used to how the team plays and to get to know his team-mates. He has demonstrated that he has a lot of talent, he's outstanding. That's just genetic'.
Conceding in the first few minutes
'It's happened too many times and we have to go into the game with a different attitude. We've been hurt too often in the opening minutes'.
The need for a forward
'Public opinion is free to say what it likes because football is a passion of everyones. Everyone has their own ideas and they must be respected. The most important thing is balance in the assessment and I have to have that. Luckily it's something I have in my genes and I can evaluate how things are going. To call everything into question after winning six games out of six with all the problems we've had... I think it's a bit much'.
'It's normal when you're the Real Madrid coach to receive criticism if things don't go well. It doesn't affect me. I have to assess what we did well, which is a lot, as well as the things we didn't do so well against Atlético, which are few. The evaluation I make is different to everyone else's'.
Tactical approach
'The players and I are aware of what we have to do better, considering that up until now we have done well, and we must carry on doing well by improving what we didn't get right against Atlético. Every system has its weaknesses. There's no perfect system. We've got experienced and very reliable players'.
'It's more difficult for us to control the wings with this system, especially in our own half of the pitch. But we're much more aggressive up front because the two forwards put pressure on the centre-backs. Bellingham's position has brought us an advantage and the attributes that the players have must be adapted to this system. We have to work on our weaknesses. We saw that in pre-season and we've done really well in the league. We'd only conceded three goals in the first six games. In the game against Atlético we forgot a little bit what we were doing'.
Returns of Carvajal, Vini Jr. and Arda Güler
'They're all available and that's very good news. I have to assess whether to give them minutes from the start or throughout the game'.
'Güler has recovered well. He's lacking a bit of fitness and minutes, but that's normal. He's also to get used to how the team plays and to get to know his team-mates. He has demonstrated that he has a lot of talent, he's outstanding. That's just genetic'.
Conceding in the first few minutes
'It's happened too many times and we have to go into the game with a different attitude. We've been hurt too often in the opening minutes'.
The need for a forward
'Public opinion is free to say what it likes because football is a passion of everyones. Everyone has their own ideas and they must be respected. The most important thing is balance in the assessment and I have to have that. Luckily it's something I have in my genes and I can evaluate how things are going. To call everything into question after winning six games out of six with all the problems we've had... I think it's a bit much'.
Change of formation against Atlético
'Modrić can play in that position, no problem. I only changed the defensive aspect with Bellingham, not the attacking one. I didn't change that much. The only modification was changing Modrić's position to play as a number 10, but he's played as a 10 on many occasions'.
Conversation regarding the defence
'We've seen the videos of the goals that we've conceded and we had to be more solid to prevent easy crosses. We needed more players in the box when the cross came in'.
Criticism of Modrić and Kroos
'I'm not aware of all the criticisms I've received. It doesn't bother me, I focus on my job. Every game is important here and Modrić and Kroos haven't played much during this period, and when they've been involved, they've contributed. If I have to answer every criticism, I'll be spending a lot of time here'.
'Modrić and Kroos can play in any system in the world because they have the quality, their football knowledge and their experience. There's no problem for them, they fit in any system.'
Feelings from the derby
'The match was shaped by the first goals we conceded. It became a much more difficult game and we gave it a go, especially at the end of the first half with some very good chances. We could have equalised, but mistakes cost us too much'.
Vini Jr. and Rodrygo's position
'The mistakes that the new generation of coaches make is that they give too much information to the players about the game in possession. I'm old school and I think this takes a bit of creativity away. It's one thing to tell them the position without the ball, where you have to work hard and play as a team, but in possession, if they're comfortable when they come a bit wider, I'm not going to tell them to go inside. It's an individual interpretation of the game with the ball and I don't want to take away each player's creativity'.
Confidence in Kepa
'Kepa has my full confidence, he's very good and he's adapting very well. Those three goals we conceded against Atlético are everyone's problem, everyone has to be better. I don't like to point the finger at anyone as I don't think he could have done anything about the goals conceded'.
On his renewal
'I'm very good here, but there's time and now is not the time to talk about my future. We're focused on the games'.
Xabi Alonso
'He had a high level of football knowledge as a player. He's doing well with Leverkusen because he has that ability. I'd like him to be Real Madrid coach one day, as well as Raúl and Arbeloa. I know them, I care about them very much and I hope they will be'.
'Modrić can play in that position, no problem. I only changed the defensive aspect with Bellingham, not the attacking one. I didn't change that much. The only modification was changing Modrić's position to play as a number 10, but he's played as a 10 on many occasions'.
Conversation regarding the defence
'We've seen the videos of the goals that we've conceded and we had to be more solid to prevent easy crosses. We needed more players in the box when the cross came in'.
Criticism of Modrić and Kroos
'I'm not aware of all the criticisms I've received. It doesn't bother me, I focus on my job. Every game is important here and Modrić and Kroos haven't played much during this period, and when they've been involved, they've contributed. If I have to answer every criticism, I'll be spending a lot of time here'.
'Modrić and Kroos can play in any system in the world because they have the quality, their football knowledge and their experience. There's no problem for them, they fit in any system.'
Feelings from the derby
'The match was shaped by the first goals we conceded. It became a much more difficult game and we gave it a go, especially at the end of the first half with some very good chances. We could have equalised, but mistakes cost us too much'.
Vini Jr. and Rodrygo's position
'The mistakes that the new generation of coaches make is that they give too much information to the players about the game in possession. I'm old school and I think this takes a bit of creativity away. It's one thing to tell them the position without the ball, where you have to work hard and play as a team, but in possession, if they're comfortable when they come a bit wider, I'm not going to tell them to go inside. It's an individual interpretation of the game with the ball and I don't want to take away each player's creativity'.
Confidence in Kepa
'Kepa has my full confidence, he's very good and he's adapting very well. Those three goals we conceded against Atlético are everyone's problem, everyone has to be better. I don't like to point the finger at anyone as I don't think he could have done anything about the goals conceded'.
On his renewal
'I'm very good here, but there's time and now is not the time to talk about my future. We're focused on the games'.
Xabi Alonso
'He had a high level of football knowledge as a player. He's doing well with Leverkusen because he has that ability. I'd like him to be Real Madrid coach one day, as well as Raúl and Arbeloa. I know them, I care about them very much and I hope they will be'.