On managing minutes amidst a busy schedule…
We started with three new players yesterday. We managed Marc Guéhi’s and Chris Richards’ minutes, and yes, maybe [we should have rotated more], but it’s always the question afterwards.
Pep rotated 10 players and then it was too much, and then we rotated three, then it’s maybe too less, and then you rotate five, then it’s also not okay at the end. It’s always when you win, you have done everything right, and if you lose, then questions are asked.
I ask myself if we should make more changes, but I think it was not that the players were tired, it was a game where it was just to take these two empty-net goals, then I think we win 3-1, and then we would say ‘wow, what a great game at Strasbourg’.
For us, yesterday it was emotional, but today being back rational, analysing what we can do better, what was good, because we need to perform on the top level against Man United. They’re doing really well, even though they lost their last game against Everton at home, but you can see when you’re watching them, and we watched many clips also from our games last year, I think it’s different now.
Also their work rate increased massively, and the system players know what to do much more than maybe six, seven months ago, and it will be a great test for us.
On the rearranged Christmas schedule…
We always say in Germany, where you have a disadvantage, you always have an advantage.
The game now against Arsenal is on the 23rd [December], it’s moved from the 24th to the 23rd, that means all the players can celebrate Christmas with their families, because everybody gets off 24th and 25th.
Of course, before it’s quite busy and afterwards, but Christmas is family time.
[I’ll have] no time for Christmas shopping, so fortunately I get all the support from my wife, she is responsible for all the staff and of course we play on the 23rd at eight o’clock at the Emirates. In continental Europe, we celebrate Christmas Eve on the 24th, so that’s busy, so I will fly back to Austria on the 24th in the morning.
Of course, I hope that everything is already prepared and then enjoying going to church and enjoying Christmas dinner with my family, but no, I have no time for getting gifts for all this staff, but it’s a challenge – I have to find one for my wife, because she can’t buy the gift for herself, because she shouldn’t!
It will work. We are used to this rhythm, even last year we played on the 26th, and so we will find a solution!