That’s experience
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
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Shakhtar players Taras Stepanenko and Serhii Bolbat gave their take on the game vs Man. City
Taras Stepanenko, midfielder:
- We expected just that kind of play, but we allowed the opponents too much: we made some errors, occasionally lost the ball. The teams of Manchester City’s calibre immediately benefit from that - they charge forward, with their players bursting in and creating scoring chances. I reckon they won deservedly and the outcome can be called logical. Plus we lacked some important players. We don’t complain, but sometimes this happens when the experienced performers who played on a regular basis just drop out or leave, being replaced by some youngsters. You saw how many times we lost the ball in the first half in simple situations. That’s lack of experience, nervousness. But we shouldn’t lose heart no matter what. That’s Manchester City. We need to draw conclusions, work and move on because we’ve still got three more games to play. Nothing tragic happened and nothing have we lost.
- We expected just that kind of play, but we allowed the opponents too much: we made some errors, occasionally lost the ball. The teams of Manchester City’s calibre immediately benefit from that - they charge forward, with their players bursting in and creating scoring chances. I reckon they won deservedly and the outcome can be called logical. Plus we lacked some important players. We don’t complain, but sometimes this happens when the experienced performers who played on a regular basis just drop out or leave, being replaced by some youngsters. You saw how many times we lost the ball in the first half in simple situations. That’s lack of experience, nervousness. But we shouldn’t lose heart no matter what. That’s Manchester City. We need to draw conclusions, work and move on because we’ve still got three more games to play. Nothing tragic happened and nothing have we lost.
This meeting will be just a good lesson: we’ll analyse everything and get well prepared for the return leg
Serhii Bolbat, midfielder:
- It’s difficult to say in what specific aspect we lost. Manchester City have gathered some top players who make next to no mistakes in simple situations. They make fewer errors, have fewer losses, due to which they manage to stay with the ball for longer and score goals. Perhaps, had we managed to play even more compactly, everything would’ve been different. Is it possible to nick points from Man. City? I think that’s quite real. This meeting will be just a good lesson: we’ll analyse everything and get well prepared for the return leg. The opponents didn’t display anything supernatural - they don’t fly across the field, right? We will play, try to claim points and make it further.
- It’s difficult to say in what specific aspect we lost. Manchester City have gathered some top players who make next to no mistakes in simple situations. They make fewer errors, have fewer losses, due to which they manage to stay with the ball for longer and score goals. Perhaps, had we managed to play even more compactly, everything would’ve been different. Is it possible to nick points from Man. City? I think that’s quite real. This meeting will be just a good lesson: we’ll analyse everything and get well prepared for the return leg. The opponents didn’t display anything supernatural - they don’t fly across the field, right? We will play, try to claim points and make it further.