Rubi: ‘The game we’re playing is to score more goals’
The head coach says that despite the absentee list, they have to improve some aspects and sees his team capable of beating SD Eibar
‘The game we’re playing is to score more goals,’ explained UD Almeria head coach Rubi at the press conference prior to Monday's match against SD Eibar at the Juegos Mediterráneos Stadium. He argued that despite the numerous absentees, most of them footballers who play up front, the team deserved to score more goals in the last matches, although at the same time he recognised that they must recover the strength they had in the two halves of the pitch and start the matches better.’
After two defeats and a draw in 2022, Rubi is confident that his side can already pick up 3 points at a time from now on. In fact, he explained ‘all games are complicated and it's hard to win them, but with the last bumps in the road, it's even harder.’ He added ‘we’re very calm and confident. The squad members are dying to turn the situation around and win again. It’s just a matter of time. Let's hope this happens on Monday because then the news would be great. We’d be six points ahead of our direct rivals and gradually recovering footballers. The victory would leave the situation as it was a month ago.’
Rubi stressed ‘the fact that we haven't won the last three league games isn't affecting the unity in the group, it's the other way around. They’re trying every time what we can do to get the games off the ground. We know that this Monday's match is between two great teams with two great squads and we can create as many chances as they can. We're going to stick to that. We can beat SD Eibar at home and what's more is that we've only lost one league game in our stadium and in precarious conditions due to the many absences we’ve had.’
Juan Villar is available for selection again, which in the opinion of the Rojiblancos’ gaffer is ‘excellent news, especially seeing how we were. We all have absences, but here everyone has scored goals. We’re the team in which most players have scored two or more goals. This is what I want from my squad...each and every player doing their bit in that way and not leaving the responsibility to a No. 9.’
Regarding next adversaries SD Eibar, he pointed out ‘they’re a team designed to play in the top tier. It’s really difficult to beat them. They fight until the 95th minute and get points at the end. I'm not going to talk about individual players, we all know them. Both us are two great squads.
The UD Almería head coach also referred to the latest signing of Iñigo Eguaras: ‘He’s a very difficult player to find. There aren't many footballers who are able to receive and make so many effective passes from the inside, make the forwards run, cushion the ball... he can help a lot so that the players high upfield receive the ball effectively.’