Javi Gracia press conference highlights as Leeds United coach reveals Wöber hope and 'different issues' - YEP 14/4/23
Leeds United head coach Javi Gracia hosts his pre-match press conference this afternoon ahead of Monday evening’s Premier League tie versus Liverpool
Joe Donnohue
Leeds coach Gracia is expected to provide an update on the
availability of his players with supporters hoping Austrian defender Max Wober
is back in the fold for Monday night’s game.
Wober has been out for the past three matches since
suffering a hamstring injury on international duty and in the interim period,
Leeds have conceded ten goals.
Tyler Adams is not expected to make a return any time soon
after undergoing surgery on a separate hamstring issue picked up in training
last month.
Gracia is often tight-lipped on his injured players but is
likely to disclose fitness information given the length of time that has passed
since last week’s double-header against Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace.
Monday’s game is the third in-a-row at Elland Road with
Leeds hoping to lift themselves clear of the drop-zone after slipping back down
to 16th following defeat by Crystal Palace on Easter Sunday.
Live updates and Gracia quotes from Thorp Arch this afternoon,
right here.
Gracia on Forshaw
I think Adam is coming from a long-term injury, good news
for us to have this player with us training everyday, it’s healthy for the
group. He’s a centre-midfielder and as you know we don’t have many options in
that position. It’s good news for all of us.
Gracia on what changed vs Palace
The same way I decide the players before the game, I try to
decide what I think is better for the team. Sometimes because a player has one
yellow card, for example Junior was on yellow card, again against Wolves I took
Junior out as they put Adama there and I wanted fresh legs there. You have to
make many decisions in a short time. These changes not because we were playing
bad. My decisions until now are not because the players are playing in a bad
way. I believe and trust all my players.
Gracia on bouncing back
I think never is easy to manage after a defeat. Always you
live better with good results. It’s necessary sometimes to feel disappointed
and to learn, to grow up, it’s important to feel that experience if you learn
from it. Then, in this case I think the players felt that difficult moment and
now for the rest of the season, I hope it help us for these games and to compete
better.
Gracia on Liverpool win in October
I know. We got a good result in the first game but now
everything change and we have to be ready for other game. Of course for the
mentality of the players it’s good, they know we are able to get a good result
there but all of them know it’s another game.
Gracia on changes
Before I choose the players for the next game or to prepare
the plan I always try to evaluate my players, all the games and training
sessions and after I decide. In this case it will not be different, but not
because we are coming from this defeat but because I always try to choose. I
made changes after a good result, it doesn’t depend on the last result
Gracia on further absences
We have some players with different issues, some of them
without training. We have to evaluate them and decide. Maybe some of them will
be out for the next game.
Gracia on Liverpool
For us it’s crucial, it’s vital this time, try to give
everything. It’s not a final because we have to play eight games but we have to
play it like a final. It will be a demanding game.
Gracia on learning from Palace defeat
They worked very well this week and I’m sure they learned
from our mistakes.
Gracia on analysing Palace defeat
Of course we have to analyse the things happened in that
games. So much changed from first half to second half, it’s something we have
to analyse why and improve. After the game we spoke about what happened after
half time, improve some details, defending set-pieces. In the first half I
think we played a good 45 minutes. In three minutes we conceded two goals and
it was the key then after that it was hard to manage and very tough to manage
for us. It was like a boxer when he receive a punch, one two three seconds, it
happens something similar.
Gracia on Wober
To be honest I don’t know yet. He is training some days with
the team. We have two days more before the game, it’s something we’ll have to
see before the next days.
Gracia continued
It’s important to be strong in this moment of the
competition, not because we are at the bottom. It is time to be focused on
ourselves, to try compete the best way, the way we usually do it. If we are
faithful with our plans, for sure we will have many chances to achieve our
target at the end of the season and we are concerned about that, not today or
tomorrow to be in one position better or worse.
Gracia on conceding goals
Obviously it’s something we have to improve but the best
thing for us in the previous games we didn’t concede many chances. The best
thing for us: if we work following the plan, respect ourselves, for sure we
have a better level defending, attacking and competing. It’s the only way we
can prepare.
Gracia on Liverpool
We know how difficult this game will be because Liverpool
are a very good team. In this moment we have no time to think about if it’s
better or worse to play against this team or another. We have to play our best.
Gracia on bouncing back
After our last game, all of us we are disappointed. Most
with the second half than with the first half but the final of the game was for
us difficult, hard to accept. After that now we have another chance, we know
there are eight games left to finish the season and we don’t have time to
complain about anything. Only try to focus on the next game and do better like
we did in the most part of the games before. We believe we can do it.
Not long now
The Leeds boss will be in position to answer questions
shortly.
Liverpool team news
“Luis [Diaz] and Thiago [are] training completely normal,”
Klopp told reporters last week.
“The plan with Luis is that he will be available 100 per
cent for Leeds. It looks good, everything looks fine, but it was a long injury
and we have to be careful.”
Welcome to Thorp Arch
Good afternoon and welcome back to Thorp Arch where Javi
Gracia hosts his pre-match press conference from 1pm.
Live updates here whenever the Spaniard speaks. Fingers
crossed for good news on that man Max Wober.