Garitano: "We're dying to win a game once and for all"
The UD Almería head coach highlights the importance of 'retaining solidity and not getting disorganised' against Valencia CF, who are 'very strong defensively, fast and dangerous with spaces.” He also made an assessment of the team's departures: 'Their transfers makes sense as they're players with a bright future ahead, they'll do well.'
UD Almería head coach Gaizka Garitano looked ahead to Saturday's game against Valencia CF (KO 2pm Spanish Time) and also gave an assessment of the January transfer window. Firstly, he focused on the match against the Ché team and explained that it is going to be very difficult: 'They defend very well, they're the team that have kept the most clean sheets at home, they're strong and fast, so it's vital that we get organised because they're very dangerous when exploiting spaces. We must be solid, not concede and create effective plays in attack to score goals' and he also stressed: 'We're dying to win a game once and for all.'
The Basque Country native was honest with the local press on a more personal level and stated: 'It's hard because we haven't won in a long time, it's difficult to be the captain of the ship and see that it's not going well, but we don't have to jump ship yet. It's possible and this consists of falling and picking yourself up again and again. That's what I try to convey to my players, because we cannot give up despite the rough patch we're going through.'
'We have the solution on the pitch, we have to put an end to the winless streak and win a game, because we aren't far from achieving it,' Mr Garitano added.
Despite all this, the Bilbao-born coach assures: 'I don't see ourselves as the bottom team, what I perceive on the pitch is certainly not a bottom team, the ability to win is there' and continued: 'We are united. We train well, we're professionals… this is essential to get out of there, as I said, this is all about falling and picking yourself up and we're very excited to go to Valencia to try to win.'
The UD Almería gaffer also praised the loanees who have temporarily left the Club: 'They're players with a bright future ahead and obtaining more game time throughout the second half of the season will be good for them. Their transfers that make sense,' he concluded.