Baraja: "We have to keep calm" | OneFootball

Valencia CF coach Rubén Baraja talked to the media after the team's 3-1 defeat on the road to RC Celta, and acknowledged that improvements were needed.

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The fixture list

"It's a difficult time. What has happened, happened. We have to keep calm. We will try to work and think about the things we have to improve, as in those aspects, we either do them well or we won't be competitive. The team can put in effort, compete and we can be more solid. That's my feeling. I didn't like the way the team played, even at 1-0. They pushed through our press. The goals conceded can really be improved on in every sense. They scored again at the far post, like the other day against Barça, and we know that the fifth man must help. The second was a counterattack after high pressing. The third goal could have been a penalty and then it was a clear move in which we almost conceded from a pass backwards, instead of going forward. If you give them the corner, you give them chances."

Weaknesses being shown

"We have to evaluate the game first, which gives us answers. We didn't play well . In the first half we did not understand what to do. We were late with our pressing. We did not know how to hold on to the 1-0 advantage. We immediately gave Celta the chance to score two goals. We have to understand that if we do not play at the pace that the game needs to compete in the Primera División, then we can't win. We weren't solid and Celta were better. We have to improve, reset and work to be competitive. Now is the time to try to keep calm and look for changes to be more solid. We want to defend better and if we achieve that, what happened today will not happen again."

Improving the squad

"It's something that doesn't depend on me. There are circumstances that I don't control. My job is to convince them that... we have to be a team. I want Luis Rioja to get into the dynamics of the team. I want them to push harder. We know that it's going to be a tough start. Today's defeat has to hurt us, we have to look at ourselves and admit that, with what we've seen today, we can't take points in the Primera División. We have to be self-critical. They have to understand that we've done more things wrong than right tonight."

Reminders of the final stretch of last season"If there's one thing the players have, it's energy. Let's look at the aspects of the game. Today, in many situations, we didn't understand when to press. They moved the ball with speed. When we had to close down, we were open, and Celta players found each other. We gave them life. Last season was last season. This is a new campaign. We have to take the positives from last season and know that we need solidity and solidarity. We have to defend well, because if not, in the Primera División any team can hurt you. They were also very successful with their opportunities. We have to improve through hard work and humility. Today we didn't do well."