From
Nathan Hemmingway on
Examiner Live
"Lowey won't be fit. George and Oli Mac are back training."
Max absence - opportunity for Yasser to make first start?
"Yeah it does, I am not saying he's palying but an opportunity. Lowey is out. no point hiding that, how long we don't know yet, depends on the route we go down, wheter surgery or not. We'll have to wait and see"
On Yasser. "You saw a good insight against Forest. He's athletically good enough for the PL. I like it when he plays forward with an aggressive mindset and drives forward. We all saw that and that is his strength."
Has Archer been done in time for him to feature on Sunday?
"No, deadline was today. It's out of my hands. Cameron would have loved to have got it over the line and be involved on Sunday"
Two defeats so far, confidence affected?
"It's not. There may be situations in the season where I consider that but we are of the mindset where we are improving"
One more week left of the window, do you wish you had longer?
"No, hate it."
Can what you need to get done get done?
"It will have to"
Pellistri?
"We have a lot of people who we have been speaking about, whether players or their representatives, or their clubs. A lot we are trying to get done. We have a few irons in the fire in those positions. We can't be relying on one."
What's difference now you are a PL club when signing players?
"People think you have more money than what you have got, but not much changes. We need quite a few numbers and had circumstances that have changed and changed the budget. It's not being in the PL it's the factors of players coming and going."
Man City - free hit or is that a phrase you would't like to use?
"I wouldn't use it. Tough game against the best team at the minute but one we are looking forward to at the minute - we see it as a big game and a big occasion to try and get a shock result."
Haaland
"The good thing for us is we have played against him a few months ago. We had so many big games last week. We know what that feels like. The difference is this is the norm now and what we have to get used to"
No Pep, does that make a difference looking at not seeing him there?
"It's the last thing I am doing, looking at their technical area."
Can it help him not being there?
"I have experienced not being there and I hated it. I presume Pep will be the same. It's worse for the manager missing than the players performing. He won't enjoy it. I will guarantee that and he will be wishing he was there."
If beat them, how big would that be for you?
"It kick starts it, that's all it does. We know we need as many points as possible."
Transfer window and how difficult with it going beyond the start of the season?
"Something you get used to and deal with. I speak for a lot of managers when I say you don't take a breath until it closes. Some are harder than others, sometimes you get better results. You have to accept what it is and fight for everything."
Would it be better before start of season?
"You could but it pushes that bit of work earlier. Every club is in the same boat. It's frustrating, the clubs that have the most turmoil can find it more difficult than those that have planned"
Still players getting up to speed and some to come in
"Got to manage it. Vinnie didn't get game time before then, Tom Davies no game time. Gus two games with Coventry and a bit more standard. We have to keep getting those players further along the line"
Improvement in Larouci?
"He's got to settle. He's getting more comfortable with what we are asking from him. If we are going to compete with Man City and these clubs week after week we have to be fearless and be at our best. That may cost us but we want to keep improving. Don't worry about mistakes it will be a big part of what we are wanting you to do"
Get at City
"Moments were we will have to be aggressive but those are also the moments where you can be the most dangerous. You have to play the perfect game."
Learn from mistakes in semi-final and be a similar game or expecting completely different?
"Their team will be different, ours will be different, different occasion. Tactically we know what problems City pose, what we don't know is the people in those positions. Once the team comes out 75 minutes before that's when you get your final bit of information into the players"
Plates spinning transfer wise, are you comfortable with where you are?
"Not relaxed about it. There are deals there to be done, we can get them done no problem, but we want to come out of the window with the best possible squad"
Tom Davies, how realistic a 90 minutes now?
"He's a fit boy, been doing all the work. Missed so much of the football that you get from training, never mind the football. Two things how that affects his body and his performance. No problem putting him on the pitch now, 90 minutes no."