<![CDATA[ Vasco Botelho da Costa: «Do ponto de vista ofensivo fizemos toda a diferença» ]]>

Moreirense returned to winning ways after two defeats in the league and elimination from the Portuguese Cup. At the end of the match against Arouca, the coach praised the opponent and said the difference lay in his team's attacking play.

What is your analysis of the meeting?

"A very difficult game. I have to praise the Arouca team for the quality they bring to their game, especially from an offensive point of view. We wanted to press more, we wanted to put pressure on the Arouca team more, to win the ball further up the field, and in many moments we couldn't, due to the quality they demonstrated. But there you have it, the game isn't just about that moment, and I think that, considering all the moments, we were much better than our opponent, because in the times when we were forced to drop back a little and defend closer to our goal, we showed great competence in doing so. We didn't allow Arouca to play through the middle, which is something they like to do; we always channeled their play towards the flanks: many crossing situations that we controlled almost all well; there were some that had opportunities close to our goal, but that's more to the credit of the Arouca team than any demerit on our part. From an offensive point of view, I think we made all the difference. We knew clearly that Arouca left a lot of free space on the opposite side, "We had a lot of players pressing down on the ball side, and we had a very well-defined strategy of attacking down the opposite side, and I think we were very competent there. We had many dangerous situations, we could have made better decisions in some others, and I think we could have done a little more. Obviously, there is great satisfaction, especially for the players, they have been working very hard, we have many players who are out, and our management has tried to be as consistent as possible because we effectively have a very homogeneous squad with a lot of quality. Whoever plays, they have responded well, those who come from outside usually add a lot, and therefore, we are very happy with this return to winning ways, but we know that, as always, it's only three points, and now it's time to rest and prepare for the next game.”

Schettine returned to the starting lineup and scored twice…

“Schettine is in excellent form, he’s very confident, very focused, but he has to keep giving his all because he has two young players who are very hungry to make their mark on the team, and so I’m happy, but I’m happy with everyone because for the ball to get there, things have to work from the back, and I think overall he has been an expression of what the others are also able to produce.”

What tactical challenges did Arouca present?

"Arouca has a lot of versatility in their build-up play, often constructing a square formation with two center-backs, two midfielders, and two deep full-backs... the midfielders often overlap, with David providing a lot of versatility. They can drop into the middle of the center-backs, or they can drop wide. When one of the midfielders drops in, the full-back projects the ball to the winger, cuts inside, and therefore requires a lot of concentration from us. We start from a 4-4-2 formation... Our wingers need to have the courage to stay high up the pitch, to press the build-up play, seeing the full-backs run wide. So the strategy was to create discomfort, and once we created that discomfort, we knew that Arouca has a lot of quality on the ball, and if we didn't have the pressing ability, we would be pushed back a lot. We didn't manage it as many times as we wanted, but there you have it. When we pressed, we pressed well, forced some errors, and were dangerous in the offensive transition. When we had to drop back, I think we ended up being competent, and it wasn't because we were deeper that we lost quality in our offensive transition. So, from that point of view..." From a defensive standpoint, we clearly had many concerns in stopping this Arouca team. From an offensive point of view, it's a bit like what I've already explained: Arouca concentrates a lot of players on the ball side, we wanted to push them to the opposite side, and we did that very successfully, managing to be very dangerous down that flank as well.”

How do you see Landerson's progress?

“I think that arriving at Moreirense was the first time Landerson was playing games with men, with seniors. He's a boy we have a lot of hope in, but that's also part of Moreirense's project today. It gives young people space to grow. And as I said, they have responded well, they have all grown a lot. The fact that we also have players with some experience in this context in the squad makes the integration of these young players easier. He's making his way. It's very important to understand that just because he had a great performance doesn't mean he won't have two, three or four games where he'll find his place, because this is all very new for him. But I think that we, this coaching staff, also have experience with this type of player. The club has prepared very well for this new chapter in the Moreirense project. The whole structure is in place, from the CEO to the coach and all the support departments to help these young players grow. He's on his path, as are others, and we are very happy.”