ROBBEN - boss didnt need to tell us
Thu, 14th Dec 2006
Jose Mourinho made two half-time substitutions on Wednesday evening in an attempt to break the deadlock versus Newcastle. He needed to add few words according to Arjen Robben.
With the score 0-0 at the break and chances few and far between, Didier Drogba came on for Shaun Wright-Phillips and Claude Makelele for Ricardo Carvalho with Michael Essien going to centre-back. It was an attempt to spark the performance into life.
‘The manager didn’t need to say much because everybody knew we were not playing well,’ Robben reports on home dressing room during the 15 minute interval.
‘We were not playing at our best level and everybody said at half-time, come on boys, we need to step up if we want to win this game.
‘Newcastle had worked very hard first-half. From our point of view, we weren’t very sharp - maybe because of the game on Sunday.
‘I think second-half we did step up. We created more chances and finally scored the goal.’
Not before a third switch had been made - Andriy Shevchenko replacing Geremi on 67 minutes to alter the team shape.
‘In the end we were playing three at the back and four up front but sometimes you have to do it,’ Robben says.
‘I think we did it well and created a lot more chance with four strikers up front.’
Robben’s clever ball inside was an important part of the move for Drogba’s 73rd minute winner and another three points in the bag.
‘Sometimes if you can’t manage to do it with football, you have to work a little bit harder and try it a different way,’ he says.
‘There is still a long way to go. We are very confident and we are not afraid to lose points again. We are quite happy and we just keep going along.’
