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Cabrera: "We need to be street-smart"
The captain looks at the game against Racing Santander
RCD Espanyol captain Leandro Cabrera held a press conference on Thursday aftenoon following training, and looked at Los Pericos' recent form in LaLiga.
"In order to win games, you need a bit of cunning -you have to be street-smart- and that’s where we’ve fallen short. This goes beyond tactical setups or which specific players are on the pitch," he noted.
Cabrera recalled a specific incident in the match against Málaga, saying that "A move that should have ended in a corner kick for them, instead saw us allow them to advance and take a shot from the edge of the box. We made a similar mistake against Atletico Madrid; a move that should have ended in a corner, a tactical foul, or something else, ended up being a goal against us. It hurts to drop four points over two matchdays, and we know where that leaves us. Those points slipped away in the final five minutes."
He underlined that the dressing room retains full confidence in coach Manolo González, though he added that there "is no need to reaffirm that every weekend or every single day in a press conference. The responsibility lies with us, the players. We aren't winning. The responsibility starts with me, Leandro Cabrera, and extends to the rest of the squad."
"Even the most romantic of fans ultimately just cares about us having seven more points. How we do it doesn't matter, and anyone who says otherwise is lying. What matters is that the team take three more points each week," he stated.
"The game against Racing Santander is a very important match. They are a tough side who press well, play a very direct style, and force you to run and keep an eye on what’s happening behind you. They are very strong at home. We’re heading there with great motivation and a determination to turn things around. It’s a perfect weekend to get back to winning ways and find some peace of mind," he concluded by saying.