The head coach of “Lokomotiv”, Mirko Yelichich, shared his thoughts after the Super League Round 7 match against “Dinamo” (2:1) and answered journalists’ questions in detail.
— Temurxoja Abduxoliqov also scored two goals in Samarkand last year when he played for “Bunyodkor”. Did you take that into account?
— He is currently in good physical condition. Usually I don’t follow such statistics. Temurxoja is an experienced striker and he knows what to do in such situations. He also showed himself in today’s high-pressure match. The fact that he is still playing at this level at his age deserves respect.
— What did your players ask about in Dinamo’s goal? Did they really demand fair play?
— Even players on the bench should follow fair play. In such situations, the referee should have stopped the game. Any player would have stopped in that moment.
— What weak points of “Dinamo” did you notice?
— The team plays aggressive attacking football. We had to use that to our advantage. When a team attacks, certain spaces open up, and you can exploit them. Playing against a team that only defends is always difficult. But when the opponent wants to play attacking football, it becomes possible to play real football against them.
— So is it easier to play against such teams?
— Yes, you could say that. However, there were many skilled players in their squad, so it was not easy to resist them. They simply couldn’t maintain the match tempo. But their attacking approach is a good thing. It also helps us because spaces open up.
— After the score became 2:0, did you intentionally focus more on defense, or did Dinamo increase their attacking pressure?
— Both. In such moments, teams usually shift focus to defense and try to protect the result. But it’s not always intentional—pressure just increases. We also used the fact that Dinamo played attacking football. Their defensive line opened up a lot. In the second half we also had good chances, but we couldn’t use them. We actually planned to make the most of them. Overall, the match was played under pressure from both sides.
— Are you satisfied with the defensive performance?
— Yes, I am satisfied. There are mistakes, of course, and we must analyze them. Before the match we aimed to play in a structured defensive organization.
— Today Lokomotiv mostly played on counterattacks. Was it planned to play as the second number?
— We are building our own game and we don’t base it on the opponent’s style. It was a more open style of football. The players also liked this approach. In such football, we also get open spaces. I am ready for my team to play like this.
— You worked for a long time as a physical training coach. How well do your players meet your physical demands?
— Over the years, whether with young or older players, you learn how to work with them. That’s how you understand your methods. There are still few specialists in Uzbekistan who understand this field in depth. The work is still the same. Over the years players change, but whatever effort you put in, you get the results accordingly — said Yelichich through the club’s press service.
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