Iñigo Calderón stated results are the most vital thing heading towards the end of the season before his Bristol Rovers side faces Huddersfield Town in Sky Bet League One.
The Gas ended their three-game losing streak on Tuesday night after drawing 0-0 with Shrewsbury Town, avoiding a defeat on the road for the first time since beating Cambridge United at the start of January.
Rovers now return to The Memorial Stadium for the first of back-to-back games at home, meeting Huddersfield on Saturday before welcoming Bolton Wanderers three days later. The Gas have been good at home under Calderón and will be looking to bounce back from a 3-2 loss to Rotherham United to rediscover the form that saw them earn ten points from the four games that came before at The Mem.
Speaking to the media, Calderón reflected on the draw with Shrewsbury before previewing the clash against Huddersfield.
RESULTS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT
“Results are always the most important thing. Ideally, the philosophy is the way to get them. I value the results now more than the way we get the results. But we try to do it the right way, and usually, you get closer to getting that.”
SHREWSBURY TOWN REFLECTIONS
“I think it was a good point. Watching the game back, I felt that we did enough things to win it, but at the same time, we conceded chances that we shouldn’t have conceded because I think we were better than them, and they are the things we have to improve because I think when you are better than the opposition, you cannot afford to have that many chances against you.
“But overall, I was quite happy with the performance from the team, especially the character they showed. The commitment. The effort. I thought it was quite positive and especially because I think we were in a difficult situation. We are in a difficult situation in terms of the table, but in terms of the small bad run we were, especially playing away. The two games and Rotherham at home was three bad games with no results. Yesterday, stopping that I think was important, and I’m looking forward to Saturday already.”
FORMATIONS
“I’m not too worried about the shape. I would say at the beginning, I liked 4-3-3 because I think that gave us better organisation. But for me, the players we have are more important, and I have to try and be adaptable to that. Sometimes, when you think the wingers are in a good moment, you play with wingers. If you think you have two strikers, you play with two strikers. Then you have to find a shape to have a place for them.
“For me, it does not change too much. It’s more about the idea, and the shape just gives us the option to put more players in their best positions. It’s as simple as that.”
PROUD OF THE PLAYERS
“I spoke with a friend today, and I am so proud of the boys. I think the effort they are making, I feel so exhausted, and I’m not playing. There are some players that are playing 90 and 90 and 90 and playing with small problems, and they keep playing and playing. That’s why I said yesterday that I couldn’t ask for anything else from the boys.
“I would say we have to improve a lot of things with the ball and without the ball, but the effort that they are putting in, they are trying everything.”
SQUAD DEPTH
“All the players that are training with us have a chance and will have a chance [of playing]. It’s not easy when you are not in the squad, but as I proved yesterday with Clinton Mola or a few players before, sometimes you are not in the squad, and the next game, you are starting in the eleven.
“I try to say that all the time to the players that they have to be ready, and not being in the squad is not necessarily because you are too far from the rest. It is just more about having balance on the bench, having options on the bench. So, they have to keep fighting until the end. That’s the only thing they can do.”
CLEAN SHEET FOR JED WARD
“I would say at that time [deciding the starting goalkeeper] that it was probably not too fair with Myles because I picked Jed, and I did not know too much more about them. I tried to watch them with games this season with their teams, but you cannot make the best decision because they didn’t train with us.
"At that time, it was more because Jed was already in the club, and he knew some of the teammates. He knew the club. It was the only reason, but obviously, I am so proud and happy for him yesterday. Keeping a clean sheet is important for the back five. But especially for the goalies, I think it is especially important to have that.”
FORM AT THE MEM
“If we forget the last game against Rotherham, especially some gaps and spaces of the last game, I think at home we’ve been much better. I think it has to be like that. I will try to use this time now to ask for the support of the fans. I know it’s going to be there, but I have to try and ask them to please keep supporting us.
“Especially because at home, it has to be a fortress. It has to be difficult for all the teams to come, and it’s been like that until now, but even as it’s getting closer to the end, more nerves are coming. So, I will ask them to support us. It doesn’t matter what happens during the game. After the whistle, if they want to say whatever, I will take it on the chest, no problem. But during the game, please support us.
“Yesterday I was really happy when I think they were quite happy with the effort. Obviously, not with the result. I was not happy with the result because I wanted to win, but I saw them be quite proud of the team, and I said to the boys at the end that we are here for the fans. That’s it, and to make them feel on the way back that at least the boys tried everything they could. That’s what we have to do and what we have to keep doing until the end.”
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN PREVIEW
“They are having a good season. It’s going to be a really difficult game, but we have good games against good teams at home. For me, I don’t spend too much time on the opposition. I want to know how they play and how we can hurt them, but for me, it’s more about us because in the last game against Rotherham, I think we were not at our best, and that has to be our focus.”
