Iñigo Calderón | I am disappointed with the way we started against Wigan

Iñigo Calderón

Iñigo Calderón was disappointed with how Bristol Rovers started in the Gas’ 2-0 defeat to Wigan Athletic in Sky Bet League One. 

The Pirates entered the contest after collecting back-to-back victories in the third tier against Cambridge United and Barnsley. However, they fell behind inside six minutes after James Carragher directed his header beyond Josh Griffiths. 

Gatlin O’Donkor then had two close-range shots saved before the Latics doubled their lead through Jonny Smith, helping the hosts claim all the points. 

Calderón reflected on the defeat and performance of the team before looking forward to Charlton Athletic on Tuesday night. 

I am disappointed, especially with the way we started... 

“I am disappointed, especially with the way we started,” he said. “That was not good enough. I said to the boys that if anyone is thinking that we are in a good situation or we are safe or something like that, they are wrong. 

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Iñigo Calderón

“We have been in a bad situation for a long time. I don’t think we started the game well enough. Not even the goal, before for five or six minutes the intensity was not there. Mentally, I don’t think we started the game the way we should.” 

Even before we were too nice and really passive... 

“It doesn’t matter how they score,” said Calderón. “We were not ready, but it was not just the goal. Even before we were too nice and really passive. That’s not the way we want to play, and, especially because that’s not the way we are and the way we play until now.  

“Sometimes when you win a game, and you think you are going to be in a good situation, it is not like that. You have to keep working until you are really, really sure that you are safe, and we are not. We are not going to be that calm for a long time.” 

We have to start the game better... 

“When you have to change the game, it’s going to be more difficult for you and it is as simple as that,” said the head coach. “You have to do a lot of good things.  

“Especially again, I don’t want to be pessimistic, but when you are there, you have to do a lot of things right because most of the time, the luck is not with you. Today, we had chances, not too many, but we created a couple. I think it was a corner as well that on another day, maybe we could have scored. 

We were not ready, but it was not just the goal. Even before we were too nice and really passive.
Iñigo Calderón

“But for me, that’s an excuse. That’s too late. That’s too late because we have to start the game better, we have to compete better, and then we have more chances.” 

We were more prepared to press... 

“The team are definitely improving,” he insisted. “I think we were better with the ball. Even defensively, we conceded chances and we conceded far too many chances. I think we did better today. We were more prepared to press, and they had to kick longer because we were better. 

“We tried to control more of the game, but still, you can see that there is a big room to improve because of the pace. If we want to play, we have to stay calm with the ball.”  

We cannot go too open, as they will score another one... 

“We cannot go too open as they will score another one, but I was still thinking that if we score one at some point, we could stay in the game, and the set-piece we have if we scored that one, the game changes,” said the Spaniard. 

We don’t have that much time to think about the game... 

“I love it [Charlton in a few days],” he stated. “That’s perfect because we don’t have that much time to think about the game. It’s just to see the things we have to improve, but having the game on Tuesday is better because it gives us a chance to react."

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