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The full transcript from Calum McFarlane's post-match press conference following Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday evening
Calum McFarlane has just concluded his post-match press conference after Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Sunday evening.
Enzo Fernandez secured a hard-fought point for the Blues in stoppage time at the Etihad Stadium after Tijani Reijnders' first-half goal gave the hosts the lead in Manchester. McFarlane, in his first-ever senior match in charge of a team, could not be separated from the great Pep Guardiola.
We asked McFarlane about that, and much more. Bobby Vincent is in Manchester and has compiled the interim head coach's comments below:
What sort of experience was that for yourself, especially with the late equaliser at the end?
Yeah, it was a great experience. It was a great game to be a part of. I'm really proud of the players and how they performed, especially in the second half. And yeah, great occasion.
You said on Friday that you were calm. Did that stay the whole way round? Were there any nerves?
Surprisingly not. I was expecting when you get to the stadium maybe to feel it. Obviously, first time being involved in a game of this magnitude, I thought, and then I didn't, I felt normal. I thought when the stadium was full, I'd feel it. I thought when the game went on. Honestly, it just felt really normal. I've done this for a very long time. Not at this level, of course, but yeah, I felt really normal and I really enjoyed it.
Can you just explain exactly the tactical tweaks you made at half-time? You applied a change of formation. What did you do there?
Yeah, so we didn't expect them to shape up the way they did in the first half. With the No.5 on the top line, we prepared slightly differently. So then they had a lot of control and we were getting pinned back. With Estevao and Pedro [Neto] getting pinned back to defend in a back five at times, which means that they have so much control and so much rhythm. So that's not how we wanted the game to look. So we made a change at half-time to go more man-for-man against the ball and to be able to get more pressure and disrupt their rhythm and hopefully force them to go a little bit longer.
I also think Andrey Santos coming on at half-time and moving Enzo [Fernandez] up one. I thought Andrey was exceptional. I thought he really, really controlled the middle of the pitch. So I think in terms of in possession and out of possession, the shape change really helped us and the sub we made. And then I thought Liam [Delap] was a good sub as well. I thought Liam gave us a really good outlet to go a little bit more direct and occupy the centre-halves. But I think the most impressive thing is probably the players. One-nil down at the Etihad, interim manager, players falling ill on the day of the game, the day before the game, all the change. And for them to regroup and take that information on and execute it, speaks volumes about the characters we have at this club. Young players in those moments, they may crumble, but I thought they were exceptional second half.
Do you know what the next day, two days, three days look like? Do you have to go out to Cobham tomorrow and take a session, a recovery session? What's going to happen now?
Yes, so we're training tomorrow. So unless I'm told otherwise this evening, I'll be taking that session. My sole focus has obviously been on this game and the challenge that this is. But until I'm told otherwise, I'll lead the team. So for this moment, I'm taking the session tomorrow.
Did Pep Guardiola say anything to you after the game?
I don't remember actually. I just shook his hand and said, 'good game'. It's an honour to play against someone like Pep Guardiola, who's for me the best manager that's ever managed. And he was really respectful and really polite. But I don't remember exactly what he said. It wasn't anything of note, but it was an honour to play against him.
The Under-21s have a game on Wednesday. Do you think you might be in charge of that or are you still on hold?
I think that will depend on when the new manager comes in. So if the new manager comes in before Wednesday, I'll be looking forward to taking the Under-21s against Benfica. I've got a really good Under-21s group that are doing well this year and a lot to play for in the second part of the season. And if he's not in and the club need me to continue and take the Fulham game, I'm more than happy to do that as well. So it's all dependent on what happens with the new manager.
There are reports in France that you might be being lined up for a Strasbourg job. Can you say anything about that?
That's the first I've heard of that. So I have no idea.
Are you expecting to have the next few days with the team as well as tomorrow?
Yeah, so when I first took the job, I was told that I will take the Manchester City game. So that was three days with the group. There's a chance that the new manager will be in on Monday. That's what I was told originally. Obviously, it's Sunday now. We've been solely focused on the game. So I'm sure I could get more information once I'm out of this press conference. But for all I know, the new manager will be in shortly and I will lead the team until he's in.
Reece James dragged you to have a moment with the fans...
I didn't want to do that, if I'm honest. But Reece asked me to. I think it's a good moment to maybe speak about the players. This is not an easy job. There's a lot of change that's gone on. Enzo [Maresca] was incredibly successful with this group. Some of them were shocked by the decision. So the character that they've shown in the last two days, the character that they've shown today, Reece is a big one, like Reece, Tosin [Adarabioyo], Enzo [Fernandez]. They've really dragged the group together because everyone thought we were coming here to lose. No one thought we stood a chance. But we knew that the character and the talent in this group did and they've really dragged it through. So I can't speak highly enough about the characters in the group. That's just another moment of Reece being selfless and wanting to share the applause, really.
You mentioned the illness. Is that Wesley Fofana? Was he the only one?
Yes, so obviously we've got... Cucu [Cucurella] was injured, who's a big player for us. Moises [Caicedo] was suspended, who's a massive player for us. Rob [Sanchez] pulled out yesterday, this morning, like we were trying to get him through, Sanchez. And then Wes pulled out at lunchtime today with a really high temperature. And all the lads that are injured, suspended, they're all here. Levi [Colwill] is here. They're supporting the lads in the changing room, they're around it. You don't get that everywhere. They care so much about this group and the players and their mates. So we've had everything against us, but this group's shown that when their back's against the wall, they've got the talent and character to be successful. So I'm really, really proud of those players, of the whole group, sorry. I'm really proud of the whole group.
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