Baraja: “We need to keep working on the finishing we have been lacking” 

Valencia CF coach Rubén Baraja, spoke after his side’s 0-0 draw with Rayo Vallecano at Mestalla.  

Lack of effectiveness in front of goal

There is one thing that is important, that we have tried to maintain throughout the season, and that is consistency. Logically, we were all motivated to win this game and to have been able to beat Alavés, and to win all the games and take all of the points possible. In the end, that would have brought us closer to an exciting target that would have put us in a fantastic situation. However, the reality is that we were coming off three defeats; and when you are in that dynamic, the important thing is to break it. We tried to try to get the win. We didn’t take our chances well, and when you are not effective you run the risk that the opponents can beat you, as happened to us against Alavés. I still value points, because they have to be earned. Nobody gives them to you. Keeping a clean sheet at home again is a positive.

The dynamic

This is a question of streaks, of moments. That’s football. Sometimes you have one chance and score a goal. Today, for example, Roman, with the first action he had, took a shot. It is not usual for him to miss in these types of situations, but that’s football. Effectiveness, scoring goal, takes a lot. Even though we weren’t effective, the important thing is to generate chances. In general we had some control of the game and we spent a lot of time in the opposing half. We have to accept if you are not effective it is difficult to win.

Mamardashvili

I think Giorgi’s contribution is important to value. He is a goalkeeper who keeps us in games. Goalkeepers are there to make saves. In games like today's, in which you are not effective in front of goal, from the situations you have, you hope that he can help you. His level has been very high this season and we are lucky that he is with us.

He was amazing. One move was a very quick action and he almost didn't see it. They struck off a quick cross from the outside and his reaction was fantastic. We have evaluated Giorgi's level many times. His consistency during the season has been very important, and for me he has been essential to meet the objectives and be competitive every game. The best goalkeepers are there when you need them, in moments of difficulty.

Happy with the effort

I think we competed until the end, just like Rayo did. These are very tough games physically, because they are also a team that go at a lot, and they had many transitions on the break. I think we used the resources we had. However, you start to analyse things, and we would have to think that, at a certain moment, Gayà was one of the players who could go to the European Championships, he wasn’t with us, and Jesús Vázquez is also injured now. You know that I don't usually make excuses, but we are playing with a kid who is just starting out, out of his position, who is 18 years old and is still young. These types of things make me value the team's work even more. They are what we have, and I am happy with how they are trying. They have ended up very tired. We are competing with everything we have. Sometimes we win and other times, like today, we don't. I can only applaud the fact that, on this matchday, we are in this position and competing with the other teams up there.

An even match

I'm not angry. I would be if we had lost. When a team, after three defeats, respond like they did today, playing at our best and competing -even without finishing our chances- I can sleep peacefully. I would like to have had a different result and I would have liked us to have made the most of the opportunities we had. We have had several games in which we have chances, we haven’t gone ourselves ahead and then you have the risk that in some situations you could lose the game -as happened to us against Alavés. If you analyse this match, it was even. We have to continue working to try to achieve the finishing we are lacking. But, above all, we must value the work of these players, who give their all.

The lack of reinforcements in January

We can't know what might have happened. Sometimes you think it might be better, and sometimes you don't. You never know. I'm not talking about hypotheses and situations. What I see is the day-to-day work, and what I feel with these players and with Mestalla. The fans helped us once again today. When you see your team giving their all and it isn’t enough to win, you can only be proud of them and applaud them. At least, that's the feeling I have. We know what each point takes to get, how hard it is to win in the Primera División and what it takes for us to be where we are at this point in the season.

The last game of the season at Mestalla

It is a situation that I would like to be different. I would like to try to maintain that unity that we have had since the beginning of the year in the last game of the season at Mestalla. If there is something that must be valued this season, it is how the fans have supported us from minute 1, in the difficult moments of the season, supporting and respecting the work of a group of players who are assuming a series of responsibilities very quickly.  They understand the moment of difficulty that the club are experiencing. I would like the situation to be something else, but I also respect their decision and what they see fit. I would like to feel them there, as always, and more so in the last game, but we'll see what happens.

The last game of the season at Mestalla

It is a situation that I would like to be different. I would like to try to maintain that unity that we have had since the beginning of the year in the last game of the season at Mestalla. If there is something that must be valued this season, it is how the fans have supported us from minute 1, in the difficult moments of the season, supporting and respecting the work of a group of players who are assuming a series of responsibilities very quickly.  They understand the moment of difficulty that the club are experiencing. I would like the situation to be something else, but I also respect their decision and what they see fit. I would like to feel them there, as always, and more so in the last game, but we'll see what happens.