Peterborough United boss Luke Williams addresses 'I'm here to give everyone what they want' comment
Peterborough United boss Luke Williams has addressed his surprising comments about why Posh had played with two strikers on Tuesday night.
Many Posh fans were left baffled by remarks from Williams after the Carabao Cup penalty shootout victory over Barnsley at the Weston Homes Stadium.
Williams had named Harry Leonard and Danny Ormerod in the starting line-up for the first time and the pair scored all three Posh goals between them.
When asked about the decision after the game, some fans were surprised to hear Williams say: “If that’s what everyone wants, two strikers, then the middle of the pitch will be empty and it’s then impossible to control the game, but I’m here to try and give everyone what they want.”
Williams was asked to clarify those comments when he spoke to the media ahead of Saturday’s League One home game with Doncaster Rovers on Thursday. He said: “I think the questioning went down the line of the game being very end to end and there didn’t seem to be any control.
"I was just trying to explain that if we have more strikers on the pitch, on the top line, and the same amount of defenders in the backline, then that doesn’t leave many left for the middle of the pitch. Both teams seemed to be matched up 4-2-4 and ripping up the middle of the pitch.
“There’s nothing wrong with that, we had the best chances in the game and could have won it in ordinary time and then we scored spectacular penalties.
“I was just explaining why it appeared to be so frantic and end-to-end. Playing like we did creates chaos and we are brilliant at exploiting chaos especially now we are playing two strikers that are up to speed. I was just explaining that.
“I should always try to give the fans what they want. What I want is absolutely irrelevant. It’s not Luke Williams United, it’s Peterborough United. I’m here to try and manage a group of people. I have experience of what a football club should look like on a day-to-day basis and if the players are in a good or a bad place. It’s my job to try and pick the right ones and change players at the right time.
“It’s entirely irrelevant what I want, it’s about what is best for the football club. Football is going that way. Most of the clubs now are going to be managed by a consortium of people and if there’s a head coach that doesn’t want to get involved in that, you’re going to find yourself out of the game.
“We look at the top level and think that’s the world for everyone else. It’s a different sport for the superhumans like Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta. They are not doing what I’m doing.
“I couldn’t be happier to be a part of something and Peterborough United have had fantastic strikers over the years. We have very often had two strikers on the pitch and they often got goals together when they get up and running.
“Danny has just arrived and it was responsible to bring him into games at the right time and then he looked ready to start and he scored two goals. He had two one-on-ones as well. I think that is what people would want to see, no?
“I’m not here for what I want. If the game is really end-to-end and there’s no control then it’s ‘probably a good idea for me, as the manager or head coach, to explain that it’s because there are no midfield players because we decided to play with fewer of them than we’ve ever played before.
“In order to get control in the middle of the pitch, is it beneficial or necessary? I’m not sure. We had an xG of over three because we have lightning quick wingers and two strikers. Whether we have control in the middle of the pitch will depend on the way the game is going. If we feel like we need control, we will look to do that, if we’re creating one-on-one chances and scoring goals, then we probably don’t need to worry about control.”