Nicolato praises players' attitude despite goalless, shot-free performance
Latvia national team head coach Paulo Nicolato said his players' effort and character were outstanding in a match where the team failed to register a single shot, though he acknowledged issues with positioning and pressing balance.
Latvia's national football team head coach Paulo Nicolato praised his players' attitude after a match in which the side failed to produce a single shot on goal, saying that recovering from the previous game had been difficult both physically and mentally.
Nicolato explained that the team tried to play more aggressively, which worked to some extent, but certain areas of the pitch caused problems that had already been identified before kickoff due to the chosen formation. He said he will need to reconsider whether the current tactical approach is the best fit, since intense pressing drains a lot of energy, particularly during this stretch of the schedule with so many matches packed together.
Balance and attacking potential
The coach stressed that attacking output does not necessarily depend on the number of forwards on the pitch, noting that the number of chances created tends to be similar regardless of setup, but that the team sometimes loses its balance. He commended the players' commitment, pointing out that many of them do not play at such intensity on a daily basis at club level, making their effort and character all the more impressive.
Nicolato also noted that the opponents in this group are strong teams whose players carry high market values, meaning none of the group's sides are inferior in quality — so Latvia must constantly look to improve its own performance while accounting for the opposition's strengths.
Tsirkin's role and substitution choices
The coach singled out defender Denis Tsirkin, who played his first full 90 minutes of the season in the previous match and did so again today for the second consecutive game. Nicolato said the player handled the difficult task well and could be used in multiple positions once he reaches better physical condition. The federation is currently in talks with his club about extending his stay with the national team while also aiming to protect him from overexertion.
The coach admitted he would like to see fewer long passes but understands the context of what happens on the pitch. He also explained his decision not to make more substitutions, saying the team controlled the key moments of the game well and he did not want to disrupt an approach that was working.
