Gonzalez dismisses La Real critics

Real Sociedad defender Mikel Gonzalez has reacted to criticism that La Real players ‘lack attitude’ following their recent bad run.

The Basques have taken just two points from the last 12 and Monday night’s 1-0 defeat at Elche has all but put paid to their slim hopes of finishing in a Europa League spot this season.

Although top-flight safety is virtually assured for David Moyes’ men, there have been rumblings of discontent among fans and the media that the players lack the necessary attitude to see out the remainder of the season successfully.

“I don’t understand how you can play a match without attitude. I don’t even understand the word,” the 29-year-old centre-back was quoted as saying by Mundo Deportivo.

“We are playing in La Primera with La Real and in all my years in the game I’ve never seen a lack of attitude, although it’s true you can have a particularly disastrous game.”

Gonzalez believes teams like Elche go into clashes with the so-called bigger clubs with “extra motivation” and it is difficult to stop them on their home ground.

However, he claims he is looking forward to the rest of the 2014-15 campaign and justified the recent changes made by boss David Moyes.

“We’ve got two great games coming up. Villarreal visit Anoeta on Saturday and after that we’ve got the derby against Athletic Bilbao, so we’ll be doing our best to take the maximum number of points possible.

“In some games, particularly at Atletico Madrid and Elche, we played a different system, while against different teams the Coach has been looking at other ways to play.

“Nonetheless, we need to adapt to this because it can be rewarding,” he insisted.

Tags David Moyes Mikel Gonzalez
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