Manchester United’s Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens has enjoyed a positive first season in England after his September move from Royal Antwerp.
Lammens, 23, was brought in to eventually become United’s number one, but took that position immediately and has played all 20 Premier League games since his debut.
He spoke to The National after United's 1-1 draw at West Ham on Monday night. A late Benjamin Sesko equaliser secured a result that might have ended interim United manager Michael Carrick's four-match winning run, but kept him unbeaten through five.
Q: A difficult game, but a massive point there at the end?
A: Yeah, it's mixed feelings. Of course, we’re still a bit disappointed and felt like we didn't really play the way we should have, especially in the first half, we didn't create as much. We needed to be sharper with the ball and create more. When you score in the end and still get a point, it's always a bit better, but still the overall feeling is a bit disappointing for us.
Q: What has Benjamin Sesko been like? Because he's obviously been very good coming off the bench and it's difficult when you're not starting. What's he been like in training and in the build-up to this match?
A: He's been like he has been the whole season, even if he's starting or nor starting. He knows how important he is for us, even when he's not starting. Like tonight and against Fulham, because in the end, when we need a goal, we can always count on him. So that's why he was important today. He did his job well, but I'm sure if he starts, he'll also do his job. It's nice to be able to count on him on both occasions.
Q: Why do you think it was a bit flatter tonight? Is it because you're used to playing one game a week or West Ham played well?
A: It could be a bit of both. I think they're always a hard side to play against, especially [away]. We have difficulties at home as well against them, so it's always difficult coming here.
Q: Why do you think that is?
A: They know what they must do, how they defend us. A low block is always difficult to play against. And then, like I said, we must be at our best and sharp to be able to create chances against them. We weren't that sharp today like we've been the last couple of weeks.
So, it's a bit of everything. But because the last game was three days ago, you can't put excuses on it because they also had a game two or three days ago. But still, like you said, we've been used to playing one game a week. It's a little bit in the legs, I think. But if we want to be a team playing for the top then we can't use that as an excuse.
We need to learn from this, because we'll play against a team like West Ham did today for more games in the future, so we need to be able to play against them and create chances.
Q: In terms of the last five games since Michael Carrick came in, you've got four wins and a draw now. You're in fourth. That is better than most fans would have thought when he came in. I don't know what it feels like for the players, but are you able to look at blocks of games and think we did quite well?
A: Yeah, the way Michael took over against City, especially when he only had two or three days to prepare us. Just one of his strong suits as well, being clear what he wants, communication. So we knew what we had to do. The plan was clear.
So, we executed them in the first two games against City and Arsenal … It's a bit different because it's a different kind of game to today, for example. We don't really have to make the game ourselves. It's more of being able to be compact and play from the counter and creating chances.
That's one of our strong suits. So we know against those teams we can do good. But then against Fulham and last week, I'm forgetting a little bit, Tottenham, at home … then we had to play more of our game. I think we did that.
Not always the prettiest, but the result was always there, which is the most important thing, which we haven't really done all season, [getting] those results or those streaks going, like four wins in a row.
So, yeah, we felt good getting those wins in. Today was a little bit disappointing because we wanted to continue that. Now as well, being two weeks without a game, you want to go into that period with a good feeling.
It's a little bit less bad because we scored at the end, but still not the best feeling. But I think the first five games with him as a coach we can be happy with and looking forward to the rest.
Q: And you gambled as well. It felt as though you gambled at the end, pushing more men forward. And they had a couple of chances. You made a big save. I mean, that's as important as a goal, because if you don't make that save, the game's gone.
A: Yeah, you always must be, if you're down in the end, you always have to be a little bit of a gambling team. That's why we also made those substitutions. And that's my job as well, to help the team out a little bit at the end, to make that save so we can be able to still score a goal and get that point. I'm happy I could help my team as well today.
