Schultz: "Rampant attacking football should still be our hallmark"
Thursday, 19. November 2020, 13:47 Uhr
The Boys in Brown continue their second division campaign with a trip to relegated Bundesliga side SC Paderborn 07 on Saturday (13:00 CET). In the run-up to the game, head coach Timo Schultz took time out to answer questions from the Hamburg media.
Timo Schultz on...
...the personnel situation: "Of the long-term absentees, Marvin Senger will be the next to resume training. Otherwise, just about everyone else is available to play. James Lawrence has been on international duty with Wales. He was taken off at half-time for tactical reasons yesterday and we'll have to wait and see what shape he’s in when he gets back. He'll return to the training ground today but presumably won't be able to train with the rest of the team. As for Daniel-Kofi Kyereh, the mask (eds: Kyereh broke his nose last week) isn't bothering him and so he's available to play. The same goes for Christopher Avevor and Philipp Ziereis, who are back in full training and played against Bremen.
...changing the style of play in light of the number of goals conceded: "Rampant attacking football should still be our hallmark. We'll continue to play that way because we simply have the players for it. You can't impose things on a team that don't suit it. It's important for us to adjust our structure and shape, especially on losing possession, to make sure we don't get caught on the break and come under threat. We have to gain more stability in defence. Whether it's a back three or a back four is not so much the point, it's more about the players we pick and the positions they take up on the pitch.
...the work in training during the international break: "The players realise they have to be more competitive in training and push each other more. We've deliberately placed the emphasis on improving the quality of our tackles and challenges. We still have room for improvement, especially in the different phases of the game, and every training session is helpful in that respect."
...17th place and the strain on the players: "We lost to Karlsruhe and deservedly so. If we'd won, we'd have been sixth or seventh, but we still wouldn't have got all euphoric, just as we're not in mourning now. It took us a day or two to shake off the defeat and sort ourselves out. We had the game against Bremen, where we kept a tighter shape and tried to switch the play faster. We also had two good weeks of training. We're staying focused in our work and aim to do better at Paderborn than we did against Karlsruhe."
...SC Paderborn 07: "They try to get forward as fast as they can, press the ball aggressively and offer a lot of depth. There's always something happening when they play, as there is with us. I'd be delighted if the game ebbs and flows and both teams play with lots of fire and passion. They kept faith in their coach, kept most of the squad together and have even been able to strengthen in some positions. They're a good team with loads of pace up front and experienced players at the back."
Photos: Witters
