Post match report

TIME TO BOUNCE BACK

THE LOSS TO START THE SECOND HALF OF THE BUNDESLIGA SEASON IS A BLOW THAT COULD PLAY ON THE TEAM’S MINDS. THE TEAM ARE THEREFORE FOCUSING FULLY ON THE COMING WEEKEND AND BOUNCING BACK FROM THE DEFEAT.

There was a big media presence at the Volksparkstadion for the press conference with head coach Markus Gisdol and chairman Heribert Bruchhagen – the reaction on Sunday at HSV was tense. After the 2018 opener at Augsburg ended in a defeat, the two took on questions after analysing the game and with training having taken place. They took on the responsibility of turning things around, in terms of the mood on and off the pitch ahead of the first home game of 2018.

Frustration at HSV after the 1-0 defeat to Augsburg. But the boys will need to pick themselves up quickly and get through the rough patch of form.

SHOW MORE COURAGE, LADS!

“We just weren’t good enough,” Gisdol said, looking back on the 1-0 loss to FCA and summed up: “We put in a decent performance once again but a decent performance doesn’t win you football matches.” He said that the team were too indecisive, hesitant and not courageous enough. “We created a lot of situations where we pressed them well and so won the ball high up the pitch but we then made the wrong decision.” Gisdol said.

Square balls, playing it safe – the team should have pushed forward more quickly after winning the ball. “The self-confidence isn’t there at the moment, the composure, the courage – we need to work persistently to get that back.” First in training and then in the games. In doing that, the team will be more dangerous in front of goal which is obviously a necessity, since “if you don’t score, you don’t win.” Gisdol is fully focused on the home game this Saturday. “We need to get back our strength at home because we have a lot of home games against the teams near us in the table in the second half of the season. Those games will be the most crucial for our survival so we have to win them. Hopefully we can start that on Saturday against Köln.”

Heribert Bruchhagen and Markus Gisdol have a close working relationship.

One step at a time

Next up for the Rothosen: 1. FC Köln. The home clash against the last placed team in the Bundesliga will be “an extremely important game,” said the club chairman after his team has suffered three losses and five winless games in a row. He demands more from everyone: “We all have to be better, from me to every single player. Every person has to work hard to improve.”

Feeling sorry for themselves will not help anyone though, warns the chairman: “If your heads drop in football, that does nothing but make things worse. At times like these, resilience and a bit of will is needed from everyone.” There is still almost half of the Rückrunde remaining to “force a turnaround,” as Bruchhagen puts it. It’s possible, as last year’s collection of 25 points from the second half of the season, shows. “We proved what’s possible with complete cohesion and performing to your best at home.” The same is needed again this time around, and Bruchhagen believes they can do it: “We are fully aware of how precarious the current situation is, but we also know that we’ve made it out of this position before by taking things one step at a time.” The first step comes this weekend on matchday 19.