"We want to get back into the flow"

After advancing in the DFB Pokal against SpVgg Bayreuth (3:1 n.V.), Hamburger SV will return to the daily routine of the second division on Saturday. The Rothosen will welcome 1. FC Heidenheim to the Volksparkstadion on matchday 3 (live on HSVnetradio from 12.45 p.m.). The team from Brenzstadt is one of the most unpleasant opponents in the 2nd division. Tim Walter is well aware of this, but he naturally focuses on the strengths of his own team. Thus, the 46-year-old went into analysis in the run-up to the match at today's press conference and is counting on his team getting back into the flow of the game after a strong final spurt in pre-season and some personnel changes.   

The head coach of the Red Shorts spoke in detail about ... 

... the lessons learned from the first games: Our opponents are fresh, they can all run the way. If we don't play fast enough, don't put enough pressure on the ball, then it's easy for the opponent to defend. We need patience, we must not concede goals and we have to set our own punch. We didn't manage to do that in the first half. We have to get more speed on the ball.  

... the loss of Bakery Jatta: We generally lack wing players. When we meet deep opponents, we have to create one-on-one situations on the outside because the centre is heavily overloaded. Here we lack "Baka" with his speed. "Ransi is a completely different type of player. He brings the speed, but he is drawn to the centre a lot. We have to find a middle ground: He has to feel comfortable in his game, but he still has to have his deep runs and go in up front. Basically, it doesn't matter who goes in up front. We need the deep runs, both from the eight and from the centre-forward. Because with "Bobby" you also need someone up front who ties up the opponents. We are not yet at the stage where we always push into the right positions. We can do that better. Nevertheless, our basic alignment and arrangement is very fluid. It is not enough to occupy a position, but how I occupy it. That's our theme right now.    
 

"We have worked hard to achieve this recognition value."

... the opponents from Heidenheim: The FCH has been doing a great job for years: Heidenheim is no longer the little mouse, but has grown up. You have to pay attention to all teams in the 2nd division. Heidenheim have repeatedly proven in recent years that they always knock on the door at the top. They always have the potential to do so. They play very intensively, run extremely much and defend one-on-one all over the pitch. It's brutally dangerous and at the same time it creates offensive space that we want to exploit.   

... the development of the team: We are in a phase of finding our way. People like to look at HSV because we always have something going on. We want to bring that onto the pitch. When you see an HSV player in a neutral jersey, you recognise that he plays for HSV. We have worked hard to achieve this recognition value. You can see that we are on this path. We want to get back into the flow and we are confident in this respect and continue to go our way undaunted.