Seoane: “We’ll have to compete on both a physical and mental level”

Head coach Gerardo Seoane answered journalists’ questions at the press conference ahead of the Foals’ home game on against SV Darmstadt on Saturday (15:30 CET). Here are his most important quotes.

…the preparation for the Darmstadt game: We really wanted to play in Saarbrücken, because there’s no better form of training than a match. We adjusted our training plan straight away after the game was called off and used Thursday as a day of medium workload. The players who’ve been out recently now have two extra sessions under their belt because of this, but I’d rather they’d been able to make an appearance on Wednesday to pick up some match practice. The fact is that the preparation changed. We hope that we’ve done the right things and will put in a good performance on Saturday.

…the set-up in central midfield: We have good quality in midfield and can pick from a range of different styles. We had certain things to consider for the Pokal game, and have new things to consider for the Bundesliga game on Saturday. The opponent will play in a different style and the conditions are different. Our main task will therefore again be making the right decisions when it comes to line-up, tactics and strategy.

…the possible involvements of Ko Itakura and Max Wöber: They’ve both trained fully over the last two days. Ko has got back into a rhythm because of his involvement at the Asian Cup. His fitness is good. Max has been back in team training for two weeks since his infection. I can’t guarantee that they’re both at 100 percent, but they’re important players who we want to integrate.

… the strategy for the game: When we play at home, we always aim to come away with the best possible result. The performance always has a huge impact on the final score. We didn’t play particularly well against Augsburg, which is why we came away from the game empty handed. SV Darmstadt are an unpleasant team to face off against, as they’re strong in tackles, aggressive and intensive in duels. Competing with them on both a physical and psychological level will be one of the most important factors. In addition, we’ll have to come up with tactical solutions on the pitch in order to use our strengths to outwit the opposition.

…the tactical set-up: There are very few teams in the Bundesliga who can dominate the ball in possession and with their tactical play. Willingness to run, intensity and strength in individual battles play an important role in every game. We also have quality, which is very important to the way we play. Being ready to fight is inevitably a part of that, but striking the right balance between showing aggression and playing with quality is always a challenge.

…Jordan’s role: We’re happy that he’s settled in so well and has assumed an important role in the side. He gives his teammates a boost because of his positive energy. He’s incredibly important as far as holding the ball up is concerned and he’s been doing that well so far. He’s not just a target man, though, since he’s also very clinical. That’s why we need to give him more service in the box. Recently, he’s not been in the right positions to finish off attacks often enough.