Teams | November 8, 2013 at 10:34 AM
Hoffenheim: End to end game?
Hoffenheim: End to end game?
Both coaches announced their attacking intentions ahead of Saturday's clash.
Berlin - On Saturday (09.11.13, 3.30 pm), Hertha take on TSG 1899 Hoffenheim at the Wirsol Rhein-Neckar-Arena on Bundesliga matchday 12. Until now the sides have only met six times, the Berliners having a slight edge, with three wins one draw and two defeats to their name. Around 2,000 Hertha fans are expected to make the trip to north western Baden-Württemberg.
Long term injured Alexander Baumjohann (cruciate ligaments) and suspended striker Sandro Wagner are the only Hertha players unavailable for selection for boss Jos Luhukay, who underlined the challenge his players face at the pre-match press conference by saying: "Hoffenheim have a very good team with quality up front. In Kevin Volland, Roberto Firmino and Anthony Modeste they have three prominent front men. We want to play an attacking game. We don't only want to play well but also successfully." As usual the Dutchman was keeping mum with regard to team selection. He pointed out that sometimes the size of defenders is not always an advantage. Luhukay: "It is not always about the size, but far more their ability to maintain a clear mind and be clever while tackling in or around the box." After being asked about conceding recent goals from set pieces the Hertha coach answered: "Very well taken set pieces are often tough to defend. The quality in the Bundesliga is much higher than that in division two, as we have had to find out to our cost at times this season."
Gidsol: "Hertha are a dangerous side who command respect"
Hertha BSC have the fifth best defensive record in the Bundesliga so far this season, having conceded just 14 times in 11 games. Luhukay told the media: "After the top three sides Bayern Dortmund and Leverkusen, only Wolfsburg have conceded fewer goals than us. Not a bad record for a newly-promoted team”, as the Dutchman rightly pointed out. Luhukay finds the fact bitter that 8 of his side's 14 goals conceded were from set pieces. According to the coach, the problems of recent weeks cannot be just blamed on his defence, but also the men up front, admitting that they lack penetration at times. The coach: "We play good football and combine superbly at times. But we need better efficiency in the final third to reward ourselves for the huge amount of effort we put into games.” Luhukay had not met his Hoffenheim counterpart Markus Gisdol before the press conference but still found words of praise for the work he has done at his club. Luhukay: "He took charge of the team at a bad time last season and secured the club Bundesliga status. Now they are playing refreshing attacking football. They are a stronger unit this season because they believe in themselves more."
Gisdol on Hertha: "What especially grabs the attention of a coach is when a team wins promotion to the Bundesliga and bravely change their team accordingly. Jos has done a super job there and they play superb football. They have given an amazing account of themselves for a newly-promoted side." The Hoffenheim boss views Hertha as dangerous, but pointed out about his own team: "We have an awful lot to offer up front, and have recently improved our work against the ball." The clash is anything but just another game for Hoffenheim vice-captain Sejad Salihovic who explained: "It is a very special game for me because I played for Hertha for many years. That will play no role on Saturday though. We are at home and go into the game with the intention of winning." The Bosnian international reckons that his former club simply belong in the top flight. He said this week: "They have a young side which is marching on. They haven't got 15 Bundesliga points to their name for nothing. It won't be easy. We will have to perform the way we recently did against Bayern to beat them."
Possible line-ups:
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim: Casteels - Beck, Süle, Abraham, Salihovic - Rudy, Strobl, Herdling - Firmino, Volland - Modeste
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Pekarik, Langkamp, Lustenberger, van den Bergh - Cigerci, Hosogai - Ben-Hatira, Skjelbred, Schulz - Ramos
Long term injured Alexander Baumjohann (cruciate ligaments) and suspended striker Sandro Wagner are the only Hertha players unavailable for selection for boss Jos Luhukay, who underlined the challenge his players face at the pre-match press conference by saying: "Hoffenheim have a very good team with quality up front. In Kevin Volland, Roberto Firmino and Anthony Modeste they have three prominent front men. We want to play an attacking game. We don't only want to play well but also successfully." As usual the Dutchman was keeping mum with regard to team selection. He pointed out that sometimes the size of defenders is not always an advantage. Luhukay: "It is not always about the size, but far more their ability to maintain a clear mind and be clever while tackling in or around the box." After being asked about conceding recent goals from set pieces the Hertha coach answered: "Very well taken set pieces are often tough to defend. The quality in the Bundesliga is much higher than that in division two, as we have had to find out to our cost at times this season."
Gidsol: "Hertha are a dangerous side who command respect"
Hertha BSC have the fifth best defensive record in the Bundesliga so far this season, having conceded just 14 times in 11 games. Luhukay told the media: "After the top three sides Bayern Dortmund and Leverkusen, only Wolfsburg have conceded fewer goals than us. Not a bad record for a newly-promoted team”, as the Dutchman rightly pointed out. Luhukay finds the fact bitter that 8 of his side's 14 goals conceded were from set pieces. According to the coach, the problems of recent weeks cannot be just blamed on his defence, but also the men up front, admitting that they lack penetration at times. The coach: "We play good football and combine superbly at times. But we need better efficiency in the final third to reward ourselves for the huge amount of effort we put into games.” Luhukay had not met his Hoffenheim counterpart Markus Gisdol before the press conference but still found words of praise for the work he has done at his club. Luhukay: "He took charge of the team at a bad time last season and secured the club Bundesliga status. Now they are playing refreshing attacking football. They are a stronger unit this season because they believe in themselves more."
Gisdol on Hertha: "What especially grabs the attention of a coach is when a team wins promotion to the Bundesliga and bravely change their team accordingly. Jos has done a super job there and they play superb football. They have given an amazing account of themselves for a newly-promoted side." The Hoffenheim boss views Hertha as dangerous, but pointed out about his own team: "We have an awful lot to offer up front, and have recently improved our work against the ball." The clash is anything but just another game for Hoffenheim vice-captain Sejad Salihovic who explained: "It is a very special game for me because I played for Hertha for many years. That will play no role on Saturday though. We are at home and go into the game with the intention of winning." The Bosnian international reckons that his former club simply belong in the top flight. He said this week: "They have a young side which is marching on. They haven't got 15 Bundesliga points to their name for nothing. It won't be easy. We will have to perform the way we recently did against Bayern to beat them."
Possible line-ups:
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim: Casteels - Beck, Süle, Abraham, Salihovic - Rudy, Strobl, Herdling - Firmino, Volland - Modeste
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Pekarik, Langkamp, Lustenberger, van den Bergh - Cigerci, Hosogai - Ben-Hatira, Skjelbred, Schulz - Ramos