Whether Milan or Mainz: No right for passiveness

Werder head coach Thomas Schaaf knows things will be difficult against Mainz.
First Team
Friday, 17.09.2010 / 07:07

On Saturday, 18 September 2010 at 3:30 p.m. Werder Bremen will welcome the yet unbeaten second placed Mainz to Weser Stadium. And Werder’s head coach Thomas Schaaf once again has...

On Saturday, 18 September 2010 at 3:30 p.m. Werder Bremen will welcome the yet unbeaten second placed Mainz to Weser Stadium. And Werder’s head coach Thomas Schaaf once again has indicated that the strong opponents from Mainz cannot be underestimated despite their small name. "We really have to watch out on Saturday," said Schaaf at the press conference before the game.

 

"Werder are a strong opponent with excellent individual quality. Even the bench has Champions League level players. In addition they are flexible. They play agile when they have the ball, like the short passing game and have players with the quality to win one-one-one situations. This is a high hurdle," said Mainz coach Thomas Tuchel at the press conference. "We have to find a system where we not only can get a grip on the opponent and shut them down but also one that gives us a chance to hurt them offensively." Despite all the respect in Tuchel’s comments, Mainz will not be blinded by that respect on Saturday. "Our self confidence of course has grown after getting past our past tasks. The way Mainz plays is very exhausting. Still we will have players in Bremen who are hungry for a win and who want to force the surprise," said the 37-year-old Tuchel. Mainz are hungry but have also whet the appetites of other clubs.

 

"We live in the here-and-now," said Schaaf calmly. And the present means the fourth game day of the season. And the present also means the careless performance in the first half of the Tottenham game cannot be repeated and that the team has to orientate itself on the exemplary character of the second 45 minutes against Tottenham or the game against Munich. "We have to realise that we cannot take a break at any time. We do not have the right to be passive or sleep through a half. We have to take the initiative," appealed the 49-year-old coach. Trailing 2-0 after 18 minutes speaks volumes and Schaaf said: "It will not always work out 100 percent of the time that we get ourselves out of these situations." And Schaaf came up with a universal verdict for his team: "Regardless if Inter Milan or Mainz, regardless at home or on the road, we want to be successful and cannot make a difference between tasks."

 

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