"That's the key to success" - #BMGRBL press conference | OneFootball

Friday night away to the Foals!

Before our lads take on the in-form Borussia Mönchengladbach (4 wins in a row in all competitions) tomorrow night (20:30 CET), our head coach Ole Werner spoke to the press about his squad and the matchday 12 fixture.

Latest squad news:

Full squad update

Ole's thoughts on Borussia

"They have sorted things out after a tough start to the season and have won each of their last three league games, and also progressed to the next round of the DFB-Pokal. They have really solid patterns of play, as well as a clear style. They are extremely dangerous when they turnover the play and are also a threat from set pieces.

They have a good structure in possession and look to find space before increasing the tempo. They are really strong from counter-attacks, they have a clear and clever way of being successful from them.

What Ole wants to see from his players

“The key will be to avoid too many mistakes in possession so we don’t give Gladbach the chance to break on us. We also need to carry a real threat in the final third, because they’ve defended extremely well in recent weeks. Set pieces - at both ends - will play a big part.”

Key players out: "We have several options"

On Conrad Harder:

“It was his first start against Bremen and I was very happy with him. Conrad did a really good job, especially off the ball and in our counter-pressing. We rely on everyone to press and defend well, and that starts right up top with the centre-forward. He handled that really well in what was a difficult game for a striker against a deep-lying opponent.Of course, there are still a few things we can improve, particularly his movement in the box. The understanding with his teammates will grow with more minutes. We’re on a very good path there. Conrad is also a different type of player to Rômulo, and for us it’s about using his strengths in the right way.”

On Xaver Schlager:

“Xaver has done well in his recent substitute appearances. He scored against Bremen, he feels good and he’s fully fit. He also started twice for Austria in the last international break. He’s definitely an option to start in Mönchengladbach, but we have several players who can fill the gap in midfield while Assan is out.”

What gives the whole team confidence

“It’s incredibly important that we defend well. That’s the key to success. To know that one goal can be enough to win a game gives us real security as a team – and it also helps our attacking play.

A defensive mindset is something we constantly reinforce within the group, but ultimately the players have to take that onto the pitch and maintain those standards among themselves. There’s a lot of work behind it. It’s about not switching off in situations that might look lost at first glance. Getting a foot in one more time or chasing something down can decide matches.

When I think of Yan Diomande’s tackle against Werder's Jens Stage, that was worth just as much as scoring a goal. At 0-0, Stage would have had a free shot from a few yards out. That moment could have changed the whole game. That mentality – never giving up – is vital for us.”

"I want attacking players who are willing to take risks"

"We try to put every player in positions where they can make the most of their strengths. If we talk about Yan Diomande specifically, his one-on-one ability is outstanding. So of course we want to get him into situations where he can drive at his man – and yes, that means the lads are allowed to lose the ball sometimes. We can see it’s worth taking risks, and we know that if we do lose it, we’re organised enough to win it back immediately through our counter-press and stay solid.

For our wide players in general, the decision-making is key: when do I take someone on, and when do I switch play with a pass? Fundamentally, I want attacking players who are willing to take risks. Especially in the final third, we give the boys a lot of freedom. That’s the only way they can really show what they can do.”

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