FIRST TEAM
05/02/2013

Markus Gisdol: "The lads are on the same wavelength as me"

On Saturday (May 4th, 15.30 CET), TSG will face Bremen. Thomas Schaaf's team are on a run of ten games with a win and have dropped from an encouraging eleventh on matchday 21 to a perilous 14th. Five points is all that separates Hoffenheim from Bremen.

“It's difficult to get a true gauge of Bremen at the moment,” said Hoffenheim's manager Markus Gisdol in Thursday afternoon's press conference at the Zuzenhausen training facilities. “They only lost 1-0 in Leverkusen to a penalty. It was a good performance,” he added.

The key, according to Gisdol, is shutting down the threats of talented midfielders Kevin de Bruyne, Aaron Hunt and striker Nils Petersen. Aside from the two long-term injuries, Gisdol can call on his whole squad. Daniel Williams is still not fit after his knee injury and “Tobias Weis has undergone reduced training this week as a result of his abdominal injury but looks good for the game,” said Gisdol. “This is something he'll probably carry around for the rest of the season.“

Johnson in attack once again? Certainly an option...

Whether Fabian Johnson plays in a more attacking role again, like he did against Nürnberg, was something Gisdol kept to himself. This tactical variation is certainly an option in the coming games though. “We want to run into the seams of the opposition defence with great intensity and that is something Fabian can do very well,“ explained Gisdol.

He is hoping to see improvements in certain passages compared to the game against Nürnberg. “If we win 7-6 at the end of it all, that's fine by me,” Gisdol said.

The manager's focus is entirely on the game in Bremen. Whatever happens after that and what the table will look like come Sunday evening at the end of matchday 32 is not important. “I am only thinking of the game,” said Gisdol. “Players will inevitably have different thoughts to their manager but the lads are on the same wavelength as me. That much has been clear in the last few games.”

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