Hütter: "We have to work our way back to where we want to be"

Head coach Adi Hütter took questions from the press ahead of Borussia’s home fixture against Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday evening (18:30 CET).

Head coach Adi Hütter on...

...Lars Stindl and Jonas Hofmann being unavailable: The fact that they will miss out is very disappointing. Lars is our captain and will only miss the Frankfurt game after receiving a fifth yellow card. Jonas is our top goal scorer and will be out for a few weeks with a knee problem. I hope that he can get back as soon as possible. We have been affected by such situations throughout the whole first half of the season. We have to consider solutions and that is what we have done.

...the current mood in the squad: We are really unhappy with the situation. In three games we have put ourselves in a position that we didn’t expect to be in. Now it’s about working to turn that around and speaking to the players individually. It is really important that we are communicating well. We have to recapture the things we were doing well in a lot of games. We need to be brave and not just sit back and stop playing proactive football. That’s not our game and not how we want to play. We have to put aside the ego of each individual. The main thing is that we get back to winning ways.

...a lack of confidence in their own game: With our team selection in Leipzig, we tried to show that we didn’t want to hide. We have to work on the confidence we have in our own strengths, and that will take time. We can only manage that if we are all prepared to try to implement our game plan over 90 minutes.

...inconsistent performances from the young players: That’s something you might expect. We know that Manu Koné won’t play like he did against Bayern München in every game, and that Joe Scally will have tricky periods given the distance he covers. I would think it foolish if we were to expect those players to get us out of trouble. The more experienced players in our squad, who already have many Bundesliga games under their belts, help out the younger guys.

...their position in the league: We definitely shouldn’t take that lightly. On the other hand, we can also be looking ahead of us. Where we are now is absolutely not where we wanted to be at this stage, but I am convinced by the quality in the team and that we should be looking to climb the table. We have to work our way back to where we want to be. I am 100% sure that our squad is good enough and that we can move away from the position we are in now.

...the strengths of Eintracht Frankfurt: Frankfurt our a physical team but they are also good technically and tactically and they can play very good football. They were also having real problems a few weeks ago and fought their way out. They needed a while to develop their dynamic, aggressive style of play. Ever since Filip Kostic has been able to get down the flanks more, Frankfurt have also become more dangerous. We also have to be wary of the fact that they have decided a few games in their favour in added time.

...a reunion with his former club: There are a lot of people I’m looking forward to seeing because I got along well with many at the club. It being a special fixture for me is one thing, but it’s about our situation and the fact that we want to try and win this game. It would be a special game for any coach; going back to a club he was with for three years.

...how he handles a crisis: I don’t know of any coach who has never been through a crisis. You have to get through tough times even when it is uncomfortable, no question about it. The way we played in the last three games was not good at all – that’s not up for debate. You can’t be the first to give up at the first sign of trouble, however. You have to stand firm and try to get things back on track.

...the significance of distance run: It’s something to think about. They are statistics and facts that can help to build up a picture. It’s important that my team can run 120 kilometres when that is needed in a certain match, but you can’t demand that they run 120 kilometres in every fixture. The number of sprints is also important, however, because that has to do with build-up play, gegenpressing, transitional play and runs in behind.

...balance on the pitch: The most difficult thing is not to concede and to score three or four goals at the other end. Our first job is to get back to basics and to our principles. Then we will defend our own goal better and fashion more goalscoring opportunities in attack.

...Christopher Kramer’s return: He has already shown that he is fully fit again. He was an option for the game against Leipzig, but he himself said that he wasn’t quite ready. We will have to decide whether he plays from the start, but he will definitely be on the bench at least. It’s crucial that we have him back, because his experience and personality is very important to the team.