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US VfB Stuttgart head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo wants his players to “show a reaction” after last week’s 3-1 home loss to Bayer Leverkusen.
The setback was his side’s third in their last four Bundesliga outings, leaving them in 14th place with just four points on the table so far. The next opportunity for Stuttgart to score points will come on Sunday, when they travel to promoted Bochum, who is one point and three places below them.
“There was sand in the gears [against Leverkusen] and I was not happy with the performance, â€Matarazzo said during his press briefing this week.
To concern: Defeat of Stuttgart against Leverkusen on Matchday 5
“I wasn’t happy because I was sure that if we had played our limit against them we would have seen a very different game. We weren’t determined or determined enough in the final third.
“For me now it’s about showing a reaction. The energy you can create is also about character. It’s an important game to see what we are capable of and what we want to accomplish.”
One of those goals is probably to avoid the dreaded “second season syndrome”, when promoted teams suffer in their sophomore year after enjoying a successful first season in the top flight.
By contrast, at this point in the 2020/21 season, Stuttgart were fifth with eight points in five games, 10 goals scored and six conceded. This time around, they scored almost as many, nine, but conceded 12.
Borna Sosa’s crosses were one of Stuttgart’s most dangerous weapons last season – can he still have influence this weekend? – images imago
Matarazzo also believes his players should have the right frame of mind rather than playing poorly. “Having that absolute determination when you’re defending, to block a cross or to win an aerial challenge, it all depends on your attitude,†said the 43-year-old.
“We have to start defending again with that ultimate desire. Games are decided by duels inside the penalty areas and we want to start winning them again.”
The team’s inability to win aerial fights in the opposing zone is largely due to the injury absence of 6’6 “striker Sasa Kalajdzic, whose emergence into a reliable top scorer last season paved the way for compatriot Nico Gonzalez to leave for Fiorentina.
Omar Marmoush has scored one goal in two games for Stuttgart since arriving on loan this summer. – imago
Omar Marmoush has arrived on day loan from Wolfsburg to close the gap, and he has done well in both games so far, scoring even on his debut against Eintracht Frankfurt, but he will inevitably need more time. to install.
For now, however, Matarazzo is pulling out all the stops to lead his team to a first away win of the season.
“We have shown good energy in training and I hope we can do the same on Sunday. Our goal with this game is to do things better. The only way to get something out of it is with us. push to the limit. “
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