Schalke 04 match reaction

Huub Stevens: We played well. The loss frustrates me, because we needed to take something from today. The boys gave their all. Schalke have slightly better players, but we were still capable of getting something today. We will write that result off, and work with clear heads in preparation for the next half of the season.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting: I think I got the last touch when the goal went in. It was a very close call. We wanted to perform a lot better today, but it didn’t quite work out. Hoffenheim played out from the back well, and we were always organised. At the end of the day, it’s the three points that matter - we showed a lot of desire, which was very important. I think we deserved the win.

Sebastian Rudy: We have to stop the long ball towards goal. The finish was lucky, but it’s our fault in the first place. The whole thing is very frustrating. We have to create our own luck, you don’t get given it. The second half was alright, but we didn’t get our reward. Our plan of shutting down the middle of the pitch worked. We have taken a step forward under Huub Stevens, but we still have a long way to go. It won’t be easy after the break; we are down at the bottom.

Oliver Baumann: We were organised today. I’m not sure how Choupo-Moting managed to get the ball in the back of the net. We lacked clear-cut chances, and of course the goals. We were the better team in the second half, but we leave with no points. We are lacking the belief, but we put a lot of effort in. We will take that with us into the break. We simply have to win games likes these in the second half of the season.

Tobias Strobl: It wasn’t a bad game, it was fairly decent. We executed our manager’s game plan well, but conceded an unlucky goal. We also had chances, but weren’t clinical enough in front of goal.

 

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