#TSGS04 preview - "We will give it our all to beat Schalke"

Julian Nagelsmann on...

... the opponent.

Schalke are a good team with a good coach. It will be a tough game in which we’ll need to give it everything to get a result. Schalke have a clear plan for every situation – both with and without the ball. They have already played with a few different systems this season and they can alter the speed that they attack at all the time. As well as this they’ve got pacey wingers and great dribblers in midfield. Goretzka especially is great at driving forward with the ball.

... the team news.

Serge Gnabry has still been feeling a bit of pain in his ankle this week, as is often the case with these sorts of injuries. If it has properly healed by Saturday, then he’ll be a possibility for the squad. Kerem Demirbay will definitely miss out. He has torn a muscle in his pelvis. He picked up a knock to it against Hertha and it happened again against Mainz. He had an MRI scan on Thursday because he could hardly move. He’ll be out for two to four weeks. Ermin Bicakcic will be out for even longer – at least three months. He got injured in the Braga game but he’s starting his recovery programme. He had a similar injury last season so we weren’t too worried but the pain came back. He also had an MRI scan and he has partially torn his cruciate ligament in his right knee. Due to the internal bleeding, we can’t say anymore for sure about the injury. The medical team will look into it further. It’s bad news for both him and the team.

... the sporting situation.

Rotation and mentality both play a role in success nowadays. Rotation is important because the players all need a break at some point and can’t be offended by being given a break. The latter is important because you need to have a particular mentality if you aren’t 100 per cent fit. The boys have got that mentality. We are the most hard-running team in the league. That says a lot about our mentality.

... more on the sporting situation.

We get feedback from the lads in terms of how they are feeling and we have alternative training in competitive conditions for those who aren’t in the starting team. Then we obviously see the players who are starting. This means we can judge the type of opponent we are coming up against and which players are best suitable to combat the opponent’s system. That’s how we come up with the starting line-up in this period with lots of games in a short space of time.

... more on the sporting situation.

Last season the situation was similar. We came back against Mainz in a crazy game and then we beat Schalke at home. At the time we were more under pressure to get results but we have that desire, yet again, to beat Schalke at home.

The head to head record

The head to head balance between TSG and Schalke 04 is even after 19 competitive matches (18 Bundesliga and 1 DFB-Pokal game). Both teams have won seven matches each and they’ve shared the spoils five times. TSG have the clear upper hand in the WIRSOL Rhein-Neckar Arena, having won four out of nine games at home, drawn four and lost once. Last season, Julian Nagelsmann’s men won 2-1 at home against Schalke on Matchday 5. Lukas Rupp and Andrej Kramaric scored the goals.

The opponent's form

Three wins in five Bundesliga games. Schalke’s tally of nine points is an impressive start. But the performances of Domenico Tedesco’s side have not been particularly consistent. An opening day win against Leipzig was followed by a loss to promoted Hannover and a win in Bremen on matchday 4 was followed by a home defeat against Bayern on Tuesday. The high pressing from Bayern caused the Knappen constant problems. Schalke tried to find a solution for it but they made too many mistakes when playing the ball out from the back.

The key battle

Schalke try to dominate the midfield under Domenico Tedesco – normally in a 3-4-3 formation which converts into a 5-2-3 formation when they are defending. The wing-backs usually act also as wingers. That means there will be space for TSG to utilise – more than they’ll be used to. For Julian Nagelsmann’s team, it will be about getting down the wings, flooding the box and creating lots of goalscoring opportunities. Further back, TSG will also get chances when they win the ball. Schalke throw lots of players forward and so there will always be space for TSG to counter attack.

Serge Gnabry has still been feeling a bit of pain in his ankle this week, as is often the case with these sorts of injuries. If it has properly healed by Saturday, then he’ll be a possibility for the squad. Kerem Demirbay will definitely miss out. He has torn a muscle in his pelvis. He picked up a knock to it against Hertha and it happened again against Mainz. He had an MRI scan on Thursday because he could hardly move. He’ll be out for two to four weeks. Ermin Bicakcic will be out for even longer – at least three months. He got injured in the Braga game but he’s starting his recovery programme. He had a similar injury last season so we weren’t too worried but the pain came back. He also had an MRI scan and he has partially torn his cruciate ligament in his right knee. Due to the internal bleeding, we can’t say anymore for sure about the injury. The medical team will look into it further. It’s bad news for both him and the team.

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