Smith: "A chance to get a bit of revenge"
Thursday, 26. September 2024, 11:00 Uhr
Almost two years have passed since the Boys in Brown went to SC Freiburg in the DFB Cup, a game they lost 2-1 after extra-time. Eric Smith played from start to finish that evening, and in the run-up to Saturday's Bundesliga encounter between the two sides (15.30 CET) he took time out to speak to the media.
Eric Smith on…
...the takeaways from the Leipzig game: "We saw we're capable of delivering a good performance against one of the best teams in the league. There are lots of teams in this league we can hold our own against if we play like we did against Leipzig. I think that's the biggest positive we can take from the game."
...the mood in the camp after the Leipzig match: "It's good. We're not satisfied, of course, because we wanted to win the game and we deserved to win it, but it was a step in the right direction. We go into the next game with lots of confidence. We have to show we can perform like that consistently now and not just once.“
...the difference between Bundesliga 1 and 2: "The quality of the opposition is different. If we offer teams something, they take the opportunity to put us under pressure straightaway. It's been a huge learning curve for us. We have to understand that we're going to get punished if our defending isn't good enough. That's what happened in the first three games, but we've learned from that."
...the DFB Cup tie at Freiburg in the 2022/23 season: "It was a tough game. We took an early lead and then defended as if our lives depended on it and we were unlucky to lose in extra-time. It's a chance for us to get a bit of revenge and hopefully a better outcome for us."
...Saturday's game: "It's going to take a big effort. We have to reach the level of intensity we had against Leipzig. Freiburg are a very good team and we're away from home. It'll be tough but if we play with a touch more intensity than we did against Leipzig, we have every chance of getting a good result."
...the change of system from 3-5-2 to 3-4-3: "The main reason it looks better is the intensity. If you look at how the chances came, it wasn't because of the system, it was because we were able to win balls in certain areas. We exerted enough pressure to transition into counterattacks. I think it was the intensity that made the difference."
...becoming a father: "It's almost two weeks since the birth and I'm still trying to process it. It's hard to put the feeling into words. I've never been this happy, it's incredible."
Photos: FC St. Pauli
