Boys in Brown out to complete the turnaround at Würzburg after going close against Aue
Tuesday, 15. December 2020, 18:52 Uhr
With 180 minutes left to play in 2020, the Boys in Brown need to muster all their powers once again to secure some vital points. The first three of hopefully six points are the target at Würzburger Kickers on Wednesday evening (18:30 CET), a game in which Timo Schultz's charges aim to complete the turnaround against the bottom side by sealing their second win of the season.
Sunday's 2-2 home draw with Erzgebirge Aue brought both joy and frustration. Joy at coming from 2-0 down once again in a dramatic show of morale; frustration at taking just a point rather than the hoped-for three. "We've half turned things around now," said coach Timo Schultz after the game, "but we have to make sure we get back to winning ways in the last two games." There can only be one aim going into the game at Würzburg, then, and that is to turn the tide by finally recording a win again.
Tomorrow’s visitors lost 2-1 at Nürnberg last time out despite putting in a "good away performance", as Schultz put it. While his charges rallied to grab a late point against Aue, Würzburg conceded at the death to slip to their ninth defeat in eleven outings. Their return to the second tier has not gone according to plan, with the gap to the final non-relegation spot already seven points. Like the Boys in Brown, who are four points and one place better off, Würzburg are thus desperate to turn the tide so as not to be cast adrift at the bottom.
"We're in for a lively battle," Schultz continued. "Würzburg are a good, physical side who press the ball aggressively and switch the play well," said Schultz, who will have to manage without Philipp Ziereis (groin). "We have to make sure we stop them doing that." Against Aue, that was precisely the kind of situation that led to the Boys in Brown conceding both goals. It will therefore be important to keep errant passes to a minimum and coordinate the last line of defence better to avoid being caught on the break again.
The busy schedule means Schultz has had little time to prepare his team for the visit to the bottom side, so the prime aim has been to "draw the right conclusions" from the Aue game. "Though we only took a point, there were still some positives,” he continued. “The players kept their belief and that at least got us a draw. There's a buzz around the place and we have to carry it with us to Würzburg. We need to put in another good performance - all of us together. If we don't play football and support each other, it'll be another Braunschweig."
To be successful in this league, the players must be there for each other, operate as a unit, believe in themselves and help each other out. If they can do that on Wednesday evening, they will be well placed to finally complete the turnaround.
Photos: Witters
