Thomas Tuchel talked about the challenges that he expects for England against Serbia.
The Three Lions will look to hold onto their 100% winning record in the World Cup qualifiers even though they have booked a spot at next year’s tournament. The team battered tomorrow’s opponents 5-0 in September, but with a new leader in charge, Serbia now carry the element of the unknown.
“You were still a great team with a with a great record in especially in in Belgrade and it was mostly down to us that we did not let you develop your quality. We did not let you show the quality.
“So, it was mainly down to our quality that we had a very strong match and we did not let you get into this match. We did not let you breathe. But I think the quality was always there. Now there’s a new coach with new energy in the same group and a proud group of players and we have to do it again.
“This is what football and what is elite sports is all about. It’s always about the match. It does not help us to look back just at the result and misinterpret it into an easy match. We put a lot into it and we will have to put a little a lot into it tomorrow. There is a a special task to it that we absolutely don’t know what’s coming. We don’t know from the structure what is coming.
“We can just guess and we can just presume what we think is coming when we analyse the coaches teams but we don’t know. So, it’s a big test to adapt, to be flexible, to adapt, communicate quickly, and adapt in our press and adapt in our attacking and defending shape to what the opponent is offering.
“We cannot really predict where the problems will come for us from the structure where will be maybe the key points where to take a special care in in in terms of the attacking structure of the opponent. How do they attack? Which structure they play? How do we initiate our press?
“We can just guess. we have an idea and we prepare an idea but the players know at a certain degree they need to be flexible they need to communicate a lot so there is a big focus on that how fast can we adapt how much effort do we put in if maybe tactically and structure- wise not everything is perfect.
“I think we will see the best side of them which is a strong side. This is what we prepare for and well then the stadium will hopefully follow. If they do what we expect them to do defensively it can be maybe difficult to accelerate the game. So the best moment maybe to accelerate the game and to bring intensity is implement our high pressing and go after them from minute one to do everything.”