VfL Bochum currently has 23 players available; there are hardly any absences. The team also trained on a new field.
Things are looking up again for VfL Bochum. In the 2. Bundesliga, they’ve recently earned seven points from three games. On top of that, they advanced in the DFB Cup with an away win at FC Augsburg.
This has allowed coach Uwe Rösler’s team to build new confidence ahead of three important matches. Up next are games in Braunschweig, at home against Dynamo Dresden, and in Fürth.
“High-pressure games,” as Rösler puts it. “We have to work on handling the pressure well and finding our rhythm in the games. We have to stay clear-headed and stick to our principles.”
In terms of personnel, he has nearly a full squad to draw from ahead of these crucial matches. Including the goalkeepers, 23 players were on the field on Wednesday. For the first time, the pros trained on the lower practice field. It had been converted from an artificial turf field to a natural grass field over the course of several months to provide the pros and other teams with more and better training conditions overall.
Ibrahima Sissoko was also able to participate fully for the first time since his acromioclavicular joint injury. Rösler: “But he still needs some time; he’s not at 100 percent yet. We need to ease him back into the starting lineup. Every week helps this player.”
Ibrahim Sissoko and Kevin Vogt must continue to wait for their comebacks. They won’t be in the mix again until after the upcoming international break at the earliest. The VfL hopes to head into that break with another victory in Braunschweig.
Rösler: “I watched Braunschweig over the weekend. They have tall players and a slightly different style of play than Magdeburg. They’re physically strong. We have to push ourselves to the limit again.”
To do that, the mix has to be right again. There’s been a lot of talk lately about the young players, so Rösler cautioned: “We have to be a bit careful not to focus solely on the young talents, but also discuss the experienced players. For example, when I saw Philipp Hofmann on Wednesday, it made my heart sing. He scored goals from every angle. Everyone has their role here; as a team, we’re just getting started.” cb / gp