Sportfreunde Lotte are struggling in the Regionalliga West. For coach Fabian Lübbers, the game against in-form RWO comes at just the right time.
Sportfreunde Lotte has had a mixed season in the Regionalliga West so far. They have four wins, three draws, and five losses.
After twelve match days, Sportfreunde Lotte is in twelfth place in the table, just three points above the relegation zone. Coach Fabian Lübbers gives an honest assessment of the situation so far: “As the statistics show, the season has been mixed so far. We would certainly have liked a few more points.”
However, this comes as no surprise after the major personnel changes in the summer. “Several key players have left. This is reflected in our performances – we have good and weaker phases, both in individual games and throughout the season,” explains Lübbers.
“We lack consistency. But we believe in the team. It’s a process that takes time. The important thing is that we show passion and leave our hearts on the pitch.” This is a point that the coach recently criticized after the defeat against Wuppertaler SV.
Offensive problems – RWO at the right time?
In the last five regional league games, the Sportfreunde have only scored four goals. “That’s definitely a problem,” says Lübbers openly. “Leon Demaj has scored most of our goals so far with ten goals. We lack the flexibility to have other players score as well. We create chances, but the yield is too low. We have to work on that.”
This weekend, Rot-Weiß Oberhausen, currently the strongest team in the league, awaits. “This may be exactly the right time to face such an opponent,” says Lübbers. “A lot of things are going well for RWO at the moment; they have many new signings who have now found their feet. The strength of the RWO squad is clear to see.”
It’s important that we get three points again quickly. The table is tight, and we can’t let the gap to the bottom get any smaller.
Fabian Lübbers
Nevertheless, the Sportfreunde are traveling with confidence. “We can go to Oberhausen with a sense of freedom. Many expect RWO to win the game – we want to take advantage of this underdog role. We won’t be hiding. The season shows how competitive the regional league is. If we give it our all, we can score points there too – preferably three.”
There are six games left until the winter break – including the matches against Oberhausen and Gütersloh, two heavyweights in the league. “We have to stay calm and focus on ourselves,” demands Lübbers. “It’s important that we get three points again quickly. The table is tight, and we can’t let the gap to the bottom get any smaller. We want to build up a decent buffer by Christmas – and then aim for mid-table or the top third in this tight league in the new year.”