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Karel Geraerts on the game against Leeds, his starting XI and tactical flexibility
Head coach Karel Geraerts wasn’t unhappy after FC Schalke 04’s 2-0 friendly defeat against Leeds United on Saturday (27/7), though he stressed that “he wasn’t happy with the result.” Ultimately though, the result of the game played at SV Westfalia Rhynern’s ground wasn’t the most important thing.
“Results aren’t the most important thing in pre-season. I’ve seen a lot in football. Sometimes you can win every pre-season friendly and then lose your first game of the season. Our result against Eintracht Braunschweig on the first matchday is what matters to me,” said the coach. Geraerts saw plenty of things he liked against Leeds United: “We should have scored a goal when you consider the chances we had in the first half. It would’ve been a different game then. At the same time though, we should have defended better for their goals.”
Sometimes you can win every pre-season friendly and then lose your first game of the season. Our result against Eintracht Braunschweig on the first matchday is what matters to me.
The Belgian tried out two different formations against the Championship side, setting up with a 3-5-2 system in the first half and then switching to a 4-3-3 after the break. “It’s good to know that we’re tactically flexible,” he explained. The 42-year-old didn’t make any changes during Saturday’s friendly: “It was important that every player could get a full 90 minutes,” he stated, having also given five players the whole game against FC Twente three days prior.
The starting XI against Leeds won’t necessarily be the one that begins against Braunschweig next Saturday (3/8). “We haven’t yet fully decided on the team for the start of the league season,” he declared, explaining that every player will have the chance to impress during the next week of training.
