Ilzer: "It requires quality and absolute readiness"

At the press conference ahead of the important Bundesliga match away to VfL Bochum (Saturday at 15:30 CET / Live Ticker at tsg-hoffenheim.de), Christian Ilzer spoke about the opposition, potential returnees and Gift Orban.

Christian Ilzer on…

…VfL Bochum: "They bring great energy onto the pitch. They've already achieved impressive results and the team has found its feet. Bochum want to pull us down to where they are, we want the exact opposite. A defining match awaits us. But we mustn't forget our own strengths. We can take decisive steps. However, there's no reason to go there feeling satisfied after the last two games; we still need to show desire to pick up points."

…the approach: "It's a very special away game; we're aware of that. We have prepared ourselves for the conditions in detail. It's clear to all of us that it won't solely be about the footballing element. We have to be ready to embrace the fight. At the same time, we have to keep a cool head. It will require quality and absolute willingness."

…a good start to the match: "It would be advantageous if we took the lead in Bochum and made an intense and powerful start. An energy develops quickly in Bochum. But talking about it doesn't help; we have to create an energy ourselves in order to be raring to go from the outset."

…the squad: "It was a better week; there have been some returnees in training. Diadie Samassékou, Valentin Gendrey, Umut Tohumcu, Leo Østigård and Oliver Baumann were all back for at least some parts of training. A lot of guys are on their way back, which I would say is a very positive development."

…the goalkeeper on Saturday: "Things are looking very good for Oli; we'll wait for the final training session and then make a decision. If Oli is fully fit, he'll be in goal on Saturday."

…Gift Orban: "It will be important that we perform as a team and that we use our strikers in a way that allows them to get shots away. When you see how dangerous Gift is in the box, we have to make sure we use him there even more often. He's made good steps; it's not just about finishing, but also about how he works for the team as a whole. He has now settled in better and better. As a result, his strengths can become an important factor."

…Finn Becker: "Finn is developing very well and has a very good balance in midfield alongside Anton Stach. He is a strong runner and good at closing down spaces. He currently plays a very important role for us."

…too many conceded goals: "We have to make sure that we come away from a game with a clean sheet again at some stage. It helps that the personnel situation is improving and we can get into a rhythm. Achieving stability is a major goal."

…his team's strong running performance: "You always have to see the physical parameters in context. If you have too many recovery runs, it also affects the mileage. It is important to me that we are prepared to run a lot. Covering ground as you gain space is of course better than running back after a mistake. Basically, I can see that we have a top-fit team and are also prepared to cover ground."

The opposition's form:

VfL Bochum have stabilised under new coach Dieter Hecking and are back in touch with the non-relegation places following a weak start to the season. VfL are on a three-match unbeaten streak, following up a 2-2 draw in Kiel with a 2-0 win against Borussia Dortmund and a 1-1 draw in Wolfsburg.

Head-to-head record:

Bundesliga matches in Bochum have rarely been worth the journey for TSG Hoffenheim. Since the 3-1 victory in their first meeting on 29 October 2008, TSG have lost four times in a row at the Ruhrstadion. The overall head-to-head record after 11 games stands at six wins to five in Bochum's favour.