Highly efficient in the 5-2 friendly win in Frankfurt, Freiburg performed surprisingly poorly in the 0-0 draw against Union Berlin. Two offensive forces in particular were the focus.
Missed great opportunity: Vincenzo Grifo in the header against Union Berlin. IMAGO/Jan Huebner
Vincenzo Grifo and Roland Sallai are primarily known for their qualities with their feet. Against Union, however, the two offensive forces had their best chances of the day with their heads from close range. They didn’t use them.
“It wasn’t that badly done,” said Streich about Grifo’s attempt after a good quarter of an hour. Grifo’s header came very centrally to Union keeper Frederik Rönnow, who also parried with an outstanding arm reflex. The trainer’s verdict was nevertheless unmistakable: “He has to go in and Roland’s too.” Sallai’s free-standing header was a few centimeters from the left post.
I’m not an absolute header monster, but I have to ask him why the goalkeeper has to hold it like that.
“I’m not an absolute header monster, but I have to ask him why the goalkeeper has to hold it like that,” said Grifo, who, despite all his seriousness, always maintains a certain amount of relaxedness. Will the time-honored header pendulum, which at SC only exists in the youth center, also be used for professional training? No, says Streich. In training, you practice headers from crosses, either with opponents or pole men.
Even if the SC professionals didn’t put on a festival of chances, the missed victory was obviously not just due to the unsuccessful headers from Grifo and Sallai. Merlin Röhl, who was the initiator of several attacks, also failed twice against Rönnow, Grifo and Gregoritsch made it difficult for themselves to have a great chance in the second half through their coordination and then Gregoritsch also directed a Grifo shot that probably went into the far corner into the goal.
Astonishing weak finish after the five-pack
A symbol of a day on which otherwise good SC professionals only had deficiencies in one discipline. Unfortunately, this is crucial in football. The weak exploitation of opportunities is all the more surprising since the SC had presented themselves very efficiently in the astonishing 5-2 friendly win in Frankfurt a week earlier. “One goal less in Frankfurt, but one this time, then it would have been good,” said Streich.
The 58-year-old’s first-round conclusion is mixed, certainly influenced by fresh anger on Saturday: “25 points with the European Cup and the injury situation we had is actually really good, but of course we want more, me too. Two games ago we already had 24 points. I’m actually happy, but I’m not happy because we dropped points.”
Grifo: “Everything balances out in football”
The 2:3 in Heidenheim at the end of the year, when the SC professionals’ strength waned and they somewhat unfortunately lost a 2:1 lead, also bothered Streich. Despite all the frustration over the points awarded against Union, Grifo didn’t just have his most recent impressions present. “In Mainz we got the points, undeservedly, in Wolfsburg too, in football everything evens out,” he said, referring to the two 1-0 victories in December.
The fact is: SC is still within striking distance of the top 6 and will try to make up for what they missed on Saturday against their direct rivals Hoffenheim. It is possible to build on the elements of “structure, counter-attack protection, patience and, above all, accuracy of fit,” which Streich also praised.
When it comes to scoring goals, the Freiburg team should perhaps watch the video from the test against Eintracht again.
2024-01-14 21:46:56
#Streichs #mixed #conclusion #season #Grifo #Sallai #focus
