Post-Match Report
Kehl: “In this tight table situation, goal difference can impact the standings”
Sebastian Kehl’s summary of the match in Manchester:
“A deserved defeat, quite clearly. Man City were the better team by far. We started quite well and controlled the game in the first 15 minutes. Overall, we were too passive after that, especially when it came to conceding the goals. We deserved to lose, but we’ll analyse it quickly and move on, because we have an important match against HSV on Saturday.”
Sebastian Kehl on possible reasons why the team lost heart after 15 minutes:
“Man City found their way into the game better, made clever shifts to the wide positions and repeatedly sought out one-on-one situations. We struggled with that, even though we tried to double up on the wings. When you see Foden’s first touches for both of his goals, and the precision with which Man City finish things off, you realise that they are simply a very high-quality side. You have to acknowledge that.”
… the phase after the four substitutions:
“All the lads who came on tried hard to turn the game around, and we had the chance to make it 3-2. But the truth is — and I know this from my own experience — that City eased off a bit because the game was basically decided for them. Nevertheless, the fourth goal annoys me, as does the second one in Copenhagen. In such a tight table situation, goal difference can impact the standings.”
...Emre Can’s return:
“Emre did well. He came on, had a lot of energy, was immediately involved in a lot of challenges and tried to push forward . Of course, it’s clear that after such a long time out, not everything can be perfect. But we’re happy that Emre is back.”
... the results so far this season against top teams:
“Of course, we expected a little more. Not everything we set out to do has worked out. But again, Man City’s quality is undisputed, so you have to accept that. We got off to a much better start than in Munich. In recent weeks, we haven’t been able to implement our game plan right away in one or two matches, especially in the first half. Today, we played well for 15 minutes, had periods of possession and played courageously. We weren’t as efficient as we have been in recent weeks. But overall, we increasingly lost control of the game.”
Transcribed by Boris Rupert