The head coach of Zhytomyr "Polissya" Ruslan Rotan shared his thoughts on his team’s opponent in the 3rd qualifying round of the Conference League - "Paksh" from Hungary.
Ruslan Rotan (photo: polissyafc.com)- The team faced quite a strong, good opponent - "Maribor". We have also studied those matches. As for "Paksh" - they are a vertical, powerful team.
- You played your last friendly match against the Hungarian "Puskás Academy" and drew. Last season, "Paksh" also struggled to beat this team - with a loss and a draw. Based on your friendly, are there any tactical elements that could be borrowed from "Puskás Academy" to effectively counter "Paksh"?
- Yes, the playing styles of these clubs can be compared. They also actively press, leaving no space. As I mentioned earlier, we are expecting a difficult confrontation. It is hard to work with the ball against such opponents, especially getting out from under pressure and building an attack from the defense. We are preparing for this and we need to be as focused as possible. Both playing in position and off the ball will play a key role.
- We are sure you have analyzed the game of the 39-year-old forward of "Paksh" Bode - the top scorer in the Hungarian championship. How can the defense contain such a powerful striker?
- Yes, we have studied his actions, but it is also important to note other players - all of them are tall, athletic, with whom one must be able to engage in physical battles. How to act? First of all - not to let them feel comfortable. When such bulky forwards feel contact with a defender - it is easier for them to play. Therefore, we have focused on anticipation, support, and mobility. As soon as the striker loses that "feeling" of the opponent - it becomes uncomfortable for them.
