Hjulmand: "We need to pick up points"

Kasper Hjulmand spoke to German sports magazine kicker ahead of their game with Hamburger SV, on Sunday. The Dane was full of praise for a young midfield maestro, but is eager to get his defence keeping clean sheets again.

"He is on a very good path. He has a good personality. In training and in the games he plays with confidence. He has the potential to lead the team."

Kasper Hjulmand on; the game against Schalke: "We have a defended a few situations badly. You can not do this. Overall, it wasn't good because the bond between the defenders was missing. You can lose a one-on-one, but then we have to be better."

Hjulmand on; the recent defensive woes: "There were organisational problems. And the organisation falls within my responsibility. We must fulfill our basic principles in every game well, especially the co-ordination in defense.  Then there are instances in which a single player, for a single thing, is responsible; such as pressing, good tackles or to be forward thinking. So we all have responsibility for certain situations in the game. It is important that we take it seriously. And if we do that, we are on the right track. Then we can continue to work on our attacking play, because we are good in attack. However, if we defend well, then that does not matter."

Hjulmand on; the upcoming games: "If it looks in the next games also so clear. We need points. In the first few games we defended well, kept clean sheets and conceded no goals on the counter. Against Bremen and Freiburg, we also played the first 30 minutes well, but in a few situations we defended badly. And if we work together, then we play very, very well. I am sure that this will happen. But of course, we need results, so we can have confidence in our game. I feel a new aggressiveness in my team."

Hjulmand on; the possible mental effects on the players of a bad run: "No, I do not feel like that will happen. It is important that we find the confidence in our defence. And our defensive game is also with the striker, the defensive performance comes from us all. Our quality to prevent counter-attack goals and recover, is a key for us."

Hjulmand on; Johannes Geis and his potential ability as captain: "He is on a very good path. He has a good personality. In training and in the games he plays with confidence. He has the potential to lead the team."

Hujlmand on; his aims for the remaining games of the Hinrunde: "There is no minimum requirement, but we need to pick up points. We always take it one game at a time. We go to Hamburg in the confidence that we can definitely get the three points. Counters are important over the next three games. (When asked if he is resigned to defeat in the Bayern game.) That comes later. But no, that is not been written off (laughs). But this is a different kind of game, where there are always possibilities."

Quotes via kicker.