Sporting director Matthias Heidrich of third-division soccer club FC Erzgebirge Aue believes the team is on the right track despite the current dip in results. "We mustn't question the overall direction now. However, we need to improve in some aspects. One of them is to seal the deal early with a second or third goal," the 46-year-old told the "Freie Presse", "another is that we should play to nil at the back again. So far this season, we've only managed that against Osnabrück and Dynamo Dresden, and not since." Aue have lost three of their last five games.
The former professional footballer rated the goals from set-pieces in particular, such as in the home defeats against Hansa Rostock (1:2) and Arminia Bielefeld (1:3), as "particularly bitter", "because we could have won both games earlier." Heidrich is hoping that the team will reduce the number of set-pieces they concede in the coming games.
Malick Sanogo in trial training
In addition, the team is in a phase in which it is "currently unable" to fulfill its potential "for various reasons". In view of numerous injured players, Aue is also open to reinforcements. In the previous week, the Erzgebirge tested the unassigned Malick Sanogo, who still has an option abroad.
According to Heidrich, the link will be maintained with the son of former professional Boubacar Sanogo, who played for Energie Cottbus from 2012 to 2014: "It's not yet possible to say that we want to sign the player. Taking a player after two sessions who has not been in team training for two or three months - putting all your eggs in one basket - would be a risk that is difficult to calculate."
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