The head coach of the blue and whites Sandro Schwarz answered journalists' questions after the home match with Dynamo Makhachkala (3:1).
– I am happy with the result, but if we talk about the game, then its intensity was not at the proper level for some periods. It's great that we can finally close the topic of the second half – today we scored in the end and were able to win. But as a coach, I look not only at the result, and I have to say that we need to improve our game, and especially the reaction to the loss of the ball.
– Is it possible to correct such mistakes as in the first half, when an unsuccessful pass back almost led to a goal?
– I always look at team actions with an eye on how we want to play. I would not like to talk about any individual mistakes, they can happen to everyone. We need to talk about how we can achieve the desired intensity and aggressiveness, especially after losing the ball. We must always believe in our principles and mental strength so that everyone at the stadium can feel it.
– Almost all the players who came on as replacements were noted for effective actions. How did you come to these replacements?
– This is a really positive moment. I'm sorry that I didn't start the press conference with a positive one today. We need quality players on the bench who can come out and add energy to the team. Vitya has been showing great in the last two weeks and today he played well on the edge of the attack. Anton also came out well and made a difference in our possession of the ball, constantly playing vertically. Skopintsev scored with his right foot. These are all positive moments.
– Timofey Marinkin scored his first goal for Dynamo. It seems that without him, Dynamo is already becoming different in terms of possession and attack. Do you agree?
– Timofey is a great person, a very open guy who always listens and is ready to absorb new ideas. It's great that he always tries to play vertically. I would also like to note the reaction of Danil Glebov, with whom we had an individual conversation before the game. This is a football player who always thinks about the good of the team.
– Many people call Makhachkala Dynamo a sensation. How difficult was it for you to play with them today?
– I would like to pay tribute to the opponent and their coach. They have a clear idea of how they want to play, and today we saw it. Now we need to analyze this match and start preparing for Zenit next week.
– Before the match, you talked with Alexander Ovechkin. What did he tell you?
– He went into the locker room after the match. It's always great when such big personalities come to our games. This is a true Dynamo legend. I was lucky enough to watch a few of his games in the USA, it was incredible. It was very nice to talk to him, but I will keep the content of our conversations to myself.
– Konstantin Tyukavin has not scored yet this season. Is he guaranteed a place in the next match?
– He will play next Sunday. It's not about him, we generally have to create more dangerous moments in the positional attack and after the transition phases, open up more in depth.
– It is clear that the work on the formation of the starting lineup is still underway. The players who came on as substitutes showed themselves great today. When will you have a clear starting lineup?
– I think that today's changes in the starting lineup are normal, given the cup match with Fakel this week. We need competition in all positions so that everyone is in good shape and ready to take the field at any time. When there is such competition, the team-wide intensity and energy increases. And this is the way to success. As I said, Bales will play in the next round, but some positions are still in question, so we need all the players in the best shape.
