Kaiserslautern 1 - 0 Hearts : Csaba sure Hearts will get it right

Published Date: 26 July 2008
CSABA LASZLO declared himself relatively content despite defeat for Hearts in Marburg last night.
The coach's focus remains transfixed on resolving striking issues with competitive games looming, for one of the themes of this friendly was the visitors' familiar lack of a cutting edge.

Danish trialist Mike Tullberg appeared for the final 20 minutes with Laszlo hoping to build on Wednesday's 6-0 triumph over a Rheingau select. Although tall and useful looking, the Reggina player's impact was minimal in such a short timeframe. Similarly, Juho Makela and Jamie Mole were unable to breech the stubborn Kaiserslautern rearguard, with only substitute teenager Gary Glen posing an occasional problem.

Laszlo is wise not to panic, however. Hearts were sound defensively – Erik Jendrisek's goal apart – and industrious in midfield. Experience in attack is one missing ingredient but the Hungarian calmly gave the impression that, come August 9 when Motherwell visit Tynecastle, his side will be primed and ready.

"At the moment, the attitude is perfect. That's not the problem," he said of the players. "I think maybe some are a little tired because we have had three training sessions a day. This was a very good test, it shows the players that if you play a good team then only one mistake and it's a goal. You cannot give opponents the possibility. Kaiserslautern is a big team in Germany, even though they play in the second division. If they get a half chance, they score.

"The strikers are still the problem. We had two or three 100 per cent chances but we didn't score. If you score, you have maybe a different game. We must do more in this department and defence begins with the strikers. We must change this attitude. They are not there to score, they are also there to defend.

"I am not unsatisfied. Maybe the result, 1-0, is a bad result because you lose. But it's important we are taking very big steps. We had two or three 100 per cent chances and in the second half. I gave everybody the chance to play in the game. The second half was not so bad but we didn't have the (same] chances.

"We must think a little quicker if we lose the ball, this is my target at the moment. In the last two friendly games, if we lose the ball some players forget their tactical movements. I think, slowly, we are taking the right direction."

Laszlo will assess Tullberg further in training, once he recovers from a minor knock, and hopes to use him next Tuesday when Hearts play the final match of their German tour against SV Wehen Wiesbaden. "He plays for Reggina in Serie A, he hasn't played so many games but he's a positive guy," continued the manager.

"I think he's a good guy for the Scottish league. He's a fighter, a good header. I don't think 20 minutes is enough to know if he is a player who can help. At the moment, he has a small injury but I hope he will be okay in one or two days. We must not make a hurried decision. We have connections to other players. I expect some to be here before we leave on Wednesday."

Hearts were well represented in Marburg's Georg-Gassmann Stadium, 70 miles north of the team's base near Wiesbaden. Visiting fans decorated the ground with maroon banners bearing the names Dumfries, Berlin Hearts and Manchester Hearts amongst others. "After the game, some fans came to me and said this was the most organised game they have seen in the last year," revealed Laszlo.

Perhaps due to stifling outdoor temperatures, we were treated to an auspicious entrance from one local male exhibitionist who ran the length of the pitch in full naked glory after just four minutes' play. Whilst he bared all, Hearts were hoping to bare teeth against one of Germany's most reputable sides, even allowing for their current existence in Bundesliga 2.

The early stages involved mostly midfield jostles until Kaiserslautern sprung an attack on 22 minutes. Right full-back Florian Dick slid a pass through to Laurentin Reghecampf but a clever first-time cross evaded his red-shirted colleagues.

Hearts again seemed determined to pass their way forward with midfielders Michael Stewart and Eggert Jonsson central components to this approach. Stewart released Andy Driver in the 26th minute for a cross which Makela ought to have directed goalwards, and moments later the Finn showed precision control to take down a loping ball from Larry Kingston. Unfortunately, with his weaker left foot, he only succeeded in lobbing over the Kaiserslautern crossbar from around 18 yards.

The notion that Hearts were the commanding side at the half-hour mark was unavoidable. Kingston's drive was deflected for a corner following intelligent build-up play involving Driver and Jamie Mole, but Kaiserslautern served two reminders of their threat soon after. First Sebastian Runort stung Steve Banks' fingertips and, from the subsequent corner, Dick's header bounced narrowly wide.

If that wasn't sufficient to grasp the visitors' attention, the opening goal certainly was. A flowing 70-yard move, instigated by the impressive captain Axel Bellinghausen well inside his own territory, ended with Erik Jendrisek's stinging volley flying into Steve Banks' top-left corner. In truth, Hearts' marking was sub-standard as their hosts broke from defence. With only seconds until half-time, it was an unfortunate juncture at which to concede.

Laszlo's counter movement involved reverting from a 4-4-1-1 formation to a 4-2-3-1 to mirror the opposition, although it took until the 60th minute for the Edinburgh side to seriously test Kaiserslautern's replacement goalkeeper, Keoin Trapp. Glen, on for Kingston, interchanged passes intelligently with Stewart before Saulius Mikoliunas' powerful strike was beaten away.

Tullberg's eagerly-anticipated introduction took place on 70 minutes as he replaced lone striker Mole. The imposing Dane displayed a work ethic and fair turn of speed but lacked genuine support when in possession, a feature of the evening for Hearts. At the opposite end, Banks palmed away Erik Jendrisek's 77th-minute effort, one of few second-half goal attempts by a Kaiserslautern side intent on preserving rather than compounding their advantage.

Kaiserslautern (4-2-3-1): Sippel, Dick, Quattara, Amedick, Bugera; Kotysch, Bellinghausen; Reghecampf, Demai, Runort; Jendrisek. Subs: Klinger 83 (for Reghecampf), Trapp 46 (for Sippel), Schonheim 46 (for Quattara), Brouiszewski 71 (for Demai), Rebholz.

Hearts (4-4-1-1): Banks; Thomson, Zaliukas, Berra, Wallace; Kingston, Jonsson, Stewart, Driver; Makela, Mole. Subs: MacDonald, Karipidis 52 (for Zaliukas), McGowan, Ivaskevicius 55 (for Driver), Mikoliunas 46 (for Makela), Ksanavicius, Palazuelos 52 (for Jonsson), Templeton, Glen 55 (for Kingston), Husband 79 (for Stewart), Tullberg 70 (for Mole).

Taken from the Scotsman