Twente happy to play waiting game
Thursday, November 5, 2009
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His side may be third in Group H but Steve McClaren is urging FC Twente to be patient when they welcome FC Sheriff of Moldova, saying: "We have to wait for the right moment and then seize it."
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Coach Steve McClaren has told his FC Twente players to be patient when Group H's third-placed side host UEFA Europa League rivals FC Sheriff this evening.
Away defeat
The Dutch Eredivisie outfit lost 2-0 to their Moldovan opponents on Matchday 3 – their first defeat of the season and a result that transformed the makeup of the group by lifting Leonid Kuchuk's team off the bottom and above Twente into second spot. Another Sheriff surprise would consolidate that status as frontrunners along with Fenerbahçe SK, so McClaren is urging his charges to avoid the mistakes of two weeks ago and wait for the right moment to attack.
Seize the moment
"We have to do everything better than we did in the away match," said the former England manager, whose unbeaten squad top the Eredivisie after 12 games. "We were not focused and concentrated, and when that happens you are not organised. They are a good side and difficult to play against. They will play compactly and won't want to lose. We have to wait for the right moment and then seize it."
Home support
While affirming that Twente's chances of reaching the knockout rounds "are still in our hands", McClaren recognises that more dropped points against Sheriff could seriously damage their prospects. "We are vulnerable if we lose," he added. "It will be very difficult. I ask for patience from the crowd – this match could last 95 minutes – and I expect a good atmosphere. The crowd can be the 12th man and our biggest player. The crowd will motivate the team and keep them going."
Sheriff warning
Sander Boschker kept goal in Tiraspol on 22 October, and hopes Twente do not become consumed with thoughts of revenge. "What matters is that we win and get the three points," he said. "Nothing else matters as long as we score one more goal than Sheriff. We have to be careful, though, because they can score on the counterattack."