Omlin: “Solid in defence, but room for improvement elsewhere” | OneFootball

Jonas, why were we unable to break the deadlock against Schalke yesterday?

Omlin: Schalke did well to keep the score at 0-0 for the entire game. That steadily increased the pressure on us, because everyone expected us to win against the league’s bottom side. We did well at the end of the first half and created several good chances for ourselves. If we had managed to take the lead then, it would have been a different game. The longer you’re stuck with a 0-0, the harder it is to break down a team that is fighting hard.

What were you lacking in the second half in particular?

Omlin: Schalke were playing one-v-ones pretty much at every position. Normally that suits us, because we’re able to use our pace to get out of them and create chances. Yesterday, the more time went on, the more movement we lost. It felt like we weren’t able to win any second balls and that we gave away possession far too easily. We can’t have that happen at home in front of a crowd like that. Unfortunately, it did. In the end, we have to consider ourselves lucky that we managed to keep a clean sheet and pick up a point.

A misplaced pass from Nico Elvedi meant that you had to make a big save against Michael Frey in the 67th minute. What was that like from your perspective?

Omlin: I was caught a little off guard by Nico’s pass being hit too short. I then had to put it all on the line with my slide tackle, in order to prevent their striker from getting off a shot. I had to slide again immediately after in order to fully clear the ball. It was an unusual situation for me, and fortunately I had luck on my side. I had to do something, and I’m glad that it ended well.

What did you think of the atmosphere at BORUSSIA-PARK? There was some booing heard near the end of the match…

Omlin: It’s always a pleasure to be playing at BORUSSIA-PARK. The atmosphere was overall really good. When you don’t play well after the change of ends, then it’s normal for the fans to be unhappy. The whistles were probably deserved based on our performance in the second half. I hope that we will be able to give the fans something to celebrate in our next games.

How pleased are you to have kept your first clean sheet for the Foals?

Omlin: There’s nothing you enjoy more as a goalkeeper than keeping a clean sheet. If we had managed to top it off with a win, then that would have made it even nicer. Our defensive showing was good, but there’s room for improvement everywhere else. We need to continue working hard and we have a chance to do better in Berlin next weekend.

What kind of game are you expecting against Hertha BSC next Sunday?

Omlin: I think we will be in for another hard fight, like we just experienced against Schalke. Hertha need to pick up points in the relegation battle, while we want to get another win on the road. If we manage to play our game over the full 90 minutes and take our chances, then we can definitely pick up three points.

You’ve been at Borussia for a few weeks now. Have you managed to settle in?

Omlin: I’m still searching for a place to live and am staying in a hotel right across from the stadium at the moment. Other than that, I’m really excited about the opportunity I’ve been given at Gladbach. I’ve been really warmly welcomed by the lads and the entire club. Everyone is full of passion for this club and it’s really fun to work here.