Eintracht Frankfurt started the Bundesliga season with five points from the first four games before the extended international break. In his in-depth interview with the Bundesliga, Mario Götze addressed the issues at the start of a new campaign for the 2011 Golden Boy winner.
"I think it's still very early in the season," the 34-year-old started his assessment before going into details. "We've only played four games. Every phase of the Bundesliga season is especially important for us. Every game counts, but it's very important after the break to get back to collecting points, to be in a rhythm again," Götze added.
As Bundesliga resumed this week, Adi Hütter's side will face Champions League clubs RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund in their next two games away from home.
"It's not easy to play in Leipzig and Dortmund," the 2014 World Cup final hero concedes. "We are well aware of that. I've mentioned it a couple of times, but I think it's very important to work on the basics, on the little things, and then take it game by game. I know it's a stupid phrase, but I think we have to work in that rhythm, especially this season.
"I think we did quite well (so far). If you see all four games and our preseason, we scored goals, we always took the lead. So I think there are a lot of good things. I think it's just these small things we have to improve, especially when it comes to defending our lead in the second half. To be cleverer in a couple of situations. I think then we build that consistency. I think that will be the challenge for us, especially in the next games."
The issue of consistency was addressed in the media several times by Markus Krösche last season as Dino Toppmöller and Albert Riera failed to achieve the goals set by the club. Götze now gives his insights on what could be done to achieve that with Hütter's second stint in Frankfurt.
"If you want to be successful, especially over the long term, I think you need to have a lot of things. You have to grow as a team; you have to grow as a player. I think it's very important that we stick together as a team. And then find that stability over games.
I think it's not so easy. That will be very important this season, especially because we have only the Bundesliga and the cup. We need to focus on that."
The Bundesliga also asked him about whether his style of play fits Hütter's demanding system. The former Borussia Dortmund and FC Bayern midfielder has only started one Bundesliga game in the first month of the campaign.
"It's very important that he (Hütter) wants that intensity, wants that vertical play. He wants to create a lot of chances. I think that's what we missed the last one, two or three years. Especially if you want to be successful, I think you have to have both the calmness in possession but at the same time to be dangerous for counter-attacks."
