Soldo guaranteed starting spot against Bochum
FC Köln head-coach Steffen Baumgart has guaranteed newly-acquired defender Nikola Soldo a place in the starting XI this weekend against Bochum.
Köln gaffer Steffen Baumgart had plenty of praise to heap upon his team following their 4-2 victory over FC Slovacko in the Conference League last night. The Effzeh trainer obviously wished to deliver shout outs to brace-scorer Dejan Ljubicic and starting ten Ondrej Duda, both of whom played a vital role in the victory.
Baumgart also tested out a novel double-striker set within his starting XI. Sargis Adamyan and Florian Dietz paired together up top for the first time this season. Both attackers scored in the opening 45 as Köln took a 2-0 lead into the dressing room.
As for what happened defensive after the restart, the head-coach couldn't quite explain why the Czech guests scored two goals in seven minutes to level to score. Baumgart reacted quickly too the 2-2, bringing on the experienced Timo Hübers, Jonas Hector, and Ellyes Skhiri on via a triple substitution in the 58th.
"The first ten minutes of the second half is difficult to explain to a coach," Baumgart noted, "We didn't get a grip there, and then it got better with the changes."
Baumgart did wish to make clear that one of the defenders taken off, newly signed Croatian defender Nikola Soldo, was not at fault. The head-coach gave the 21-year-old Stuttgart-native his first boat of action in his new colors as a means of getting a first assessment. Nearly a full hour was enough for Baumgart to assess what he needed to.
"The substitution after about 60 minutes was also planned," Baumgart said afterwards.
Baumgart went on to guarantee a spot in the starting XI for Soldo against Bochum this weekend. In the words of the coach himself, "there is no other alternative". Julian Chabot remains unavailable via in jury and Luca Kilian must serve a suspension after being sent off on double yellows last Sunday against Union Berlin.
"He has to play, as we don't have anyone else at the center-back position," Baumgart conceded.
Soldo will start alongside the defender who replaced him last night, Timo Hübers.