Gladiators are waiting for the Pirates
Created: 10/07/2022, 10:00 am
By: Wolfgang Krzizok
Tough fights lie ahead for the Erding Gladiators - like here in the test match against Dingolfing between Leon Abstreiter (front) and Jonas Penzkofer.
© Christian Riedel
Home premiere in the 2022/23 season for the Erding Gladiators.
Tonight at 8 p.m., coach Andy Becher’s team welcomes ESV Buchloe.
Erding – It is important to iron out the false start from last weekend.
On Sunday (6 p.m.) the gladiators have to pass ERV Schweinfurt.
Both the Gladiators and the Pirates got nothing at the start.
Buchloe lost 6-2 to TEV Miesbach, Erding 4-2 to VfE Ulm-/Neu-Ulm.
"Buchloe has a high quality, has an extremely dangerous line with the storm trio Petrak-Vaitl-Krafzcyk, and with Johannes Wiedemann a bench in goal," says Becher.
"We have to be prepared for even more intensity than in Ulm and have to do what I showed there from the middle of the second third."
The Pirates would have had a certain bloodletting, "but they didn't just compensate for it, they also gained in quality," explains the Gladiators coach.
Some young talents have also joined the ESV team, such as 20-year-old Felix Schurr, whom Becher once had under his wing in the Kaufbeurer offspring.
His team must force the game on the opponent "and show a consistent final mentality, like Elias Maier and Erik Modlmayr in Ulm," demands coach Andy Becher.
As for the Gladiators, some players are a bit shaky and the final roster will only emerge in the short term.
Regular defenders Basti Cramer and Paul Wallek will certainly be absent.
Cramer is still suffering from the consequences of a blow from the stick in the friendly against Klostersee and will probably miss the next three weeks.
Wallek caught the flu.
"It's good that we're so well positioned in defense," said Becher.
"We can replace them one-for-one." Sebastian Busch has trained again this week after his injury break - but not yet fully.
The use of the Erdinger Spielmacher will also only be decided at short notice.
As for the Sunday opponent Schweinfurt, Erding's gang boss knows "that it's always very difficult to survive in Schweinfurt".
The Mighty Dogs had won 3-2 after a penalty shoot-out against Dorfen last week, "however, the replacement was severely weakened," as the Gladiators coach knows.
Among other things, the suspended top scorer Dylan Hood was missing.
"We have to stay away from the penalty box in any case," said Becher of his team.
"Fouls always happen, but we have to avoid the unnecessary things." As far as the general situation is concerned, Erding's coach is certain: "You only see where you really stand on the sixth or seventh day of the game."
