Jop: We will want to impose our way of playing

The beginning of November brings a home match against GKS Tychy, which Wisła will face on Monday evening. What did coach Mariusz Jop have to say before this clash?

Bartosz Talar, Marc Carbó, Igor Łasicki, Jakub Stępak, Joseph Colley, Enis Fazlagić, Igor Sapała, Piotr Starzyński, and Patryk Gogół will not be available for the match against GKS Tychy. Bartosz Jaroch, on the other hand, is ruled out by yellow cards.

The slightly reworked Kraków defense performed well in Płock. Does the coach have a headache about who to choose this time before the next match? "There are always dilemmas about which direction to go. There are various possibilities, for example, Mikulec could play in place of Jaroch. We're building around three defenders, so at some point he's also a central defender. Kiakos could also play, so there are plenty of possibilities here. I'll definitely try to find the optimal solution for the team, regardless of personalities," began coach Jop. "There's a defined hierarchy, there's competition for positions, but as I said before, the most important thing right now is the team and what's optimal for it. I don't want to go into too much detail here, because that would give away the lineup, but depending on the situation and what we need most for a given match, I'll decide on the starting eleven," he added.

An injury has sidelined Marc Carbó. Is there any word on how long the midfielder will be out? "We're monitoring him every day. It's certainly positive that he's making significant progress in his treatment. Perhaps the most optimistic prognosis is that he'll be ready for the upcoming away match against Stal Stalowa Wola," he expressed hope.

So who will replace the Spaniard? Mariusz Kutwa or perhaps Olivier Sukiennicki? "That's one solution. Jesus Alfaro also played as a number eight in midfield a few times and performed very well, so that's another possibility. Duarte also played as a number eight once, and there are more possibilities. Of course, you have to maintain a balance between attacking and defensive actions. Marc is certainly difficult to replace because he's a player who, in addition to being very good at defending and tackling, also has a bit of height, which we as a team generally lack. And he can sometimes give his teammates a great pass to open up a scoring opportunity. He's definitely a leader in the second line, and his absence is a major shortcoming," he noted.

A question was also asked about the absence of Partyk Gogół: "Partryk and Piotrek Starzyński are scheduled to begin full training with the team, with the group, on Tuesday. They will be able to participate in games. 'Gogi' had a problem with his medial collateral ligament."

Speaking of personalities, one journalist asked the coach if Mariusz Kutwa had the makings of a good center-back. He replied: "Mariusz was tested as a center-back during the pre-season under coach Rude, and he looked very good in those friendlies. Several times in the reserve team, he was one of the three builders, so in that transitional phase, he became one of the center-backs. And the fact that he played in the six position for so long only gives him an additional advantage and greater freedom when it comes to bringing the ball into play, which is very important given our style of play. Overall, I think that Mariusz's optimal position, where he can contribute the most to the team, is center-back, not number six."

Olivier Sukiennicki, who has been getting fewer opportunities lately, has had a great start at number 22. "There's competition simply in the position he plays. Previously, he was thrown around a bit – playing as a left winger, as a number 10, or as an eight. His position wasn't fully defined. Of course, he showed great quality with the ball, but with our style of play, how he plays defensively is very important, and that's definitely something he needs to work on, because he had fewer responsibilities at his previous club. From my perspective, he has slightly different guidelines in terms of what I expect from him, and he needs to eliminate certain deficits he has. However, he's working very hard on that, and we're seeing progress in that area as well. It's a competition, nothing more. I don't think there's a player who wouldn't benefit from it or benefit from it," he added.

GKS Tychy is a team that has yet to win an away game. What kind of opponent are Wisła fans expecting? "Regarding GKS Tychy, in my opinion, since coach Skowronek's arrival, the team is definitely playing better and better. It's definitely a team with a lot of running skills. Furthermore, in terms of average age, they have a lot of young players. In turn, when it comes to the physical aspect, ambition, that's something that characterizes this team. You can also see a certain structure to their game. What's surprising is the number of points they're earning, because with this type of play and the number of chances they create as a team, they have very few wins. This is definitely not a team that will come here and lie down. They will definitely fight to win and to show their best side in Kraków. In situations like this, when they're low on points, everyone expects a breakthrough against Wisła Kraków. However, on our side, it's completely natural, because we know that everyone who plays against us is doubly motivated. This element of character, in terms of determination and commitment, has to be at least at the same level. It's the foundation of football in general." "Football. We shouldn't even discuss it too much. To show your quality, you have to be at least as committed as your opponent, and I can't imagine it being any different here in front of our home crowd. We'll simply want to impose our style of play. We'll want to play very aggressively, press, engage in duels, and show our quality in attack. That's our goal for this match," he analyzed.

Before the Wisła and GKS Tychy players take the field, the draw for the Polish Cup Round of 16 will take place. Which opponent would Coach Jop like to play against? "That's completely off the top of my head. I'm just focused on tomorrow's match, and what will fate bring? We'll try to play like we do in every other match – for victory," concluded Coach Mariusz Jop.