Mihaylov knows Twente must raise their game
Monday, November 1, 2010
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FC Twente No1 Nikolay Mihaylov says his side go to SV Werder Bremen with a positive outlook but knows they must "play a little bit better" than when the teams drew two weeks ago.
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FC Twente must improve at both ends of the field against SV Werder Bremen if they are to have any chance of moving into contention in UEFA Champions League Group A, says Nikolay Mihaylov.
The goalkeeper was part of the team which drew 1-1 with Bremen in Enschede on Matchday 3, conceding a late equaliser to Marko Arnautović after Theo Janssen's 75th-minute goal looked to have earned Twente a maiden group-stage win. While Mihaylov is promising a bold approach in the hope of gaining a victory which could lift them into second, the 22-year-old knows Twente must raise their game for what he considers to "a more difficult" assignment than when the sides met two weeks ago.
"We have to play a little bit better, both offensively and defensively," said Mihaylov, who scored an own goal against the Bundesliga club while playing for PFC Levski Sofia in October 2006. "We are going to try to score goals and we're going there to get some points, maybe one or maybe three."
Reflecting on the draw between the sides last month, Mihaylov said: "It was disappointing because they scored in the 80th minute. It was partly down to a small mistake from ourselves that they equalised, but still they had a couple of chances. We also had a few chances so, in the end, it was the right result."
Though disappointed on that occasion, Mihaylov has enjoyed a promising campaign thus far having established himself as a No1 for the first in his career. The Bulgarian international has not looked back since replacing the injured Sander Boschker at the start of the season, performing so well at home and abroad that Twente's experienced goalkeeper has been unable to regain his place.
"I am feeling very happy because I have been here for two years," explained Mihaylov, who initially joined the Eredivisie outfit on loan from Liverpool FC prior to making the arrangement permanent in 2009 after failing to dislodge Pepe Reina at Anfield. "I played two good games against Sporting Lisbon last year but after that I didn't get the chance to play. Sander Boschker played all the games and we became champions so it was a good season for the team. Now I'm happy that I'm playing, that I'm helping my team and we're doing well. I just want it to stay that way and to stay fit, that's the most important thing for me."
