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The hosts on Thursday showed a spark of life on defense, which is the most acute problem for a team that has replaced half the players at the start of the season.
But the problem “no. 2 ”continued to push the leg evenly. Kaunas again made almost as many successful passes (15) as errors (14), and the basketball player, who was supposed to be the engine of the team’s game, devoured most of the duel on the substitute bench.
Emmanuel Mudiay, who started the game in the fifth starter, missed the first 3 pitches and then his performance was only episodic. The player spent only 12 minutes on the parquet. and satisfied with 4 points. The newcomer from “Žalgiris” made 2 effective passes, but also made a mistake 2 times.
Emmanuel socializes very well with teammates, new surroundings and culture. I think he is going to have a tougher period because he is a very good, kind and understanding young man. He realizes that he needs another player on the field right now.
Martin Schiller
In the shadows, E. Mudiay left Lukas Lekavičius first (10 points, 6 assists), and Mantas Kalnietis pushed the 25-year-old defender even further into the depths of the reserve bench – the veteran’s organization in attacks was also noticeably better.
After the game, Schiller reiterated his willingness to wait for a better version of Mudiay, who had not played last season, until December.
The “Žalgiris” coach covered the most famous addition of the preseason with criticism, stating that it would be a mistake to blame only E. Mudiay for the stagnation of the attack.
“It just came to our attention then. His main weapon: the advances in the penalty area, so far, so to speak, is neutralized, there is no stability. Only a few games were good for Emmanuel. But I am optimistic.
Socialize very well with teammates, new environments and culture. I think he is going to have a tougher period because he is a very good, kind and understanding young man. He realizes that he needs another player on the field right now. I believe that Emmanuel will find a way in the coming months to attack Europe, we will all find it. It’s unfair to put all the pressure on his shoulder, it definitely wouldn’t help him at all, “said the 39-year-old Austrian.
Emmanuelis Mudiay
© DELFI / Josvydas Elinskas
Commenting on the entire team’s play at the time, Schiller said he was already seeing the first fruits of the defense system tweaks introduced at the end of the preseason.
He stated that stopping the opponents’ two-on-two game is tolerable, and the only problem is bad one-on-one play.
“Our schemes were exactly the same in the first and second half of the game. But after the break we lost 30 points, 10 less than in the first two halves. Therefore, we simply execute the plan better.
We defended more intensely, we hit the ball much more frequently, we reduced the number of points lost in one-on-one situations by three times. Yes, Jordan Loyd shined in the end, but I think Janis Strelniekis defended him quite well, only Mr. Loyd himself, a very good player.
The problem was, they had a hard time attacking themselves. We had to make some more effective counterattacks. Fast play is our problem so far, ”said Schiller.
The manager did not speak of the idea expressed the day before by club director Paulius Motiejūnas that due to unsatisfactory play, team changes may occur.
“I know we would like an answer, but I won’t comment on that. It’s just that there really isn’t a deadline by which we hope to have a newcomer,” said M. Schiller.
Up ya get new friend 🚀# 7DAYSMagicMoment pic.twitter.com/dKR5rl3jNC
– Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) October 7, 2021
The Kaunas team’s first home games this season were watched by more than 10,000. fans. Before that, the Lithuanian champions had loaned the Žalgiris Arena to the participants of the world futsal championship held in the country for three weeks.
During the match, applause also sounded for defender Renaldas Seibučius, who played for Žalgiris in 2015-2017.
The kind of reception you get when you’ve played @bczalgiris ?# 7DAYSMagicMoment pic.twitter.com/yx62BaaXrz
– Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) October 7, 2021
Former Zenit rivals Artūras Gudaitis and Mindaugas Kuzminskas scored 7 and 3 points, respectively.
Injured defenders Janis Strelniekas and Lukas Lekavičius and forward Paulius Jankūnas returned to the square on Thursday. Zenit started the Euroleague season without the serious injury of Kevin Pangos’ successor at the club and main organizer of the attack, Shabazzo Napier.
Historically, Zenit remains invincible to Kaunas residents; the latter have lost all five mutual confrontations.
Next week, Žalgiris will play two Euroleague matches in the Balkans: on Wednesday he will visit Crvena Zvezda from Belgrade (Serbia), and on Friday he will visit Piraeus Olympiakos (Greece).
Zenit is looking forward to matches with CSKA in Moscow (Russia) and at home with Bayern in Munich (Germany).
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