Day 4 preview: Bundesliga – bench, late starter and the word M

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RB Leipzig v VfL Wolfsburg (Saturday, 15:30)

When the ball rolls into Leipzig on Saturday afternoon, both teams will be under pressure at the start of the season. With just two points and still winless, both Leipzig and Wolfsburg are in the lower half of the table. For RB it is also the Bundesliga’s worst start to the season since promotion in 2016.

The defect of both teams: missed goals. Leipzig creates many chances, but the ball rarely ends up in the net (4 out of 52). Wolfsburg, on the other hand, are already struggling when it comes to creating chances: 36 shots on target in three games are below average, as are two goals scored.

It is even more surprising that new Wolfsburg manager Niko Kovac has so far largely given up on Max Kruse’s services. The Bundesliga’s third most successful active striker (97 goals) has been on the bench in his last three games, the last time he happened to be as a young up and coming at Werder Bremen. Kruse could play a decisive role against Leipzig’s not yet solid defensive line, both in the starting eleven and as a joker.

1. FSV Mainz 05 – Bayer 04 Leverkusen (Saturday, 15:30)

The fact that two Bayern players are at the top of the scorer list is not unexpected, despite Lewandowski’s farewell. But nobody really expected Karim Onisiwo from Mainz. With his three goals after three games, the Austrian is representative of the 05ers’ good start to the season.

Patrick Schick is also a symbol of his club’s emotional world. However, he symbolizes Bayer 04’s completely messed up start to the season. After scoring 24 goals last season, the Leverkusen striker has already lost four big chances this season and has yet to celebrate.

Overall, the Werkselfs have only scored one goal and are in 17th place in the standings, but that’s only thanks to Bochum’s massive defeat on Matchday 3.

TSG Hoffenheim v FC Augsburg (Saturday, 15:30)

Four games, three wins and one defeat remained outnumbered for over 70 minutes: at TSG Hoffenheim they are quite satisfied with the start of the season under the guidance of new coach André Breitenreiter. In Augusta, the assessment is a bit more difficult. The surprise success in Leverkusen contrasts with the two home defeats. But where does Enrico Maassen’s team really fit in?

In any case, his team still owes something in an offensive way. After the starts of Michael Gregoritsch and Alfred Finnbogason, there was a lack of offensive variability – the result: only 23 shots. After all, it’s good that Augsburg still have three goals scored.

In Hoffenheim, however, the new ones are currently shining. Grischa Prömel arrived from Union Berlin and was immediately seeded and with 37 kilometers in three games is the player with the most points in the league. Behind him, Ozan Kabak (Schalke 04) is turning into a real reinforcement. The Turk is extremely strong in the air and has won 62 percent of his duels. Only Angelino was able to win more (64 percent), also a newcomer to Kraichgau.

Hertha BSC – Borussia Dortmund (Saturday, 15:30)

Relegation spot 16, only one point and two goals scored – in Berlin there are fears that a messy season similar to last year may be on hold. But on closer inspection, the people of the capital seem a little more solid. After setbacks and goals conceded, the team no longer falls apart and with 38 shots on goal the “old lady” has even aimed more often at the opponent’s area on arrival.

At BVB they haven’t been able to hear the M word for years. And what is meant is not mastery, but mentality. At least since Marco Reus broke his collar in an interview, the only word is a red rag. After Werder’s sensational comeback race last weekend, in which Borussia lost 2-0 after the 89th minute, the M word threatens to haunt Dortmund again.

Regardless of mentality problems, Edin Terzic’s team has not yet reached its playful maximum. The two Bundesliga wins against Leverkusen and Freiburg were also not entirely convincing. It is good that Hertha are one of new striker Anthony Modeste’s favorite opponents: he has already scored seven goals in ten games.

Schalke 04 – 1. FC Union Berlin (Saturday, 15:30)

Should Schalke 04 score a goal at home on Saturday afternoon, one of the journalist’s favorite words will certainly not be far off: of all things. Practically the entire offensive department of the “Royal Blues” has already gone hunting for goals for Union and would score “anything” against the former club. Sebastian Polter played a total of 4.5 years in Köpenick, Simon Terodde played for Union from 2011 to 2014 and Marius Bülter also played for another two years.

To score, however, you need the ball, and both teams involved have relatively little in the league. Since being promoted to the Bundesliga, Union Berlin have specialized in doing a lot with little possession.

By the way, Union goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow brings with him an interesting statistic. In his ten Bundesliga games with the Berliners he has never lost (7 wins, 3 draws). When the Dane was loaned to Schalke in 2020/21, the world looked different. He has never managed to win with Gelsenkirchen (4 draws, 7 defeats).

Bayern Munich v Borussia Mönchengladbach (Saturday, 18:30)

No club has ever started the season like FC Bayern in the current season. Nine points after three days of play is less impressive, but the 15: 1 goals are pretty scary. And the danger to the opposing team is usually lurking everywhere. Nine different scorers have already been able to celebrate: in the previous season, the Monaco team had reached him only after the 9th matchday.

With Borussia Mönchengladbach, the runner-up arrives in Munich and is therefore a worthy host for an important match on Saturday night. Also worthy because no team in the last eleven years has made things as difficult for Bayern as Borussia. Gladbach scored 31 points in head-to-head duels – Dortmund only 18. And Daniel Farke’s side should be well prepared too – the manager recently offered the same starting eleven three times.

1. FC Cologne – VfB Stuttgart (Sunday, 15:30)

1. FC Köln are also happy with many different scorers. After all, five different players have already scored for the goats, plus an own goal from Leipzig. Last season Anthony Modeste alone was responsible for nearly 40 percent of all goals. Cologne now plays more variably and is less predictable. Especially in the second half, five of Köln’s six goals came after half-time.

VfB Stuttgart are still waiting for their first win of the season but have very positive and exciting memories of 1. FC Köln. On matchday 34, the duo was Stuttgart-Cologne, and the Swabians managed to save themselves at the last second. It was Wataru Endo who scored the redemption goal in the 92nd minute, thus saving the VfB relegation. This time the knot should break out in Cologne.

Werder Bremen – Eintracht Frankfurt (Sunday, 17:30)

Werder’s three goals in Dortmund on Matchday 3 are historic. Never before has a two-goal disadvantage been transformed so late in the game. The absolute specialist in final goals is obviously Oliver Burke, author of both the draw in the final against Stuttgart (2nd day) and the winning goal against BVB in the 95th minute.

The Scotsman has come off the bench anyway – so far he hasn’t managed to get past Marvin Ducksch and Niclas Füllkrug, let’s see how many late goals he still has to score.

Bremen’s opponent on Sunday evening is Eintracht Frankfurt and the SBU have remained winless in eleven Bundesliga games. Only in the 1980s did Frankfurt have a longer negative streak. Also, there is a tactical change in the current stage. After Filip Kostic left, Oliver Glasner played for the first time since September 2021. Luca Pellegrini, who arrived in an exchange, played on the left, but in the match against Cologne he did not score a single cross, probably the difference bigger for Kostic.

Those: sportschau.de

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