By Paul Gorgas, Roberto Lamprecht and Carsten Priefer
Does the Hertha rescue come from Köpenick?
After zero points from four games in 2023 and 1:13 goals, Hertha (17th place) is urgently looking for solutions in the relegation battle. One option: switching to the city rival Union system (2nd place).
So far, Hertha coach Sandro Schwarz (44) has always played with a back four. In addition, there are often three midfield players and a row of three in attack. But Hertha is too harmless at the front and too vulnerable at the back.
Now the Köpenicker recipe for success should save Hertha.
At the break in Frankfurt, Schwarz switched to a system with a five-man defense chain (with three central defenders) for the first time when the score was 0:2 – the formation that Union perfected under coach Urs Fischer (56) and made so successful.
Schwarz: “We had a structural change, then played a decent second half.”
The new system gave the Black Elf more security and possession of the ball, while access Tolga Cigerci (30) gave the game stability as a six. Schwarz: “Tolga did it very well.”
In this way, the new formation can become a permanent solution – and Hertha can serve as a glimmer of hope. At the beginning of the week, Schwarz had the five-bar trained in different occupations. It is possible that central defender Marton Dardai (20) will now slip into the starting XI against Gladbach.
Marton Dardai (right) is about to make the starting eleven. In training he was part of the new defensive chain. Most recently, he was substituted on for a minute against Schalke at the end of October Photo: Jan Philipp Burmann
In the 5-3-2 system, in addition to three central defenders and two full-backs (attacker Marco Richter could even be used here on the right), who march forward when in possession of the ball, three central midfielders are also required.
Cigerci, Lucas Tousart (25) and Suat Serdar (25) are in the lead here.
In the double lead, it currently smells like sprinter Dodi Lukebakio as a kind of hanging tip (25) – similar to Unions Sheraldo Becker (27) – and Florian Niederlechner (32) as a penalty area player – like Unions Kevin Behrens or Jordan Siebatcheu.
With this Union success system, the first Hertha win of the year should succeed in the home game against Gladbach (3.30 p.m., DAZN) on Sunday…