Before the 5th matchday of the Bundesliga, six teams are still without a win. Some saw it coming, others see themselves in a crisis of results – and at two clubs the situation is already serious.
“We knew that the road could be rocky, you can’t take it into account that it would be so rocky”says Roland Virkus. The sports director of Borussia Monchengladbach the disappointment is noticeable these days. Despite the XXL upheaval, more was expected from the “foals”.
But after four match days in the Bundesliga there is still no win. It’s the worst start to the season in eight years, and now a top team, RB Leipzig, is coming to the Lower Rhine. One thing is certain: the massive restructuring of the team is proving more difficult for those responsible than already feared. Added to this is bad luck with injuries: “If you’re in a state of upheaval and then you’re still five players short, then that’s a problem.”says Virkus. The performances in Augsburg (4:4) and Darmstadt (3:3) were particularly bitter, where despite a good offensive it was not enough to win. One thing is certain: patience is required in Mönchengladbach.
No unrest in Cologne yet
At the Rhenish rival, the 1. FC Cologne Despite the false start with just one point from four games, there is no unrest. “We have a crappy result, but everything else is fine”says coach Steffen Baumgart after the 1:3 against TSG Hoffenheim, in which FC was beaten below value, and sees a crisis in results. “Playful and performance-oriented” If he was satisfied, the trainer said: “In terms of points, we are nowhere near where we could be. If we continue like this, we will be rewarded.” At SV Werder Bremen, which has already suffered three defeats, the chances of Cologne’s first win are not bad.
Bochum is struggling with the draws
That applies to him VfL Bochum not. Coach Thomas Letsch’s team has to play against FC Bayern Munich. In Bochum too, after three draws in a row (Dortmund, Augsburg, Frankfurt), people like to talk about a crisis in results. “I think out of the three draws we should have won once, could have won once and should have won once.”says Letsch. “The start is okay overall. We have to reward ourselves with a win, even with a dirty 1-0 as far as I’m concerned.”says Felix Passlack. But that will also be difficult for Bayern.
Darmstadt still in the “discovery phase”
Despite the botched start to the season, coach Torsten Lieberknecht also wants to go SV Darmstadt 98 continue to be patient. “I allow my team to say that they are still in the discovery phase. I see a development for us”said the “Lilien” coach and recently saw small steps forward.
“We knew that extreme quality was coming to us. There’s no way we’re going to tear ourselves apart.”says defense attorney Christoph Klarer. For the 98ers, for whom this season nothing other than staying in the league is important, things didn’t get any easier on matchday 5 either. They had to play at VfB Stuttgart and lost 1:3 (1:2).
Mainz calls for solidarity
The situation is already more precarious 1. FSV Mainz 05. “It’s only dangerous if we don’t stay together”says coach Bo Svensson from the bottom of the Bundesliga. This sounds a lot like perseverance slogans: “But from what I’ve experienced with the group, we’re on the right track.” But the fact is that 1. FSV got off to as bad a start as it did three years ago, when the Dane only took over as head coach during the course of the season.
Even worse: The 05ers have been without a win in nine Bundesliga games across the season. The coach is not up for discussion at Mainz. In Mainz, every cog has to fit into the other so that the club has a chance of having a very good season, explains sports director Christian Heidel: “If that’s not the case, it could just happen that we end up at the bottom like we are now.”
Augsburg: Only one win from the last 16 Bundesliga games
The game at FC Augsburg is of particular importance for Mainz, because FC is also still without a win. “We concede goals far too easily and defend far too poorly as a whole team. That’s not how you get anything in the Bundesliga.”, goalkeeper Finn Dahmen had recently rumbled. Coach Enrico Maaßen’s team has only managed one win in the last 16 games in the Bundesliga.
That doesn’t exactly speak for a good development. Maaßen wants “endure it”he says: “It’s not a dream concert”. But Maaßen believes in a turnaround, with the bottom of the table Mainz 05 an opponent waiting for the 15th “at eye level”.