How does Timo Schultz react to the triple loss at 1. FC Köln? Davie Selke wants to be “a good option” for the derby in Mönchengladbach.
As soon as a returnee is announced, Timo Schultz has to compensate for the next absences. While Davie Selke is about to make a comeback, 1. FC Köln are missing three starting eleven candidates in the derby against Borussia Mönchengladbach: Jan Thielmann and Dejan Ljubicic (both suspended) and Justin Diehl (muscle injury).
Selke comes into focus all the more. Schultz had already thought about nominating the 29-year-old for the squad before the home game against Bayer Leverkusen, but then made “a sensible decision”. The FC coach explained: “I would have liked to have Davie included. But he didn’t take part in a full training session and didn’t even play eleven against eleven in training.”
Selke “more than an alternative” against Gladbach
In addition, Schultz was also aware of this, Selke “has a history here at FC, where he once came back too early after an injury.” At the beginning of the season, Steffen Baumgart had to replace the attacker several times before Selke was finally eliminated completely. Table 16 wants such a scenario. Under no circumstances should you take any risks in the crucial weeks of the season.
For Selke himself, the spectator role against Leverkusen was “okay,” as he explained on Sunday in the “We:Watch Show,” an FC YouTube format. After a full week of training before the derby in Gladbach, he believes he is “a good option for the game”. Schultz agreed: “Against Gladbach, Davie is certainly more than an alternative.” The coming days will show whether there is even enough for the starting eleven.
In addition to Selke, another top performer is likely to be particularly keen on the duel on the Lower Rhine: Florian Kainz, who sat on the bench for the full distance against Leverkusen for the first time this season. This decision was also explained by Schultz, who had “been in communication all week” with his captain. Even before the previous game against third-placed Stuttgart (1-1), the Cologne coaching team was thinking about “putting more emphasis on speed in games where we tend to take a wait-and-see approach” – and not on Kainz.
Kainz the match winner in the first leg
His bitter bench debut is now followed by Gladbach, the Bundesliga team against whom he collected his most scorer points (four goals, two assists). In the 3-1 win in the first leg, the Austrian showed his best performance of the season so far and converted two penalties. Schultz is convinced: “Florian can be an absolute difference-maker for us – in games where we have more possession of the ball and can push the opponent more into the final third.” This could certainly be more the case in Gladbach than against the unbeaten league leaders Leverkusen.
Kainz and Selke may even help each other into the starting eleven. One man’s flanks are another man’s fodder. Kainz has prepared three of Selke’s ten goals for FC so far with crosses. From now on he finally has a buyer for these again.