analysis
Seven clubs started the Bundesliga season with a new coach – with varying degrees of success.
Edin Terzić (Borussia Dortmund, 15 points, 2nd place)
Three points ahead of Bayern in the table and the derby win against Schalke in the bag – Borussia Dortmund and Edin Terzic can go into the international break satisfied. However, the feeling remains that a lot more could have been possible – like in the 2: 3 against Werder Bremen. Another major setback was the clear bankruptcy in Leipzig, where the team presented themselves completely bloodless after conceding an early goal.
Nevertheless, it cannot be overlooked that under Terzic the defensive game, the readiness for action and the work against the ball have improved. Offensively, however, there is often a lack of ideas. The main problem at BVB are the many injuries that mainly affect the offensive – the latest example is Marco Reus. Bayern come to the Westfalenstadion in early October. Then it will be seen whether BVB is at eye level this season or not.
André Breitenreiter (1899 Hoffenheim, 13 points, 4th place)
“The start of the season is good. Things are building up quite a bit there”, said Hoffenheim’s captain Oliver Baumann after the 0-0 draw in the top game at SC Freiburg, sending a big compliment to his coach André Breitenreiter. He deserves it too. With fourth place, Hoffenheim are brilliant.
Game control and positional play, which has always characterized Hoffenheim, has strengthened Breitenreiter. Under him, the team is also improved in terms of play and is not as static as it was under coach Sebastian Hoeneß. Combined with their fighting strength, the TSG is therefore a functioning collective.
“We currently feel a lot of self-confidence and know exactly what we have to do every minute on the pitch. Of course, that is not least due to him.”said striker Andrej Kramaric about Breitenreiter.
Daniel Farke (Borussia Mönchengladbach, 12 points, 6th place)
After a disappointing year under Adi Hütter, Daniel Farke quickly initiated the hoped-for change at Borussia Mönchengladbach. The “foals” have a clear structure and play good combination football with a lot of possession. They are also more defensively stable. This was particularly evident when they won a point in Freiburg and in their recent win against Leipzig. Farke doesn’t seem to mind the fact that he repeatedly has to do without top performers.
Borussia fans also feel a new spirit and cohesion in the team. Players like Marcus Thuram, who had fallen out of favor with the fans in the meantime, clearly enjoy their work again under Farke. Christoph Kramer, often not considered under Hütter, is also flourishing. Farke has already collected so much credit in Gladbach that even possible setbacks will not give rise to any discussions about his good work so far.
Enrico Maassen (FC Augsburg, 9 points, 11th place)
FC Augsburg said goodbye to the break with a bang. Nobody would have expected a win against FC Bayern. And because it was the second three in a row after the success in Bremen, coach Enrico Maaßen can be relatively relaxed.
Before that, however, there had been a lot of criticism. Above all, the blatant weakness at home caused unrest. But recently, FCA not only knew how to convince defensively (no goals conceded), they also showed a lot on the offensive. So Augsburg’s success against Bayern was by no means a happy one. “We’ve never had so many chances against Bayern Munich”manager Stefan Reuter stated with some astonishment.
“Enno has really big balls because he said: either we lose 5-0 or we win 1-0. 70 percent of the coaches park the bus against Bayern.”, said also goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz. Maassen, on the other hand, played with four strikers and was rewarded. Because he can win “classify”, he said. What is certain, however, is that FCA is playing far more handsomely under the new coach than it did last time.
Sandro Schwarz (Hertha BSC, 6 points, 13th place)
Sandro Schwarz knows that he cannot turn the Berliners into a top team overnight. After all, Hertha BSC only held the class at the end of last season through the relegation. Against this background, things are not looking too bad for the “old lady” at the moment.
And there has been a clear upward trend in recent games. “You can see the way we want to play football. That’s important.”says Black too: “But of course we would have liked to get one or the other result more.” At the moment there are still a lot of little things going on against Hertha. Just like last time against Mainz, when the team only had to accept the equalization deep in injury time.
“It’s a different team than last year. They have a clear line with Sandro.”, also praised 05 coach Bo Svensson. In addition to a clear line, the Berliners are now bringing a different mentality and a much stronger fighting spirit to the pitch. What is still missing are playful elements and countable successes.
Frank Kramer (FC Schalke 04, 6 points, 14th place)
After the 6-1 swatter against Union Berlin, there was serious concern about Schalke 04 and their coach Frank Kramer. However, he is not to be envied. It is well known that the squad of the financially strapped district club lacks breadth.
So Kramer has to activate the famous Schalke virtues, which he did well again after the Berlin spill. There was a point in Stuttgart and then the first win against Bochum. It was not to be expected that Schalke would then follow up with a threesome in the derby at Borussia Dortmund.
Of course, Kramer would have played his way into the hearts of the fans with that, where he hasn’t really arrived yet. Although Kramer is undoubtedly a worker. That’s why he fits in with Schalke. In addition, the team presented itself properly in the derby in the narrow 1-0 defeat. Kramer urgently needs to improve the playful side of the team and the offensive processes.
Niko Kovac (VfL Wolfsburg, 5 points, 17th place)
So far it has been completely sobering for VfL Wolfsburg and Niko Kovac. After seven matchdays, the “Wolves” are in a relegation zone and are lagging behind their own claims.
Above all, the coach misses the fighting spirit. “We’re just not ready to have the basics that you need in football, the passion, the camaraderie, the mentality, the sacrifice. I miss that.”, he said. But he also knows that in the end it is his job that the team calls for exactly that. Since this has not happened so far, one can assume that things are not going very well between the discipline fanatic Kovac and the team. The ejection of attacker Max Kruse also recently caused unrest.
Managing Director Jörg Schmadtke meanwhile tried the usual phrases. When asked how much trust there was in the coach, Schmadtke said without hesitation: “Big. We don’t question the coach. And we don’t ignore him either. So there’s no discussion about it.” Kovac also remains calm. After seven matchdays, no one has been relegated and no one has become a champion. However, consequences would have to be drawn from the previous performance as soon as possible.