One more win to a Europa League slot...is HUGE for us...it can really give us some much needed super powers during a time that getting back into Europe seemed much impossible if not a fact.From revenue increase to increasing quality player interest in sticking around at Gladbach
Gunna be an interesting few weeks between Schalke & BMG, hopefully Hazard's fit enough to start soon cause he would be a big help to Raffael & Stindl against Schalke's back 3 + Stambouli. Expecting the teams to line up in something like: Which could make it difficult for you guys to get your flow going if you can't pull that back three + Stambouli apart
Hazard should be fit on thursday... not sure if he starts... I nevertheless would field Johnson instead (and that is not only because of the saturday-match, I almost always would begin with Johnson ;-) I think Jantschke is secure (the team has found itself and the match probably is too important to start rotating just now)... Hecking isn't as (over)creative as Schubert in lining up the team I assume... on the other hand you shouldn't be too predictable ;-) Naldo is out for the season since the Saloniki-match... which is very good for us because their defense is even more shaky without him I expect a tougher match than saturday (who don't?) with S04 scrupulously avoiding to offer any counter-attack-opportunities... and generally two cautious teams always keeping in mind that this is a two legs-duel
ah, this is plain wrong I'm afraid: the defeated finalist doesn't get an Europa-League starting place anymore in case the cup-winner did qualify for CL nowadays the seventh of the final table get's the place but no reason to sigh at all: we have still three options and the BuLi-option is now looking better and better especially as both Hertha and Frankfurt lost today... making them and Cologne now having the hot breath of the mighty Borussia in their necks L'kusen sacked Rooooger, I hope their new (interim?) coach won't have the idea of starting a performance like Hecking did
I hope Schalke attacks like mad tonight leaving acres of space in the back for our lightning fast counters. My body is ready, start it already! Am watching with a good friend who is Schalke fan in a old school Berliner Kneipe (Willi Bresch the name). Will be fun.
Got a road goal, then the official allowed a mugging, the rest just stood there, and Schalke knotted it up. Poor from the refs......seems to be a theme this week for some reason........ Hecking sure does love him some Hofmann though........
Actual back problems or "back problems"? I assumed that Hecking was just rotating Kramer & Christensen since the second leg will be in gladbach.
Agree about the Ref's...its just getting worse all over Europe ...each season worse than the one before ! It was pretty horrid during the PSG & FCB game as well..ref was German to
That would be total 'BLISS" and fairy tale material...but i think its more realistic and within our power to take out Einteracht and move into Europe thru the rear door vs winning the EL.I have actually fantasized about it...and trust me even the idea of once more lifting that cup sends chills down my spine. I just want this team to be in the international business so we can benefit from the revenues and being able to hold on to our players & bring in quality
Kramer was under a yellow card suspension. Kicker just said "back problems" for Christensen, so I don't know anything more. Rotation would not surprise me, but we'll see what happens on Sunday.
Well, that's all for the Cup--going out on penalties at home. Not much left to play for this season, as making up 5 points in 4 games is unlikely, with so many teams ahead of us. Wendt is injured (broken elbow) and out for the rest of the season and Drmic will not play again this year. Will be hard to find 11 healthy players left this season.
Such an irritating loss for BMG. They started poorly before taking charge of the game and should've won it before it even got to pens, but Hecking's love of Hofmann and refusal to play anything but a 4-4-2 anymore cost the team. If the team had started Herrmann opposite Traore on the wings or Benes + Dahoud ahead of Strobl; they would have had much more control and threat from the outset. But even with the way they started things could've been rectified if Benes came on for Wendt and they move to a 3-1-4-2 with Hahn - Stindl Traore - Benes - Dahoud - Hofmann Strobl Veste - Christensen - Elvedi With Herrmann coming on for Hofmann or Hahn and slotting in on the right.