Teams | February 8, 2013 at 11:53 AM
Carry on the good work
Carry on the good work
Hertha BSC are keen to extend their fine unbeaten run to eighteen games, away to SSV Jahn Regensburg on Sunday (03.02.13, 13.30 CET) as the Bundesliga 2 season resumes after the winter break.
Jahn Regensburg: Remember? Hertha have fond memories of the first meeting between the two teams earlier in the season at the Olympic stadium in Berlin. After making a stuttering start to the new season with a draw and a defeat from their opening two games, Hertha returned to winning ways by beating Regensburg 2-1. Since then the capital city side are unbeaten in seventeen league games - a club record.
Things come full circle on Sunday as Hertha play Bundesliga two bottom-placed Regensburg. Hertha boss Jos Luhukay does not think that his side's superb unbeaten run will end on Sunday. He told the media at the pre-match press conference: "We have worked well during the break and are fully focused. We want a positive result from our first game after the winter break."
Differing fortunes
The fortunes of both clubs could hardly be any more different. While Hertha are taking giant strides towards (hopefully) promotion back to the top flight at the first attempt, Sunday's Bavaria-based hosts are propping up the Bundesliga two table, having only won 3 times in 19 matches. Despite that fact Hertha manager Michael Preetz had a word of warning for the team ahead of the game. He said: "We must not be blinded by how things look on paper. We won all four of our last away games, and we want to carry on that good work. We have a long hard road ahead if we are to achieve our goal of promotion back to the Bundesliga."
There are no comparisons to be made between the first meeting and the one on Sunday. Coach Franz Smuda took over at the start of this year. Regensburg are hoping for better luck with a new man at the Helm. Francky Sembolo, their top scorer with seven goals is impressed with his new boss. He said this week: "The coach has introduced a new system, we now hold our shape better and are more confident." That confidence will be badly needed on Sunday as Regensburg entertain the most prolific scoring team in Bundesluiga 2. Hertha have scored 36 goals in their 19 matches so far. That may be good, but apparently not good enough for Luhukay who explained to the press: "We have a lot of quality going forward, but we need to be more efficient in front of goal."
Skipperless visitors
Kuhukay is without his influential skipper in Regensburg: Peter Niemeyer is struggling with a painful toe injury. The former Werder Bremen defender told us: "With or without me, we cannot afford to drop any points in Regensburg." Niemeyer does not think that he will be too badly missed. He pointed out: "We had a lot of bad luck with injuries before the winter break and the players who came into the team performed well. Our strength in depth is a major asset of ours." Luhukay would not be drawn on who will play alongside Peer Kluge in front of the back four on Sunday in the place of his captain. He has almost a full strength squad to choose from, so he has been testing several variations leading up to the game.
Important players like Pierre-Michel Lasogga, Änis Ben-Hatira and Levan Kobiashvili are now back in contention. The Dutchman is however not prepared to take any unnecessary risks. Luhukay again: "Those returning from injury and suspension are not yet ready. How could they be? You cannot recuperate their time on the sidelines in a couple of weeks. I don’t want to overdo things. I will gradually bring them back to the first team fold." Hertha's goal is to carry on the good work done before the winter break. On paper Regensburg look the perfect opponent to just that. But what's paper...
Possible line-ups:
Jahn Regensburg: T. Ochs - Nachreiner, Laurito, Kamavuaka, C. Rahn - J.-P. Müller, Hein - Carlinhos, Wießmeier, Machado - Sembolo
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Ndjeng, Brooks, Lustenberger, Holland - Kluge, Knoll - Allagui, Ronny, Sahar - Ramos
Things come full circle on Sunday as Hertha play Bundesliga two bottom-placed Regensburg. Hertha boss Jos Luhukay does not think that his side's superb unbeaten run will end on Sunday. He told the media at the pre-match press conference: "We have worked well during the break and are fully focused. We want a positive result from our first game after the winter break."
Differing fortunes
The fortunes of both clubs could hardly be any more different. While Hertha are taking giant strides towards (hopefully) promotion back to the top flight at the first attempt, Sunday's Bavaria-based hosts are propping up the Bundesliga two table, having only won 3 times in 19 matches. Despite that fact Hertha manager Michael Preetz had a word of warning for the team ahead of the game. He said: "We must not be blinded by how things look on paper. We won all four of our last away games, and we want to carry on that good work. We have a long hard road ahead if we are to achieve our goal of promotion back to the Bundesliga."
There are no comparisons to be made between the first meeting and the one on Sunday. Coach Franz Smuda took over at the start of this year. Regensburg are hoping for better luck with a new man at the Helm. Francky Sembolo, their top scorer with seven goals is impressed with his new boss. He said this week: "The coach has introduced a new system, we now hold our shape better and are more confident." That confidence will be badly needed on Sunday as Regensburg entertain the most prolific scoring team in Bundesluiga 2. Hertha have scored 36 goals in their 19 matches so far. That may be good, but apparently not good enough for Luhukay who explained to the press: "We have a lot of quality going forward, but we need to be more efficient in front of goal."
Skipperless visitors
Kuhukay is without his influential skipper in Regensburg: Peter Niemeyer is struggling with a painful toe injury. The former Werder Bremen defender told us: "With or without me, we cannot afford to drop any points in Regensburg." Niemeyer does not think that he will be too badly missed. He pointed out: "We had a lot of bad luck with injuries before the winter break and the players who came into the team performed well. Our strength in depth is a major asset of ours." Luhukay would not be drawn on who will play alongside Peer Kluge in front of the back four on Sunday in the place of his captain. He has almost a full strength squad to choose from, so he has been testing several variations leading up to the game.
Important players like Pierre-Michel Lasogga, Änis Ben-Hatira and Levan Kobiashvili are now back in contention. The Dutchman is however not prepared to take any unnecessary risks. Luhukay again: "Those returning from injury and suspension are not yet ready. How could they be? You cannot recuperate their time on the sidelines in a couple of weeks. I don’t want to overdo things. I will gradually bring them back to the first team fold." Hertha's goal is to carry on the good work done before the winter break. On paper Regensburg look the perfect opponent to just that. But what's paper...
Possible line-ups:
Jahn Regensburg: T. Ochs - Nachreiner, Laurito, Kamavuaka, C. Rahn - J.-P. Müller, Hein - Carlinhos, Wießmeier, Machado - Sembolo
Hertha BSC: Kraft - Ndjeng, Brooks, Lustenberger, Holland - Kluge, Knoll - Allagui, Ronny, Sahar - Ramos