Teams | February 7, 2014 at 10:23 PM
Return to winning ways?
Return to winning ways?
Hertha BSC are away to HSV on Saturday evening, with three crucial points at stake for both sides.
Berlin - On Saturday evening (08.02.14, 6.30 pm), Hertha take on HSV, under the floodlights at the Imtech Arena in Hamburg in a crucial Bundesliga matchday 20 clash. Both sides have struggled since the winter break. While HSV lost both of their last games 0-3 - at home to Schalke and in Hoffenheim, Hertha's games were slightly tighter affairs. Their 0-1 loss in Frankfurt was followed by an extremely unlucky 1-3 at home to Nürnberg last weekend. While Hertha's losses can be described as a dampener, HSV's losses have seen them plummet to second bottom place in the Bundesliga table, staring relegation in the face.
While the alarm bells sounded in Hamburg, there was good news to report from Hertha's walking wounded list: John Anthony Brooks and Tolga Cigerci resumed first team training on Wednesday (05.02.14) and have fully participated in every session since. While Brooks failed to make the squad, Cigerci is back. Other men who miss the Hamburg trip are playmaker Alexander Baumjohann and young keeper Rune Almenning Jarstein. The toughest omission to take is without question that of captain Fabian Lustenberger who picked up an injury during Thursday training and was immediately ruled out of the game. Per Skjelbred, who had the flu this week, was able to resume full training again later in the week. The Norwegian would hate to miss out on Saturday. After all, is there anything better than facing the club you have been loaned to Hertha from?
Cigerci back in business
The main topic among fans in the capital this week was of course the home defeat to Nürnberg (1-3) last time out. Hertha coach Jos Luhukay was not blaming match officials for the defeat. The Dutchman said this week: "We only have ourselves to blame because of all the first half chances we wasted." Luhukay explained that Nürnberg made the most out of very little and took maximum points home with them from the capital city. Now though, the team has been focused on the HSV clash all week. Intensive training sessions were preceded by video analysis of HSV. Tolga Cigerci, who returns to the squad following an Achilles injury reckons: "It will be tough for HSV, we will remain 100% focused and try to win."
Times are tough in Hamburg ahead of Hertha's visit. The only club never to have been relegated from the Bundesliga is reeling, after five straight defeats - which equals the worst run in the Bundesliga for them. Hertha midfielder Änis Ben-Hatira, who made his Bundesliga debut in a HSV shirt cannot believe what is happening at his former club. He explained: "They have the quality as well as good and experienced players in their ranks." HSV's main problem is in defence. Despite having Germany internationals Heiko Westermann and Marcel Jansen in at the back, they have conceded 44 goals in 19 games - the worst record in the top flight. Alarmingly for the Rothosen, 40 of those goals were scored from open play.
Lasogga "doubtful"
As if things weren't bad enough for HSV, injuries to key players have taken their toll on recent results. Just after loaning second string striker Ajrtoms Rudnevs to Hannover, attacking midfielder Maxi Beister shattered cruciate ligaments in his knee. He will play no further part in the season. As if to add insult to injury, 22 year old striker on loan at HSV from Hertha Pierre-Michel Lasogga tore a hamstring. The stocky front man has scored 9 valuable goals for HSV so far this season. The Rothosen have not scored without him in the side since the winter break. On the good news side, veterans Heiko Westermann and René Adler resumed training this week. A lat fitness test will determine Lasogga's participation.
Possible line-ups:
Hamburger SV: Adler – Diekmeier, Tah, Westermann, Jansen – Badelj, Arslan – Ilicevic, van der Vaart, Chalhanoglu – Zoua
Hertha BSC: Kraft – Pekarik, Kobiashvili/Janker, Langkamp, van den Bergh – Hosogai, Cigerci – Allagui, Skjelbred, Schulz – Ramos
While the alarm bells sounded in Hamburg, there was good news to report from Hertha's walking wounded list: John Anthony Brooks and Tolga Cigerci resumed first team training on Wednesday (05.02.14) and have fully participated in every session since. While Brooks failed to make the squad, Cigerci is back. Other men who miss the Hamburg trip are playmaker Alexander Baumjohann and young keeper Rune Almenning Jarstein. The toughest omission to take is without question that of captain Fabian Lustenberger who picked up an injury during Thursday training and was immediately ruled out of the game. Per Skjelbred, who had the flu this week, was able to resume full training again later in the week. The Norwegian would hate to miss out on Saturday. After all, is there anything better than facing the club you have been loaned to Hertha from?
Cigerci back in business
The main topic among fans in the capital this week was of course the home defeat to Nürnberg (1-3) last time out. Hertha coach Jos Luhukay was not blaming match officials for the defeat. The Dutchman said this week: "We only have ourselves to blame because of all the first half chances we wasted." Luhukay explained that Nürnberg made the most out of very little and took maximum points home with them from the capital city. Now though, the team has been focused on the HSV clash all week. Intensive training sessions were preceded by video analysis of HSV. Tolga Cigerci, who returns to the squad following an Achilles injury reckons: "It will be tough for HSV, we will remain 100% focused and try to win."
Times are tough in Hamburg ahead of Hertha's visit. The only club never to have been relegated from the Bundesliga is reeling, after five straight defeats - which equals the worst run in the Bundesliga for them. Hertha midfielder Änis Ben-Hatira, who made his Bundesliga debut in a HSV shirt cannot believe what is happening at his former club. He explained: "They have the quality as well as good and experienced players in their ranks." HSV's main problem is in defence. Despite having Germany internationals Heiko Westermann and Marcel Jansen in at the back, they have conceded 44 goals in 19 games - the worst record in the top flight. Alarmingly for the Rothosen, 40 of those goals were scored from open play.
Lasogga "doubtful"
As if things weren't bad enough for HSV, injuries to key players have taken their toll on recent results. Just after loaning second string striker Ajrtoms Rudnevs to Hannover, attacking midfielder Maxi Beister shattered cruciate ligaments in his knee. He will play no further part in the season. As if to add insult to injury, 22 year old striker on loan at HSV from Hertha Pierre-Michel Lasogga tore a hamstring. The stocky front man has scored 9 valuable goals for HSV so far this season. The Rothosen have not scored without him in the side since the winter break. On the good news side, veterans Heiko Westermann and René Adler resumed training this week. A lat fitness test will determine Lasogga's participation.
Possible line-ups:
Hamburger SV: Adler – Diekmeier, Tah, Westermann, Jansen – Badelj, Arslan – Ilicevic, van der Vaart, Chalhanoglu – Zoua
Hertha BSC: Kraft – Pekarik, Kobiashvili/Janker, Langkamp, van den Bergh – Hosogai, Cigerci – Allagui, Skjelbred, Schulz – Ramos