Teams | March 8, 2014 at 11:24 PM
Maintain strong away form
Maintain strong away form
Hertha BSC hope to add points to their tally away to Mainz on Sunday (09.03.14).
Berlin - Hertha will have their work cut out on Sunday evening (09.03.14, 5.30pm), as they take on 1. FSV Mainz 05. at the Coface-Arena on Bundesliga matchday 24. Mainz have impressed this season, losing only one of their nine home games so far. They won two and drew one of their last three home games. So it won't be easy, but then again Hertha have also impressed on their travels this season. Seasoned Georgian Levan Kobiashvilli said this week: "We have played well away from home and collected a lot of points." Now it is all about maintaining that kind of form.
Last time out Hertha could only draw 0-0 with SC Freiburg at the Olympic stadium in Berlin and lost two key players to injury: Midfielder Tolga Cigerci tore a thigh muscle while winger Änis Ben-Hatira injured a toe which will keep him out of action for a while. The capital city side are still without captain Fabian Lustenberger. Many Hertha players were on international duty in midweek but most reported back for training on Thursday. John Anthony Brooks returned with a bruised thigh and Norwegian battler Per Skjelbred picked up an ankle injury. Both have however made the squad for Sunday.
Carry on fine away form
A glance at the Bundesliga table is a welcome pastime of Hertha fans this season. After 23 matches the team has collected 35 points - an impressive tally. But nobody in Berlin is thinking about resting on any laurels just yet: "We want three points on Sunday as we always do", said Levan Kobiashvili earlier this week. After at times superb performances in the first half of the season, results haven't been as good this year. In recent home games the team played well but lacked efficiency in front of goal which cost a lot of points. Hertha boss Jos Luhukay explained: "We play better at home, but don't take as many points as we do away where we play worse but take more points." Hertha are currently third in the away table ahead of matchday 24, having won five of their last six matches. The last defeat was 0-1 in Frankfurt.
Life is good at Mainz at the moment. The mood is good and not only because of the annual carnival celebrations currently taking place there. The Rhein-based home side have impressed on the pitch this term. A lot of that is down to head coach Thomas Tuchel and his staff. He took charge in August 2009 and has firmly established Mainz in the German top flight. Their care free but flexible way of playing has won them many fans nationwide.
Development through shrewd signings
The tactics of Tuchel have certainly paid off for Mainz, who recently beat Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 and took a point of Schalke. Mainz kept clean sheets in both games. Shrewd signings have massively contributed to that defensive stability. Last summer mainz signed Japanese striker Shinji Okazaki. During the winter break Ja-Cheol Koo joined them from Bundesliga rivals VfL Wolfsburg for a club transfer fee. The South Korean was at the very top of Tuchel's wanted list. There was also a change between the Mainz posts. Until recently Christian Wetklo and Heinz Müller fought for that spot, but now Tuchel has put his faith in young stopper Loris Karius, who has repaid that trust with steady performances. Mainz are without midfield battler Julian Baumgartlinger and striker Dani Schahin on Sunday. Both are carrying knocks.
"Mainz are playing a good season similar to ours, so it will be anything but an easy away game. But we are not without a chance of success", knows left back Johannes van den Bergh. Luhukay added: "Their coach is doing a fine job with his team so we know what to expect in Mainz. Hertha are unbeaten in their last four games against Sunday's hosts. In 11 Bundesliga matches Mainz have only managed two wins.
Possible line-ups:
Mainz: Karius - Pospech, Bell, Noveski, Park - Geis, Soto - Moritz, Koo, N. Müller - Okazaki
Hertha BSC: Kraft – Pekarik, Langkamp, Kobiashvili, van den Bergh – Hosogai, Niemeyer – Ndjeng, Skjelbred (Ronny), Allagui – Ramos
Last time out Hertha could only draw 0-0 with SC Freiburg at the Olympic stadium in Berlin and lost two key players to injury: Midfielder Tolga Cigerci tore a thigh muscle while winger Änis Ben-Hatira injured a toe which will keep him out of action for a while. The capital city side are still without captain Fabian Lustenberger. Many Hertha players were on international duty in midweek but most reported back for training on Thursday. John Anthony Brooks returned with a bruised thigh and Norwegian battler Per Skjelbred picked up an ankle injury. Both have however made the squad for Sunday.
Carry on fine away form
A glance at the Bundesliga table is a welcome pastime of Hertha fans this season. After 23 matches the team has collected 35 points - an impressive tally. But nobody in Berlin is thinking about resting on any laurels just yet: "We want three points on Sunday as we always do", said Levan Kobiashvili earlier this week. After at times superb performances in the first half of the season, results haven't been as good this year. In recent home games the team played well but lacked efficiency in front of goal which cost a lot of points. Hertha boss Jos Luhukay explained: "We play better at home, but don't take as many points as we do away where we play worse but take more points." Hertha are currently third in the away table ahead of matchday 24, having won five of their last six matches. The last defeat was 0-1 in Frankfurt.
Life is good at Mainz at the moment. The mood is good and not only because of the annual carnival celebrations currently taking place there. The Rhein-based home side have impressed on the pitch this term. A lot of that is down to head coach Thomas Tuchel and his staff. He took charge in August 2009 and has firmly established Mainz in the German top flight. Their care free but flexible way of playing has won them many fans nationwide.
Development through shrewd signings
The tactics of Tuchel have certainly paid off for Mainz, who recently beat Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 and took a point of Schalke. Mainz kept clean sheets in both games. Shrewd signings have massively contributed to that defensive stability. Last summer mainz signed Japanese striker Shinji Okazaki. During the winter break Ja-Cheol Koo joined them from Bundesliga rivals VfL Wolfsburg for a club transfer fee. The South Korean was at the very top of Tuchel's wanted list. There was also a change between the Mainz posts. Until recently Christian Wetklo and Heinz Müller fought for that spot, but now Tuchel has put his faith in young stopper Loris Karius, who has repaid that trust with steady performances. Mainz are without midfield battler Julian Baumgartlinger and striker Dani Schahin on Sunday. Both are carrying knocks.
"Mainz are playing a good season similar to ours, so it will be anything but an easy away game. But we are not without a chance of success", knows left back Johannes van den Bergh. Luhukay added: "Their coach is doing a fine job with his team so we know what to expect in Mainz. Hertha are unbeaten in their last four games against Sunday's hosts. In 11 Bundesliga matches Mainz have only managed two wins.
Possible line-ups:
Mainz: Karius - Pospech, Bell, Noveski, Park - Geis, Soto - Moritz, Koo, N. Müller - Okazaki
Hertha BSC: Kraft – Pekarik, Langkamp, Kobiashvili, van den Bergh – Hosogai, Niemeyer – Ndjeng, Skjelbred (Ronny), Allagui – Ramos