In the Bundesliga, Borussia Mönchengladbach is still waiting for its first success after the World Cup winter break. The matchday data show problems in speed and offensive play.
Minus times minus equals plus, that’s what mathematics teaches us. And if the weakest away team in the Bundesliga plays against the weakest home team to date, the question remains for whom the sign will actually turn positive. After the harmless performance by Borussia Mönchengladbach at FC Augsburg (0: 1) on Wednesday (01/25/2023), it is clear that the minus in front of the Gladbach trend in the new year will stop for the time being.
Farke preaches realism and puts the brakes on European expectations
Because in 2023 Borussia will still have a sobering zero-point yield after the bankruptcies against Leverkusen and now Augsburg. Quite apart from the false start in January, Gladbach’s away weakness has been a problem throughout the first half of the season. Only at Schalke, in Munich, Freiburg and Wolfsburg did they draw. Only the basement teams Stuttgart and Schalke have also not celebrated a single win on a foreign pitch.
Clubs with which the “foals” do not want to be mentioned in the same breath because of their European ambitions. Coach Daniel Farke slowed down these expectations at the press conference after the Augsburg bankruptcy, which caused Gladbach’s gap to the international places to grow to nine points.
“We’re there, which is realistically possible,” the 46-year-old defended the first half of the season. “Our most spectacular summer transfer was Ko Itakura from the second division. We have four days before the first game (Goalkeeper Yann Sommer went to Bayern Munich in Januaryd. Red.) handed over to our vice-captain for economic reasons.” Gladbach is “far from riding into the Champions League.”
Gladbach problems: offensive and mileage
However, it is also true that Gladbach afforded the luxury of keeping large parts of the squad together again in the summer and keeping top performers such as French runner-up Marcus Thuram, his compatriot Alassane Pléa or left-back Ramy Bensebaini, who also has offensive qualities.
The Gladbach players thank the away fans for their support.
Farke was “disappointed” and “a bit angry” about his team’s attacking performance in Augsburg. “Technically sloppy,” was his verdict on the offensive game. In a game day comparison with the other Bundesliga clubs, the data situation confirms the room for improvement. Gladbach had the fewest goal actions (seven) on matchday 17, and none of them had any real chances. There was no shot on goal in the second half.
After a strong mileage against Leverkusen, this value left a lot to be desired. Gladbach adapted to the game of FCA, who were not too enthusiastic about running. Only the basement team Hertha BSC covered fewer kilometers than Borussia, which also covered the shortest distance of all clubs in speed runs on the 17th matchday.
First consolidate the single-digit place in the table
In view of the negative trend, according to Farke, the mood is quite “annoyed”. Midfielder Julian Weigl explained on the sports show microphone: “Of course we have planned more.” Coach Farke gave the short-term goal of “defending and consolidating our position in the single-digit midfield.”
