The four Swiss football professionals Nico Elvedi, Yann Sommer, Denis Zakaria and Breel Embolo have had a whole new experience this season a week ago. With their national team, the quartet lost an away game in Denmark.
It did not happen to them at their club Borussia Mönchengladbach this season. The Gladbach have won their three previous host matches in the Bundesliga in Mainz, Cologne and Hoffenheim and are still unbeaten in the Cup and in the European Cup away. That too has led Borussia to the top of the Bundesliga table.
A standings after seven matchdays - what does that say? In Mönchengladbach, the authorities are quick to point out that this is currently only a snapshot and at this time says nothing about a possible title maturity. However, it is almost ten years ago that after seven Bundesliga matches were not the permanent championship rivals Borussia Dortmund or Bayern Munich in first place. In 2010, Mainz 05 succeeded under Thomas Tuchel.
In Dortmund, there are usually defeats
How meaningful the table stand is, will probably show up in the evening, when the Gladbacher have to compete in Dortmund (18.30 clock, TV: Sky, Liveticker SPIEGEL). Where green-white Borussia lost twelve of their last 13 games, the packs were: 1: 6, 0: 4, 0: 5, 1: 4. The BVB has already decided the last eight duels against Gladbach, whether it was home or away games. The coach, who is still revered in Mönchengladbach in Dortmund with Lucien Favre, gives the game another touch.
Nevertheless, things are a little different than usual before this game. The mood for Favre in Dortmund is bad after three games without a win, in Mönchengladbach the fans spell out the word league leaders almost unbelievingly for two weeks now. The roles seem reversed: for a scene at least, not yet for the entire stage play.
Marius Becker DPA
Like a berserk: Denis Zakaria
"We've probably already done a few things right," says the new coach Marco Rose, and he may well refer to himself and his team of supervisors. Rose came from Salzburg with a huge bow wave before the season. To oblige him, manager Max Eberl sacrificed the former coach Dieter Hecking, although the Gladbacher were placed on one match day throughout the season among the top five teams in the league. Eberl took a chance, but so far there is no one around Borussia Park who would blame him for that.
Improved in all parts of the team
Statsbomb.com's UK data bloggers, one of the footballer's catechism websites, have taken a close look at the team and players this week, and have seen improvements in virtually all parts of the team over the previous season based on the data collected. The Borussia runs more, she plays offensive, she is aggressive in pressing, and she has improved individually. Even goalkeeper Yann Sommer, who has been performing reliably for years, has improved his form once again.
Rose was fortunate that the newly committed offensive players Breel Embolo and Marcus Thuram have acclimatized surprisingly quickly. The coach has also moved personal matters. So he brought along the Austrian Stefan Lainer from Salzburg for the right wing, knowing about his qualities. Lainer is so far one of the most convincing in the Borussia system. In the match against FC Augsburg he injured himself, however, whether he can play against BVB is uncertain.
The key player so far, however, is another. In defensive midfield Denis Zakaria gesticulates for weeks like a berserker. The Swiss crashes into any duel, drives the game in front of him, has an impressive physique. Roses predecessor Hecking had put on the six-position rather on the cautious Tobias Strobl who controlled the game rather than make it fast. Comparing the playing styles of Strobl and Zakaria, the difference between the coach Hecking and Rose is also reflected.
Marius Becker DPA
Patrick Herrmann is experiencing a renaissance
Completely over-motivated at the European Cup debut
The two European Cup appearances of Borussia made clear how little stable everything can be. Against the Wolfsberger AC, the team in this year's European debut seemed completely over-motivated and was literally taken apart. Long-time Borussia experts claim credibly, that was the worst performance they had seen of this team in the past 25 years. Also in the 1-1 draw at Turkish club Basaksehir Gladbach played weak. The kissed by Rose Patrick Herrmann saved the Borussia last minute a draw.
Setbacks are not only possible, Rose and Eberl say it takes time to build a top team. And if you take this as a benchmark, the club under Rose has been quite fast so far quite fast.
If it runs badly against BVB, then Gladbach could be passed again to sixth place. It's tight up there in the Bundesliga. But this fact speaks for the clubs, which are currently on par with the actual title candidates FC Bayern and Borussia Dortmund. He speaks for Borussia Mönchengladbach.
In the season 2010/2011 Mainz 05 was after seven matchdays leaders. In the end the Mainz finished fifth. One of the former Mainz co-trainers was a young man at his first coaching station: his name was Marco Rose.
