Matchday 16: Alarm mood at Hertha – Schwarz: “Not our claim”

16th matchday
Alarm mood at Hertha – Schwarz: “Not our claim”

Philipp Hofmann (3rd from right) heads the ball into the goal for Bochum’s lead. photo

© David Indian song / dpa

The false start to the second part of the season fuels concern at Hertha BSC about staying in the class. After the 1: 3 in Bochum and the fall to the penultimate place in the table, there is guesswork.

Sandro Schwarz seemed at a loss as rarely. With a grim expression and his hands deep in his coat pockets, the Berlin soccer teacher followed the final minutes of the game in Bochum without emotion.

The dubious performance of his team in the deserved 1: 3 (0: 2) in the Bundesliga basement duel put a lot of pressure on the mind after the actually positive preparation and put everyone involved in the alarm mood. After all, the team is second to last in the table for the first time since the fourth matchday.

Hertha is under pressure after defeat

“If we perform like that, we don’t need to talk about points in the coming games either,” complained Marco Richter, “we have to get over the game very quickly, today was shit.”

The offensive player’s clear words made sense. For long stretches of the game, the Berliners presented themselves as relegated. After goals from Philipp Hofmann (22nd/56th) and Keven Schlotterbeck (44th) in front of 26,000 spectators, the fourth away defeat in a row was sealed. The late goal from Suad Serdar (87th) couldn’t change that. Similar to Richter, coach Schwarz felt little desire to whitewash: “Everyone can be sure that we know in which unsurprising table region we are. We are very serious, very consistent and focused.”

According to the latest media reports, Hertha is said to be in promising negotiations with a new investor from the USA. But such bloodless performances by the team as in Bochum should make further talks very difficult. “It wasn’t enough for what we imagined in terms of intensity. That’s not our claim. That needs to be improved,” demanded Schwarz.

The supposed Hertha goal by Lucas Tousart, which referee Martin Petersen took back after the intervention of the video assistant because the ball was previously out of goal (11th), increased the frustration of the coach. After the final whistle, Schwarz had an intensive discussion with the referee team.

His protégé Richter found it just as difficult as the coach to explain the drop in performance: “We had a very good training camp and good preparation. And then we concede goals far too easily.” Maximilian Mittelstädt attributed this to Bochum’s better effectiveness: “We also need this effectiveness.” The homegrown Berlin player is hoping for a quick defiant reaction from the team in the next game at home against Wolfsburg: “Now we can’t let our heads hang. It’s good that we can continue straight away on Tuesday.”

Schlotterbeck meets in the first game as Cologne

VfL Bochum is currently demonstrating how you can free yourself from seemingly hopeless situations. Since coach Thomas Letsch took office, the Revierclub, which had already been relegated, managed to jump from last to 14th place in the table. “We’ve shown again that we’re a team that believes in it,” enthused the coach, under whose direction the fourth home win in a row was achieved. As with the unexpected wins against Frankfurt (3-0), Union Berlin (2-1) and Borussia Mönchengladbach (2-1), the team benefited from great passion.

In addition to double packer Hofmann, defender Schlottbeck in particular had every reason to be happy. The loan from SC Freiburg scored a goal in his first game for his new club. “It was fun – with the goal, with the win,” commented the new signing and made a recommendation for the coming weeks: “We should score points at home and set pinpricks away. Then we’ll stay above the line.”

dpa

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