Bundesliga This Week: Didavi, Leckie and Hernandez
It is another action-packed Bundesliga week, with the first midweek fixtures of the season as well as the usual weekend ties in game week six and seven. Included this week is the Lower Saxony derby and Stuttgart face real relegation bankers against Hannover and Gladbach. Lucien Favre also became the first manager casualty of the season after he resigned from Gladbach after five consecutive losses on Sunday.
Didavi could be Stuttgart’s saving grace
Stuttgart have started this campaign in the worst possible fashion with five straight defeats. VFB narrowly and unluckily lost 0-1 to Schalke on the weekend at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, chances were aplenty but like many times recently, Stuttgart and their attack-minded players failed to capitalise. The Reds face two early relegation bankers away at Hannover tomorrow evening and a home tie against Gladbach at the weekend; two games which, if won, could set Stuttgart on their way for the season.
Although the Reds are pointless, a couple of displays have been encouraging. Alex Zorniger’s side have to convert their chances if they stand any chance of getting off the mark in the Bundesliga this week. Striker Daniel Didavi has scored three of the five goals for his side so far and is looking to be Stuttgart’s main goal threat this season. The 25-year-old will be expected to feature in these must win games for Zorniger’s men.
The German has been hit by a number of niggling injuries in his Stuttgart career but will be encouraged by his efforts so far this season. The forward has already helped the Red’s avoid relegation in the previous two seasons. If Stuttgart were involved in a third successive relegation battle at the end of the season, Didavi could be a saviour. Failure to pick up points in these fixtures could signal the end of already under pressure Zorniger.
Ingolstadt’s Leckie revelling top flight football
Ingolstadt’s first stint in Germany’s premier division couldn’t have started any sweeter, sitting in a place for Europe in sixth spot with three wins, three draws and the single defeat. The Bavarian club are definitely the Bundesliga’s surprise package.
They face Hamburg and Koln this week; both winnable ties, but ones they will have to work hard for. Ingolstadt boast a tight defence with only four goals conceded, all of which were to free-scoring Dortmund. However, they have only netted three times — all in 1-0 away wins — making Ingolstadt the first newly promoted side to win three straight away wins in Bundesliga history: a resounding record that comprehends their impressive debut bow in Germany’s top flight.
Goals will have to come more regularly as they face sides like Frankfurt and Wolfsburg with regular goalscorers, if they are to survive this season and achieve even greater expectations. Australian winger Mathew Leckie has netted for Ingolstadt this season with a neatly curled effort at Augsburg a few weekends ago. The 24-year-old signed for the club in the 2. Bundesliga after impressing for country in the 2014 World Cup and helped Ingolstadt to their maiden Bundesliga debut with seven goals that season. His experience at Gladbach and Stuttgart could help the club keep up their staggering start and set new heights for the club that were playing fourth tier football ten years ago. It is still early days but the Bavarian side could finish impressively this season.
Hernandez given Leverkusen opportunity
Mexican International Javier Hernandez, a renowned goalscorer, secured his move to Bayer from Manchester United during the summer after a lack of starts in England. So far, the 27-year-old has featured in every game since joining at the end of August and scored in a 4-1 win against BATE Borisov in the Champions League. Although he has netted for his new club, he was rather disappointing in Leverkusen’s poor 3-0 defeat away at Dortmund on the weekend. The Mexican had a couple of decent chances to score but was rather below par in front of goal, barely threatening Roman Burki in the Dortmund goal.
His inconsistency could cost him his place in the starting XI with the likes of Stefan Kiessling and Admir Mehmedi in the ranks, he will have to impress boss Roger Schmidt in order to make his Leverkusen career a successful one. Bayer face Mainz and Bremen this week and after three straight defeats and a lowly position of 13th has left Schmidt’s side facing early pressure after being tipped to challenge Bayern for the Bundesliga title this season. Hernandez’ goalscoring reputation could be valuable in restoring Bayer’s title credentials.
