Enttäuschung in DFB-Pokal
By: Porter |
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Disappointing play seems to be the moniker for the Schalke year as hopes for the DFB-Pokal were dashed as they lost 1-0 to FSV Mainz. Credit is due to Mainz, destined it appears for promotion with Jørn Andersen’s tactical plan deployed to perfection. Following the match the Mainz manager commented:
“We were very mobile and closed down the space well. Schalke are a top side with lots of quality. But we restricted them to just a few opportunities. Our aim was to keep it at 0-0 for as long as possible and wait for our chance.”
With a lead striking group of Vicente Sánchez, Jefferson Farfán and Kevin Kurányi, Fred Rutten’s side lacked any attacking zeal. Not pleased with Orlando Engelaar and Kevin Kurányi’s first half performance, Ivan Rakitić and Halil Altıntop were introduced after the break with the manager saying of their play:
“I wasn’t happy with Kevin’s display today, or with Orlando’s. That’s why I made the changes.”
After displaying a firm tactical plan that kept Schalke pinned down with total commitment in the midfield, the home side gradually took more chances. While limiting all of the oppositions advances after the re-start, the final twenty minutes of the match was owned my Mainz. Finally with two minutes remaining former Bayern reserve Florian Heller struck a free-kick into the area and an unmarked Aristide Bancé drilled the ball behind for Manuel Neuer for the victory.
Following the match Fred Rutten noted the team will need to adjust their mindset quickly ahead of Friday’s match against Köln:
“The players will need to have put this defeat behind them by then. That’s the reality.”
Category: Schalke Team News
die Königsblauen DFB-Pokal preview
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Following the sturdy 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt, Schalke travel south-west to face FSV Mainz in the DFB-Pokal.
Mainz are presently second in the Bundesliga 2 table and coach Jørn Andersen has them confident of making their way back to the top division. Yet to lose in the second half of the season, today’s match is the scalp crown a very workman like season so far.
Fred Rutten is aware of the oppositions strength stating:
“I’ve watched Mainz twice and they are no pushovers. The back four are excellent, the midfield is well organised and the strikers Bancé and Baljak are in good shape physically.”
Expecting the Pokal to bring out their best he added:
“These results tell you how good they are. And they’ll be desperate to progress another round in front of their own fans.”
Schalke are without Benedikt Höwedes and Christian Pander with Jefferson Farfán questionable. Given the difficult form this year, Fred Rutten will hold nothing back regardless of Fridays match against Köln.
Category: Schalke Team NewsKönigsblauen win in Frankfurt
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After being without a win in the previous two matches Schalke returned to winning column with a 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt. From the Dortmund match Fred Rutten juggled his starting eleven bringing Marcelo Bordon and Vicente Sanchez for Benedikt Höwedes and Gerald Asamoah.
The first forty-five minutes of the match was primarily a highly physical defensive match with attacking chances that of the host side. However with six minutes remaining in the half Schalke took the lead as Rafinha accepted a long pass from the right and scored from twelve metres out. After the break Schalke lacked the same precision as the first forty five minutes and failed to offer any counter threats seeming content with the thin margin. Eintracht clawed back with nine minutes remaining as Markus Steinhöfer’s cross found a poorly marked Michael Fink five metres out and he easily headed the ball in to level the match. In an attacking fury Schalke came back to find the winner only two minutes later as Jermaine Jones free kick into the box was scooped up by Heiko Westermann and slammed in to the net bringing the match to its 2-1 final score.
Category: Schalke Team NewsFred Rutten is confident
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Schalke might be only ninth place with only a single win in the second half of the seaon but Fred Rutten is confident of tomorrows match against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Alluding to the disappointing draw against Dortmund he said:
“We set a very, very high standard last week.
“We are Schalke 04 and so it’s clear we aren’t the underdogs. Schalke are a team everyone wants to beat. But we have to be able to deal with that.”
“We’re training well and the players are totally focused. Though everyone was bitterly disappointed after the draw against Dortmund, there’s no point in moaning about the late equaliser. I’m an optimist and have a positive outlook on life.
“So when a game goes wrong the disappointment lasts two days at the most, which means I’m able to focus totally on the tasks ahead. And I get a good feeling when I see how well the players are working in training every day.”
Of Eintracht he commented:
“I saw them on Saturday when they won 1-0 in Karlsruhe. They are very well prepared, especially tactically.”
Schalke are near fully-fit with only Levan Kenia definitely out with Marcelo Bordon pressing to return from injury.
Against Eintracht they will need to be patient waiting for openings. While they have had a tough year, they are a very good squad capable of the upper table once completely healthy. With Fred Rutten might be trying to use the media to build confidence, Schalke cannot afford to be over confident in Frankfurt.
Category: Schalke Team NewsEnttäuschung
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After ninety minutes of heated play in the Revier-Derby between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04 in Gelsenkirchen, the match ended in a disappointing 1-1 draw. The match will unquestionably be remembered for Kevin Kurányi’s stunning goal that came from an equally remarkable cross from Halil Altıntop, however regardless of what could ultimately be called the highlight strike of the year, Mohamed Zidan canceled the advantage late and sent those in Veltins-Arena home unsatisfied.
Intensity in this heated rivalry is never in question and tackling always had a cutting edge to it. BVB’s Kevin-Prince Boateng, a player of great potential, came out with a bit too much venom and was lucky to escape with only a yellow-card five minutes after the opening whistle when he trampled Mladen Krstajić. Unfortunately it wasn’t long before the Serbian international could not longer continue and was replaced by Halil Altıntop. Twenty minutes into the match Altıntop was pinned in the right corner by BVB defenders and managed to sent a blind, perfect to the spot to the cross into the box with Kevin Kurányi finishing with a stunning volley into the net. After a number of bad challenges and in a effort to increase their attacking pulse Kevin-Prince Boateng was replaced by Egyptian capped Mohamed Zidan at the break. This would have a telling impact upon the match as Schalke were playing too far back and allowed Dortmund to come at them more. At the hour mark Kevin Kurányi had a chance to double the margin as he came in alone on Dortmund ‘keeper Roman Weidenfeller but his shot was off line. Following Nelson Valdez entrance for Alexander Frei, Dortmund began to have the run of play with he and Zidan posing danger. With victory in sight, Zidan leveled the match with nine minutes left when he got on the end Valdez’s provision after a scramble in the box. Now even, the visitors were ready to grab a win and five minutes from time Zidan’s effort was pushed back with a incredible save by Manuel Neuer to keep the match even.
Standing in ninth place, Schalke must hope that a number of lower table clubs pull off upsets on Saturday afternoon or they will drift farther behind.
Category: Schalke Team Newsrevenge for Königsblauen
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Fred Rutten has one thing on his mind for the Revier-Derby against BVB; revenge.
“If you consider the way the reverse fixture went then obviously we have a desire for revenge.
“With an hour gone we looked certain to win the game, but then there were some decisions I can only describe as questionable.
“All players, not matter what sport it is, are angered by incorrect decisions but that’s not the only reason why we’re desperate to win the game.
“The lads are up for it, you can sense that on the training ground.
“They’re all looking forward to the derby and Friday night matches are always something special.
“We’re only looking forward and are quite capable of putting setbacks behind us. The derby is all that matters now, not what’s happened in the past.”
Of BVB he said:
“They put in a decent performance even though they lost.
“If you give them space, they’re capable of playing some good football and Alexander Frei and Nelson Valdez are always a threat. So we’re going to try and make things as tight as we can for them.”
Decisions on Marcelo Bordon and Benedikt Höwedes’ availabilty will come down to late fitness tests with only Levan Kenia definitely unavailable for the match at Veltins-Arena.
Category: Schalke Team NewsDanny Latza debuts for Königsblauen against Bochum
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Three weeks since the re-start of the season, it is a sad realization Schalke have slowly becoming common but far worse, management seems glued to watching the slide down continue. Early season hopes of a championship are long forgotten, as well as mention of the Champions League and the club is drifting from match to match like a mid-table team willing to accept their fate.
Yesterday facing VfL Bochum, a club hampered with considerable injuries and in a fight for relegation it was Schalke that were outplayed in route to a 2-1 loss. Considering the fall in goal production this year and that they last three matches resulted in only one victory, that being against fellow “crisis mode” Werder, what precisely is management doing to halt the slide? However while the match was particularly unsettling for Schalke it did mark the debut of Danny Latza and that recognition of the youth program is a good sign of the future.
Against Bochum, Fred Rutten took action with a more aggressive lineup pairing Jefferson Farfán, Kevin Kurányi and Gerald Asamoah up top with Halil Altıntop and Ivan Rakitić pressed behind them and Orlando Engelaar into defensive midfield. Clearly the Dutch manager was going with an attack minded vision and is owed credit, yet what transpired was far short of the goals. This should be stressed because while I question how long he will hold his job, particularly with rumours of Hubb Stevens swirling around, it is the eleven on the pitch that lacked the resolve to fight for a victory.
The match started well for Schalke as not quite twenty minutes in Jefferson Farfán and Halil Altıntop played a smooth one-two before providing Kevin Kurányi a shot on Bochum ‘keeper Daniel Fernandes. The Canada born keeper saved the attempt but the rebound quickly came to Kurányi who slotted it home. With the one goal lead, Schalke attack embarrassed itself but not having the nerve to go forward. Bochum, worried about the drop but nothing else and pushed forward with Mimoun Azaouagh driving the ball into the top right-hand corner from twenty metres with a minute left in half. Three minutes past the hour, Bochum took the lead off the counter when Christoph Dabrowski slotted the ball in from close range after Diego Klimowicz’ shot was blocked on the line by Levan Kobiashvili.
In the last twenty minutes Vicente Sánchez, Christian Pander and Danny Latza were brought in but they could not find the path to another goal and Schalke lost 2-1. This was Danny Latza first appearance in the Bundesliga and I suspect he will begin to figure more in the lineup given his potential and the intensity he shows on the pitch.
Category: Schalke Team NewsDerby day against Bochum
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Schalke’s derby versus VfL Bochum has taken on a different tone as Marcel Koller’s side are grappling with a enormous series of injury losses to the extent they are questioning the competive aspect of the club they can field. Last week against Wolfsburg they lost both Antar Yahia and Marcel Maltritz to serious knee injuries and will miss them along with Paul Freier and Marcin Mięciel. They are hopeful that Mathias Concha and Shinji Ono will be fit in time but there is serious question over the fitness of Stanislav Šesták, Diego Klimowicz, Oliver Schröder, Sestak and Austrian international Christian Fuchs.
After last weeks 1-0 victory over Werder, Schalke are hopeful of putting together a solid run of wins but things around Gelsenkirchen are far from settled. The pressure on Fred Rutten hasn’t let up as they try to get back into contention for a Champions League spot. He said of Saturday’s match:
“These games are always a bit special. Anything can happen. Past matches have repeatedly shown that you need to give 120 percent, not just a hundred, if you want to take all three points. The fact that Bochum are next to bottom at the moment doesn’t mean we’re favourites because a) both teams are really up for the game and b) any result is possible in the Bundesliga this season.”
Schalke is without Jermaine Jones to suspension, Marcelo Bordon who broke a bone last week and Orlando Engelaar is in question. Providing no clues to his lineup, the manager added:
“There are lots of possibilities. We might bring someone into midfield, but then again we might play with an additional striker. But I’ll be discussing it with my coaching team first before I make any announcements.”
Category: Schalke Team NewsDie Königsblauen lose Marcelo Bordon with broken hand
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The victory over Werder this weekend was tempered with the news that Marcelo Bordon broke his hand. The captain had four screws inserted in his hand, before it was casted as he broke the fourth metacarpal bone in his left hand. It wasn’t revealed how long he will be out but the club will definitely want to consider whether he can play against BVB in two weeks.
Jefferson Farfán and Gerald Asamoah also missed practice with Fred Rutten not expecting either to miss this weekends match against VfL Bochum. He said of the injuries:
“Gerald suffered a blow to his knee on Saturday so he sat out today as a precautionary measure.” whereas Farfán is suffering through cold and flu season and at home with a temperature.
Category: Schalke Team Newsdie Königsblauen send Werder to bottom half of table
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There is no denying it, leading into today’s match Schalke backs were against the wall as the season has been laced with many disappointments. The start of the new year season was soiled losing to Hannover 96 and a victory against Werder was necessary. And respond with a victory was precisely what they did, as they sent Werder to the bottom half of the table, winning 1-0.
The match was played with an air of caution going forward as both sides were fearful of being caught in a prone position. Somewhat surprisingly Fred Rutten decided to keep both Kevin Kurányi and Orlando Engelaar on the bench to start to match. There was little to note of the first thirty minutes as the overall play was from box to box and marking was textbook perfect. The first true opportunity came just past the half-hour when Ivan Rakitić drive from the left side of the box drifted wide. As the half was coming to a close Jefferson Farfán cross into the box was headed wide by Halil Altintop.
Following the break Kevin Kurányi came in for Halil Altintop and whether something material or just by co-incidence three minutes later Schalke had the lead as Jefferson Farfán’s cross was headed in by Benedikt Höwedes. Six minutes later Werder’s Mesut Özil provided Markus Rosenberg an opportunity to level but his attempt from the right side of the box was saved by Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. Realizing what was at stake, Werder poured forward and looked on the verge of scoring on a number of occasions but couldn’t pull the trigger. With twenty minutes remaining Mesut Özil again showed his promise, setting up Naldo from point blank range but Neuer was up for the challenge. The final five minutes was a wild ride of holding back Werder with Torsten Frings last gasp effort as regulation time ran down but Schalke held off and won 1-0.
Don’t count Schalke out!
Category: Schalke Team News
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