New coach and old problems: Schalke loses like a sure relegated team

Saturday, January 02, 2021

New trainer and old problems
Schalke loses like a certain relegated

Christian Gross is supposed to save FC Schalke, but in the first game under the new coach, FC Schalke presents itself as it did last year: a class worse than the opponent. Hertha BSC extends the royal blue misery, which is only 90 minutes away from the Bundesliga negative record.

Just one more game: Schalke 04 have come one step closer to the inglorious Tasmania record in the unsuccessful debut of coach Christian Gross. The bottom of the league, which is threatened with relegation, lost 3-0 (0-1) at Hertha BSC at the start of the year and has now been without a win for 30 league games. In the upcoming home game against TSG Hoffenheim, Schalke could set Tasmania Berlin's negative record from the 1965/66 season.

Matteo Guendouzi (36th), Jhon Cordoba (52nd) and Krzysztof Piatek (80th) scored the goals for the Herthaners, who gained some air in the relegation battle with the victory. Schalke was again unlucky in the first game under Gross, and there was also a lack of courage and commitment in the second half. Gross surprised with two personnel decisions: In goal, he gave Ralf Fährmann preference over Frederik Rönnow, who was last ailing, and youngster Matthew Hoppe was the striker from the start. The American replaced the injured Benito Raman. Mark Uth was there again three weeks after his concussion, and before kick-off Gross gave the announcement: "I expect Mark to play an outstanding game."

Uth also had the first Schalke chance in the eleventh minute, but his left-foot shot from the penalty area line was not sharp enough and therefore no problem for Hertha goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow. The guests were initially quite committed, but in the last third there was often a lack of ideas. It was only when Hertha invested a little more on the newly laid lawn that the game got better. In the 23rd minute, Dodi Lukebakio failed after a dream pass from Matheus Cunha to the attentive ferryman.

But Schwolow also stood out on the other side when he steered a shot from Uth with his fingertips to the corner. Cunha, who had recently been publicly criticized by Hertha coach Bruno Labbadia, turned up with increasing playing time. The Brazilian also started the opening goal by Guendouzi with a dribble.

After the break, Hertha stayed on the trigger – and was rewarded early on: After a remarkable attack via Cunha and Vladimir Darida, striker Cordoba had no trouble shooting the ball into the goal from close range. The Schalke team, in which the returnee Sead Kolasinac was not yet eligible to play, then barely defended themselves against the threatened next blow in the neck.