Match Preview
06.03.20
Time to bounce back against bogey team Regensburg
SSV Jahn Regensburg make the long trip north to the Volksparkstadion on Saturday (kick-off 1:00pm CET), aiming to continue their good streak against a Rothosen side keen to find their feet again.
The expected reaction to the painful derby defeat did not materialise in Aue last Saturday, as a below-par performance, Gideon Jung’s red card and a dose of bad luck all came together to hand the Rothosen their second defeat in a row. The squad and coaching staff know that performances and results haven’t been good enough over the past three weeks, with extra intensity and motivation clear for all to see during a productive week of training. Yet a return to form won’t be easy against a Regensburg side that haven’t lost to the Rothosen in the 2. Liga in their three previous outings, with their last trip to the Volksparkstadion ending in a memorable 5-0 victory for the Jahnelf. With Regensburg’s form having been mixed since the turn of the year, the HSV coaching staff will know that this is a good chance to return to winning ways and reignite HSV’s promotion charge.
Focus on the guests
Jahn Regensburg hail from the Bavarian town of the same name, which sits on the Danube River in the south-east corner of Germany, and have enjoyed a rapid rise up the German football pyramid, finding themselves in the fourth tier as recently as 2016. Having been promoted to the second division, Achim Beierlorzer established the Jahnelf, before upping sticks in the summer and moving to 1. FC Köln after an impressive eighth-placed finish in the 2018/19 campaign (tied on points with 6th). Beierlorzer’s assistant Mersad Selimbegovic took over the reins at the Continental Arena, making a good fist of his first spell as manager of a professional football team, and by the halfway point the Jahnelf were sitting pretty in 7th position on 26 points, three behind fourth-placed Heidenheim.
Fortunes have been mixed to say the least for Selimbegovic since the Christmas break, with 1-0 wins over Hannover and Wiesbaden the only points from the 6-game period, and a 6-0 loss against Arminia Bielefeld and 2-1 loss to basement dwellers Dynamo Dresden last time out doing Jahn’s confidence little favours. The 37-year-old will want his side to kickstart the second half of the season with at least a point in Hamburg, and improve on their current tally of 32 points, which sees them sit exactly in the middle of the table.
Opposition scouting report
Selimbegovic is a self-confessed fan of a traditional 4-4-2 system, with Marco Grüttner and Andreas Albers acting as a front two, using their size, strength and heading ability to their advantage. Youngster Erik Wekesser has also been employed since the Christmas break, offering more dynamism and pace to add a different dimension to the two up top. Whilst Wekesser has two goals since his introduction to the side, only one other goal has been scored in 2020, with a measly return of three goals from six games one of the reasons for the Jahnelf failing to spring into life since the start of the new decade.
Winger Sebastian Stolze was somewhat of a creative hub up until Christmas, contributing towards 11 of Regensburg’s 32 goals by the halfway point, but has been missing from action due to a facial fracture, with Selimbegovic hoping the 25-year-old will be back in action in the near future. 22-year-old midfielder Max Besuschkow has been a driving force in midfield, chipping in with five goals as the Jahnelf have tried to reduce the goalscoring load on Grüttner and Albers. With Regensburg almost certain to line up in their favoured 4-4-2, Dieter Hecking may try to use the man advantage in midfield, with Aaron Hunt or Louis Schaub playing between the lines, looking to use the pace of Bakery Jatta and Sonny Kittel in behind the Red and Whites’ defensive line.
Possible change in formation to bring about change in fortunes for HSV
With only a point in Hannover to show from the past three league games, the Rothosen have slipped from second to third position in the league table, a fact that hasn’t been lost on the coaching or playing staff. Perhaps most concerning for Dieter Hecking is the single goal from the last three outings, with a lack of pace on the ball when in possession and movement without the ball limiting Hecking’s previously free-scoring team. At Thursday’s press conference, the HSV boss revealed that his team had been trying out a 4-1-2-1-2 formation in training this week, to try to get the best out of the personnel at his disposal and unlock the creativity of Aaron Hunt and Louis Schaub, but also provide a stable base from which to play out from. The 55-year-old was still keeping his cards close to his chest, as to whether this new formation would be used come Saturday, or a return back to the tried and tested 4-3-3 formation.
The good news from the HSV camp was that Adrian Fein was able to fully take part in training during the week after his 30-minute substitute appearance in Saxony, as Hecking indicated that the 20-year-old was ready to reclaim his place in the starting XI in defensive midfield. Jan Gyamerah is also well on the way to recovery, full taking part in training for the first time since breaking his tibia in September during the week. On the other hand, Ewerton’s injury woes continued as the Brazilian only lasted 22 minutes against Aue, having to be substituted after partially tearing the MCL in his left knee, with the centre-back expected to be missing for an extended period. Jeremy Dudziak is the other long-term injury casualty, with him and Ewerton the only two set to miss Saturday’s clash with injury, whilst Gideon Jung will have to watch from the stands after his red card in Aue last weekend.
Matchday facts
In the past three 2. Liga games against Regensburg, HSV have conceded 9 goals, the most against any team in the league. Jahn don’t have a better per game average (3 goals a game) against any other side.
With 25 points at the Volksparkstadion, HSV are the third-strongest home team behind Stuttgart (30 points) and Aue (27), but two of the last four league games were lost at the Volkspark.
Regensburg have only won 1 of their last 7 league games on the road (2 draws and 4 losses). 3 of their last 4 away games saw the Jahnelf draw a blank in front of goal.
Where can I watch the game?
Norway/Denmark/Sweden/Finland/Faroe Islands: Viaplay/Viasat/TV3
Czech Republic/Slovakia: Digi Sport 2
Poland: Eleven Sports 2
Netherlands: Fox Sports 4
Hungary: Sport 2
Israel: Charlton Sport 3
Turkey: S Sport 2