One of the many reasons for Gladbach’s poor performance in the first half of the season was the tense personnel situation for a long time. The consequences of this were again visible in the 1:1 against Hoffenheim. For the start of the second half of the season, Adi Hütter is counting on several returnees and new impulses.
Before Christoph Kramer could start his refreshingly frank interview with Sky on Saturday, the midfielder had to take a deep breath. The 90 intense minutes on the pitch plus injury time took their toll. No wonder that his legs were getting heavier at the end – Kramer played his first complete game against TSG Hoffenheim since the injury at the beginning of October.
It was a similar picture for Stefan Lainer. Unsurprisingly, the right-back’s strength also dwindled as the game wore on, and he went the full distance for the first time since breaking his ankle on matchday two. Two examples that highlighted one of Borussia’s many problems in the first half of the season: Important players were out for weeks or even months in the first half of the season. And even if they are back and playing in the meantime, a physical deficit is still noticeable. This is especially true for Marcus Thuram, who is still far from having the liveliness, pace and assertiveness that normally characterise him.
Is Hütter still looking for the ideal team?
Thuram (torn inner ligament), Lainer (ankle), Kramer (torn fascia), Breel Embolo (thigh muscle injury), Ramy Bensebaini (foot/groin), Manu Koné (torn inner ligament), Jordan Beyer (thigh muscle injury), Tony Jantschke (facial fracture), most recently Jonas Hofmann (knee surgery) or Nico Elvedi (stomach flu) – time and again serious absences torpedoed the plans of coach Adi Hütter. This is one of the reasons why the Austrian gives the impression that he is still searching for a kind of dream team and the system that fits it. There have been no complaints from Hütter in recent months.
On Saturday, after three centre-backs were absent again against TSG and Bensebaini had to play in central defence, the VfL coach did, for once, raise the issue. “We’re not satisfied, we shouldn’t be,” said Hütter, “but I can’t remember an autumn season in 13 years as a coach that was so difficult with so many injuries at inopportune times.” In defence, for example, “we couldn’t react at all,” Hütter explained. “All the players who were fit were on the pitch. “
Kramer was “running on fumes “
Kramer, in turn, was “running on fumes” at the end, Hütter also elaborated. “Chris was out for eight, nine weeks, but we needed him on the pitch as a leader. And he gave his all for the team.” As for Thuram, the coach stated that the attacker was “not yet in his best condition” and that perhaps the failed move to Inter Milan was still on his mind.
Hutter’s hope: At the start of the second half of the season, the key players will have worked off their physical deficits so that he can send a top-fit squad into the race. In addition, the expected returnees offer him new possibilities – and perhaps sporting director Max Eberl will bring in one or two new players if the market situation allows it.
Elvedi, Beyer, Jantschke: Hope for the returnees
Stammkraft Elvedi will certainly be there for the start of preparation on 29 December. “I assume that Jordan Beyer will also be back soon,” Hüter predicted. “Tony Jantschke,” continued the 51-year-old, “has suffered a few setbacks recently, but I hope that he will be back soon as well. Then we would be able to draw from the full squad again, which would of course do us good. “
