Borussia Mönchengladbach fell to a 2-0 defeat in Leipzig and remain close to the relegation zone. What really caught the eye was the clean sheet. Because once again, the Foals’ attacking play was not brimming with esprit
The situation in Gladbach remains tense, even a week before the important home game against table-toppers VfL Bochum. Although they suffered a thoroughly expected 2-0 defeat at the clear favorites in Leipzig, leaving the team from the Lower Rhine with a meager five wins this season and just 22 points, it was once again their attacking play that caused the greatest concern.
Three times in the last four league games, the Foals have now failed to score, with only two goals scored in the last five Bundesliga games. Too little for their own standards.
And they could have scored a 1-2 equalizer in Saxony: Joker Nathan Ngoumou had a goal on his right foot in the 68th minute, but shot just wide of RB keeper Peter Gulacsi’s box. Later, striker Jordan rose high, but his header went to the left of the Leipzig goal
“We have to change that “
In short: Gladbach’s attacking play lacked the necessary accuracy, although there was also room for improvement elsewhere.
Defender Nico Elvedi, who like his defensive colleague Ko Itakura will miss the game against Bochum due to receiving a 5th yellow card, forcing Swiss coach Gerardo Seoane to make changes, said in an interview with Sky: “We were too harmless offensively, especially in the first half, and the last pass lacked consistency. Then we were asleep at the start and caught the 0:1 here.”
In his opinion, these were the decisive factors for Leipzig’s deserved victory. Or to put it another way: “Too little determination in front of goal, too little enthusiasm in front of goal – we have to change that.”
Coach Seoane had also recognized and addressed these points and wished for improvement soon. His comment on his charges’ attacking problems: “There were headers, there were situations. But we didn’t shoot accurately enough, we didn’t head accurately enough, we weren’t clean in our finishing and weren’t determined enough.” It remains to be seen against Bochum whether more creativity and spirit will find its way back into the game of Gladbach Borussia, who have already scored 36 goals, more than eleven (!) other Bundesliga clubs – including Eintracht Frankfurt and the up-and-coming Werder Bremen.
