With 25 goals Anthony Modeste shot the first FC Cologne two years ago almost single-handedly in the Europa League. In the current season, however, the French attacker comes only one hit. That the cult striker during the week but publicly echauffierte on the too bad or too few games of his teammates, should not have found favor everywhere.
At the end of the sixth matchday, the 31-year-old wants to do better and make sure that his “Effzeh” finally enters the first home win of the new Bundesliga season. Before the duel Cologne vs.. Hertha’s bookmakers’ odds imply a 45% chance of victory for the Beierlorzer-Elf, who is currently even one place behind the “old lady” in the table.
The Berliners celebrated their threesome premiere 19/20 last weekend. At home against the climber SC Paderborn kept the capital club just with 2: 1 the upper hand and thus gave the “Red Lantern” to the East Westphalia. Whether the first Bundesliga success under Ante Covic but sustained forces has released, may well be doubted in view of the previously disappointing performance.
For that reason, we would also be wary of it, before the match vs. Cologne. Hertha to place a tip on the guest. Although the Blue and Whites have recently made a positive assessment of the “Billy Goats”, we still estimate the likelihood that Anthony Modeste and Co. will win on Sunday evening is higher than Hertha taking a counter from the carnival capital ,
Cologne:
When the DFL published a few months ago the schedule for the 2019/2020 season in the Bundesliga, many Cologne have first breathed. Although the Rhinelanders had successfully fought for a year to return to the concert of the great, nevertheless, a slightly easier launching program would have been definitely desirable from the point of view of those responsible.
On the first five matchdays, the promoted got it right with four European Cup starters do, including with Bayern and Borussia Dortmund. While the mentioned four matches were lost to the favored competition, the “Effzeh” landed in the only match against a comparable opponent, in Freiburg, also the only threesome.
Therefore, before the cellar duel between Cologne and Hertha we predict that the team of Achim Beierlorzer is stronger than the table says. Even against the internationally represented teams, the goaties had good phases and hinted at what they are capable of. Especially in the first home game of the season against Borussia Dortmund, the newcomer sniffed a victory, but broke down after impressing strong first 60 minutes completely (1: 3).
Should the people of Cologne make it on Sunday again to let the spark on the trailer skip, we are convinced that jumps out in the third home game, the first victory. Incidentally, there were only three defeats in front of a home crowd at the beginning of a season: in the 2017/2018 season – the end is known to all … Cologne came off surprisingly.
What will also be of elementary importance in the sixth game day is the fact that the Beierlorzer-Elf finally wants to take the lead. The “Effzeh” was in all five games of the season at least once in arrears.
With the exception of the aforementioned BVB game, the Billy Goats also conceded the first goal, which makes the task in the course of a match, of course, much harder.
One of the major shortcomings is still the game forward. Recently, the Rhinelander were scoreless twice in a row. For comparison: In the past second division season met the former European Cup participants in 31 of 34 matches. Defensively, there is still room for improvement, although seven of the eleven goals conceded to the two games against championship contenders from Munich and Dortmund.
Clemens, Jakobs and Verstraete have to pass due to injury. In addition, right-back Kingsley Ehizibue sits his red-barrier from the Bayern match. Bader could slip into the starting lineup for the agile African. Also Anthony Modeste we expect in such an important home game in which the Cologne will probably have more possession, right from the start on the court.
Hertha:
The Hertha can still win! In the fifth attempt it was finally over last weekend. After only one point from the first four matches (just for the opening match at Bayern) celebrated the “old lady” in the home game against SC Paderborn the first three.
The captains, however, had to tremble again against the Ostwestfalen. Thanks to goals from Javairo Dilrosun and Marius Wolf it was after 90 minutes still 2-1 for Hertha, which at the same time passed on the last place in the table to the SCP. The young Dardai successor Ante Covic should also have several tons of heavy stones fell from the heart, as the weak start of the season already brought the first critical voices against the coach.
Despite the important success in front of a home crowd, we do not have to lean very far out the window to claim that the Blue-and-Whites are facing a difficult season. Demand and reality in the capital have been diverge for several years and not many experts agree that Pal Dardai last could almost get the maximum out of the old-fashioned-looking club.
The task is correspondingly complicated for Ante Covic, who has not yet been able to miss the team’s own signature. For example, the BSCers scored the fewest shots in the league on the first five matchdays (45). Five scored hits are also not a value that ensures particularly great satisfaction around the Olympic Stadium.
However, those who believe that Skjelbred, Wolf, Stark and Co. have at least a solid defensive, are also mistaken. In all five matches Jarstein had at least once behind. With the exception of the victory over Paderborn the “old lady” even conceded at least two goals.
Sebastian Maier and Peter Pekarik are injured due to injury. Behind the new center-back Dedryck Boyata is a question mark. The Belgian struggled recently with calf problems and could be replaced by Jordan Torunarigha or Karim Rekik. Darida, Lukebakio and Ibisevic are also in the starting eleven.
