2. Bundesliga: Düsseldorf vs Schalke! Strongest in thirteen years? Schalke may be hampered by injuries

Today’s first topic is2. Bundesliga: Düsseldorf vs Schalke!

Everyone knows Schalke is very strong, but you might not realize just how strong they actually are.

To put it simply,they currently hold an impressive 31 points from 14 games, the best performance among 234 teams over the past 13 seasons in the 2. Bundesliga!

The last time a better record was achieved dates back to the 2012/13 season.

Meanwhile, Düsseldorf is really struggling; they even lost to Dresden, a team tied for the lowest points in the league, which is truly hitting rock bottom.

This season, they have only satisfied their fans in 4 out of 14 matches, tying for the lowest in the 2. Bundesliga, which is quite disappointing.

So, why is there such a huge gap and clear contrast, yet the experts still remain somewhat cautious about Schalke?

Because although Schalke seems invincible, they actually have some issues.

The first is injuries.

At least 9 Schalke players will miss today’s match (possibly more):

Although Schalke is well-known, their finances have been tough in recent years, leading to many sales and few purchases,making them one of the teams with the highest net transfer income in the last three seasons, ranking third in the 2. Bundesliga.

Their squad depth was never very strong, and with so many injuries, their combat power cannot be at its peak.

The second issue is accumulated fatigue.

Schalke has a lot of injuries, with new players getting hurt frequently, especially key players; just the day before yesterday, Schallenberg got injured during training.

This relates to Schalke’s playing style, which combines several of the most physically demanding football styles.

(1) The most conservative counterattack

They have the lowest possession rate in the 2. Bundesliga at only 40.8%,meaning their defensive work is more exhausting;

(2) Extremely high-intensity sprints

They lead the league in sprint counts, which is also very tiring. Their high-intensity runs rank third in the 2. Bundesliga;

(3) Very aggressive pressing

They share first place in high pressing and are first in overall pressing with 19.6 successful presses per game;

(4) Their physical confrontations are especially fierce

They rank second in fouls and third in yellow cards in the 2. Bundesliga, which is also exhausting;

Basically, they play the most physically demanding styles possible.

After half a season, the players are heavily worn out, making injuries more frequent.

In fact, their performance has declined since November, winning only 2 of 4 matches, both by narrow margins, lacking the previous dominance.

Injuries are increasing, and they may need the winter break to recover.

The third problem is their tactics.

Teams that focus on parking the bus struggle when facing opponents who are even more defensive and leave no space for sprints.

For example, in their last away game against Preußen, after the opponent was reduced to ten men and started to defend deeply, Schalke had no solution.

Today, Düsseldorf likely won’t take risks, as they are going through a very difficult period.

After their last loss, the sports director announced he will leave and not renew his contract.

If they keep losing, the coach might also be dismissed.

Players are also under immense pressure from the fans.

In this situation, facing a strong opponent like Schalke, they probably won’t dream of winning; a draw might be satisfactory.

If they opt for a conservative strategy, Schalke might also struggle to perform.

So, although the two teams’ performances this season are worlds apart, what do you think about Düsseldorf’s chances to satisfy their fans? I hope they at least avoid defeat.

Alright, for today’s other matches, I will still send my written analysis tonight. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. “Watch football, watch clearly,” see you soon!

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