Bundesliga Bulletin: New top two after Bayern, BVB falter
October 6, 2019
Good week for: Hertha Berlin, the chasing pack, Luca Waldschmidt, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Oliver Glasner, Sargis Adamyan, Mainz
Bad week for: Germany's top two clubs, Paderborn, Tomas Koubek, Timo Werner, Union Berlin
The lowdown:
— After impressing midweek in Europe, both Bayern and Dortmund were brought back down to earth in the Bundesliga. Bayern were downed by a Hoffenheim side inspired by a brace from Armenian winger Sargis Adamyan, who'd played less than an hour in the top tier before Saturday. It was an off-day for Bayern who, despite being briefly rescued by yet another Robert Lewandowski goal, looked totally different to the team that smashed Tottenham just a few days ago. Dortmund threw away yet another lead to draw their third consecutive league game 2-2, and with another late own goal too. Lucien Favre probably can't watch any more.
— Julian Nagelsmann might be starting to worry about his side's ability to take their chances. RB Leipzig's failure to do so away at Leverkusen cost them two points, a tally that might have been three had it not been for Christopher Nkunku's equalizer in the second half. Timo Werner and Cunha were guilty of missing big chances in front of goal (Leipzig's xG for the game was 2.46). The Red Bulls midweek defeat to Lyon was followed with more disappointment.
— The major beneficiaries of those stumbles were Wolfsburg and Borussia Mönchengladbach. The Foals hammered Augsburg to go in to the international break clear at the top for the first time in 35 years while Wolfsburg, in second, are the Bundesliga's only remaining unbeaten side. Two team league? Maybe not this season.
— With Sandro Schwarz watching from the team bus due to his suspension, Mainz got a huge win against a Paderborn team that might have stolen a point had Jamilu Collins not missed a second-half penalty. Jan-Moritz Lichte, Schwarz's assistant coach, took charge and saw Mainz climb the table but they do still have a troubling -10 goal difference, the same as winless Paderborn. They were, however, the only side in the bottom six to pick up three points this weekend.
The quotes:
"As a fan I think I'd grab a beer right now. Or five, one for every goal."
Gladbach's Tony Jantschke after the 5-1 win that sent them top
"This is far too little for our ambitions. Three draws in a row are just not enough when you take the lead three times in a row."
Marco Reus after Dortmund's draw in Freiburg
"Nothing to say, as the English say."
Thomas Müller on his way out of the stadium after Bayern's defeat
"A camera might not have been bad, just to see how he reacted to all the missed chances."
Rouven Schröder on Sandro Schwarz being on the bus for Mainz's win in Paderborn
"Two years ago, I was playing regional football. To play in a stadium like this is a dream for me."
Hoffenheim's Sargis Adamyan after his brace against Bayern
The stats:
— After two draws and nine loses, Hoffenheim finally got their first ever win against Bayern in Munich.
— Mainz set the new Bundesliga record for the most consecutive penalties converted. Daniel Brosinski's in the win in over Paderborn was the club's 25th in a row. Impressive.
— Jiri Pavlenka started in goal for Werder Bremen for the 75th consecutive match on Sunday. That's the longest such sequence in the league.
The weird:
An hour into Gladbach's win against Augsburg, with the home side leading, the contest over and the rain still falling, the ball deflected off a player and popped. The water sprayed off and the air squeezed out, a bit like the life out of the game.
That was just one funny moment in a game that Augsburg will want to quickly forget — not least goalkeeper Tomas Koubek. Earlier in the game, the Czech shotstopper got himself in an awful tangle dealing with a regulation rolled backpass, failed to either take a touch or clear, fell over his own feet and allowed Alassane Plea to roll Gladbach's fourth into an empty net.