Ready for an intense game under the lights

Like all at 1. FSV Mainz 05 , board member for sport Christian Heidel had hoped for a better start to the season. “But, we can’t allow ourselves to start feeling sorry for ourselves, we have to accept this situation and fight to get out of it together, that’s exactly the way that I’m approaching it,” emphasised Heidel in interview during the week ahead of the away game against Borussia Mönchengladbach, which will take place on Friday evening (20:30 CEST). Around 1,300 Mainz fans will be following the team on their travels to Borussia Park, hoping to experience a first win of the season after six winless games so far. But, there is reason for optimism, despite the negative result, due to the performance put in last weekend against a top team in Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

Despite the full time score reading a clear 3-0 defeat, Bo Svensson saw several positives to take into this week’s training, as he explained in his press conference on Thursday: “The fact is, we didn’t let much through. Leverkusen had four chances and were very efficient, but for large stretches we defended well.” He suggested that despite Leverkusen’s first shot on target making it 2-0 (the first goal was an own goal), the mentality shown by his team was very good. “I never had the feeling that the boys had let the game go or given up.”

More precision in attack, less individual errors

The Zerofivers created opportunities against Bayer 04, but were just missing that final touch. Svensson is hoping that his team will show more precision under the lights on Friday, not just creating well-worked openings but going further than that and putting chances away. The Dane also emphasised in reference to the game against Leverkusen, that, “in terms of the phase that we find ourselves in, it was a good performance. Unfortunately, we weren’t rewarded with a positive result for it.”

Svensson added that you can’t do anything about conceding goals that come out of moments of brilliant individual quality, such as the freekick scored by Alejandro Grimaldo. “But there are goals where we didn’t defend well and were punished for this. We made too many individuals errors and our opponents have been very clinical up until now. It is a mix of different factors,” said Svensson, analysing the season so far. After six matchdays, Mainz find themselves at the bottom of the table with one point, and need points, if possible straight away on Friday in Mönchengladbach.

“Positive energy“ from the captain

Svensson suggested that his team know the only way out of this negative spiral: “The focus has to be on the things that we can influence: Working on the style of play, not giving up or arguing with each other, but staying in the game. Then, things will start to go our way. We have to do a lot to make that happen, also mentally,” said Svensson. “It is more difficult to pick yourself up and go again after the games from the last few weeks, but there is no other way to do it.”

The Mainz head coach is positive about the fact that captain Silvan Widmer has been able to return to full team training. “He took part in everything with us this week. It is important that the captain is there with the team. As a guy and as a player he exudes positive energy, we need everyone in a period like this.” One player that won’t be there in Mönchengladbach is Karim Onisiwo, who has been struggling with a hip problem. Alongside him, Nelson Weiper, Jonathan Burkardt, Andreas Hanche-Olsen, Maxim Leitsch and Phillipp Mwene will also be unavailable once again.

A strong squad with a clear plan

Borussia Mönchengladbach found themselves with a large turnover of players in the summer under new head coach Gerardo Seoane and are now in a rebuilding phase. Gladbach picked up their first win of the season last weekend in Bochum. “A team with lots of good players,” said Svensson of the Zerofivers’ opponents on Friday. “They will have a clear plan. They are a top opponent. 20:30 CEST in Mönchengladbach, we are expecting an intense game, and we will be ready for it,” emphasised the Mainz head coach.