Five Observations from Matchday 4 in the Bundesliga

Will dead last Schalke make a move?

No club wants to be 0-3 with Bayern Munich headed to your stadium. You know that it’s likely not going to end up well, and you’re going to have zero points after four games. Now, you know what it’s like to be Domenico Tedesco.

Following a second place finish last season, Schalke are sitting dead last after four games. The only slight consolation for them is that they’ve played four of the top six teams in the league right now, but even with that said, they’ve only managed to score twice. Saturday against Bayern, Schalke never tested Manuel Neuer, and it looked like the two sides could play another entire hour without it happening.

Schalke’s only attacking transfer this summer was Mark Uth while they let Max Meyer and Leon Goretzka leave the club. Without those two in the attacking midfield, the club lacks any presence there, and it’s already causing them problems.

Will Tedesco survive?

Augsburg gift Werder Bremen three points.

Saturday wasn’t Fabian Giefer’s brightest moments in an Augsburg jersey. He’d like to forget it completely if he could. His gaffe cost his club a big point after coming back from two goals down to lose 2-3 to Werder Bremen.

For nearly half an hour after Philipp Max equalized, Augsburg looked good for at least a point in the match. Then, there was a routine shot toward Giefer’s goal. Giefer went to scoop the ball up, but it squirted right through his arms. Davy Klaassen pounced on the mistake and scored to give Bremen the 3-2 lead. The score would hold.

The three points keeps Bremen toward the top of the table in their early bright start. However, they have yet to face any clubs that we expect to be at the top of the table at the end of the season, so we’ll see how good they’ll be as the second half of the season progresses.

Hertha Berlin look good hammering Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Gladbach had a nice start to the season with wins over Schalke and Bayer Leverkusen and a draw against Augsburg. Hertha were also looking sharp with wins over Nürnberg and Schalke and a draw against Wolfsburg. Then, the two sides met in Berlin for a top of the table clash.

The visitors struck first through a penalty, but Hertha quickly counter with two goals within five minutes to take the lead. Hertha then sandwiched a Gladbach goal with two of their own in a ten minute period of the second half. Whoa. Are they for real?

When I ask, “are they for real?”, I want to make sure people understand where I’m coming from. In the Bundesliga, “are they for real?” this season doesn’t mean “will they challenge Bayern?”, it means “are they going to challenge for a spot in Europe?”. Nobody is challenging Bayern.

Freiburg stun Wolfsburg.

Wolfsburg opened the Bundesliga season with big wins over Schalke and Bayer Leverkusen and then secured a hard-fought draw with Hertha Berlin. So, with Freiburg visiting the Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg would surely take another three points, right?

After 50 minutes, Freiburg were sitting on top of a 3-0 lead, and Wolfsburg were all out of sorts. Bruno Labbadia’s side managed to pull one goal back, but it wasn’t enough. Freiburg saw things out won for the first time this season.

Wolfsburg has three games before they host Bayern just after the international break, so they’ll be aiming for six points in those matches. Nobody trusts a Labbadia coached team, so you shouldn’t expect big things here.

Bayer Leverkusen finally get points.

Kai Havertz very well may have saved Heiko Herrlich’s job against Mainz. The 19 year old’s header won all three points for Leverkusen, the first of the season for the club.

Leverkusen opened the season with two-goal losses against Borussia Mönchengladbach, Wolfsburg, and Bayern Munich. The most important thing from the match against Mainz is the club’s defense was able to pitch a shutout. Considering they also gave up two goals midweek against Ludogorets in the Europa League, this is a huge achievement for them.

Midweek, they’ve got a trip to promoted club Fortuna Düsseldorf before Borussia Dortmund visit at the weekend. Are they about to turn their fortunes around?

Matchday 4 Results

Table