Der Aufgang: FC Augsburg

BUNDESLIGA PREVIEW: HERTHA BSC VS. FC AUGSBURG

Date: 24 September 2016
Kick Off: 15:30


Hertha BSC
Based In: Berlin
Position: 1st
Manager: Pal Dardai
Captain: Vedad Ibisevic
Key Player: Vladimir Darida
Injuries & Suspensions: Ondrej Duda, Vedad Ibisevic
Last Match: 1-0 Vs. SV Darmstadt 98
Form:

Fans Prediction: ”We’ve made a flying start to the season and Pal Dardai has us playing some very nice football. It would be great to see us enjoy a successful season and our start suggests we might be in for one. Augsburg though have started well too and the only time they’ve not been the better team in their games was against Bayern from what I can tell so I think a draw is on the cards here.”


FC Augsburg
Based In: Augsburg
Position: 6th
Manager: Dirk Schuster
Captain: Paul Verhaegh
Key Player: Jonathan Schmid
Injuries & Suspensions: Christoph Janker, Paul Verhaegh, Philipp Max, Jan Moravek
Last Match: 5-1 Vs. SV Werder Bremen
Form:

Fans Prediction: ”Seven points from four games isn’t a bad return for a club like us and it does represent a positive start, when you consider the only team that has beaten us and has really tested us defensively has been Bayern. Bremen were lucky to get their goal against us and if it wasn’t for conceding then we would have had a third clean sheet going into this game. We’re scoring goals though at the minute which was a worry for some fans going into this season but we can’t complain. Hertha are having a great start to the season though, and I do fear that they’ll just be a little too strong for us so a home win is on the cards.”

The Bundesliga campaign really kicked into life during September, starting at the WWK Arena after the International break. Despite a solid and stern defensive performance against FC Bayern, Augsburg were unable to hold Carlo Ancelotti’s side at bay as Robert Lewandowski scored and assisted as the reigning Champions ran out 2-0 winners. A second clean sheet of the season followed as Mainz held Augsburg to a 0-0 draw after a thrilling match at the OPEL Arena. In their second home game of the season, Augsburg secured their first points at the WWK Arena as two goals from Jonathan Schmid helped Die Fuggerstadter to an easy 5-1 win over four times Champions Werder Bremen. Augsburg were unable to make it two wins on the bounce though as surprise package Hertha Berlin overcame Dirk Schuster’s side with a late goal to win 2-1 at the Olympiastadion, but a late goal at the WWK Arena against Koln saw Augsburg secure a point in a 1-1 draw against the visitors.

















Jonathan Schmid

After a mixed run of form in September, Jonathan Schmid was the standout player, scoring twice in the 5-1 thumping of Werder Bremen, but his performances all round this month have been of the highest level and has given Dirk Schuster food for thought in the winger positions.




After a mixed bag of results in September, Augsburg will be looking to try and gain some consistency over the course of October. A trip to a Schalke side struggling under former Augsburg manager Markus Weinzierl will be an eagerly anticipated clash at the VELTINS Arena before Eintracht Frankfurt visit the WWK Arena a week later. The following Wednesday, Dirk Schuster takes his Augsburg side back to former side Darmstadt in the DFB Pokal 2nd round, before Augsburg round off their month away at Hoffenheim.


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It’s been a mixed month on the pitch. A thumping win over Werder Bremen really showed what this side is capable of when it gets the wind in its sails and we have to embrace that ability a bit more consistently. The performances against Hertha and Koln at the end of the month deserved a better set of results but as the players adapt to our system mistakes like the one Marwin Hitz and Georg Teigl made against Koln will happen. Nobody has allowed their heads to drop after the defeat to Bayern and on the whole I am happy with how this season is progressing so far.

BUNDESLIGA PREVIEW: TSG 1899 HOFFENHEIM VS. FC AUGSBURG

Date: 29 October 2016
Kick Off: 15:30


TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
Based In: Hoffenheim
Position: 11th
Manager: Julian Nagelsmann
Captain: Eugen Polanski
Key Player: Sebastian Rudy
Injuries & Suspensions: Jeremy Toljan
Last Match: 1-0 Vs. Fortuna Dusseldorf
Form:

Fans Prediction: ”It feels we’re having a comfortable start to the season and we look to be set for a mid table finish type season which after last season is acceptable. In Julian Nagelsmann we have a very young manager who is learning his trade but if he can learn at a rapid rate and progress the club that would be fantastic. We have a good squad as do Augsburg but I think we should be taking all three points here to be honest.”


FC Augsburg
Based In: Augsburg
Position: 7th
Manager: Dirk Schuster
Captain: Paul Verhaegh
Key Player: Koo Ja-Cheol
Injuries & Suspensions: Iannis Gelios, Christoph Janker, Kostas Stafylidis, Jonathan Schmid
Last Match: 2-1 Vs. SV Darmstadt 98
Form:

Fans Prediction: ”We should have done better against Darmstadt in midweek and if Georg Teigl hadn’t have been sent off I think we would have won that tie and our last five results would have looked a bit more positive. We were very effective against Frankfurt last time out though and if we can hit those levels against Hoffenheim this weekend we will win the tie I think.”