In this article, we have prepared for you a thorough analysis of the Round 14 matchup that will take place on Sunday in Wolfsburg between hosts and their guests from Monchengladbach.
The final matchup of the week will take place at Volkswagen Arena in Wolfsburg where the home team will meet with Monchengladbach squad that took scalp to defending champions last week at Borussia Park. The Wolves on the other side are coming off from their first loss in ten games, as they got edged by the Fuggers on the road (2:1).
The battle between the old foes should provide us with some quality soccer action and I’m sure that we’re all looking forward to it. These teams have a history of epic clashes and it shouldn’t be any different this time because the end of the first part of the season is nearing and acquiring the best possible league position before the competition continues at the end of January is an imperative for every team. Let’s take a closer look and identify the picks that will fill your pockets with some bucks.
VFL Wolfsburg vs. Borussia Monchengladbach
Three-Way: 1: VFL Wolfsburg +173; X: +270 Draw; 2: Borussia Monchengladbach +175 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread 0: VFL Wolfsburg -104; Borussia Monchengladbach +102
Total +2.5: Over -137; Under +138
VFL WOLFSBURG
The Wolves set the new record in consecutive splitting-point games in German Bundesliga (eight) and then recorded their first home win of the season two weeks ago against SC Freiburg squad. The obvious thrill that followed made the team lower its guard and the result was a defeat in last week’s matchup against not that strong FC Augsburg squad on the road. Now, with both feet on the ground, they’ll get the chance to remedy this poor impression with a clash with one of the best squads in the league currently, Borussia Monchengladbach, but it won’t be easy.
They currently rank at No. 14 spot in the league table with 14 points and a 2-8-3 record (1-5-1 at home). Their goal difference is 17-19 (10-11 at home) and 54% of their overall matches had under 2.5 goals in total while 31% of road games had over 3.5 goals in total. The team has managed to score in each of their last nine duels while they also managed to concede at least one goal in each of their last 11 matchups. They conceded at least one goal in every single home match while only 14% of those games had over 2.5 goals at half-time. Both teams scored in 77% of their games and they’ve managed to score and concede at least one goal in both halves in 29% of their home soil showdowns. The most common score at home was 1:1 draw (occurred four times).
Coach Martin Schmidt prefers the modern 4-2-3-1 scheme with Verhaegh, Knoche, Brooks, and Tisserand in the defensive line and Guilavogui and Arnold in front of them operating as defensive midfielders. Origi, Didavi, and Malli are in charge of the play-making that provides the right scoring opportunities for Gomez who operates alone up front. Daniel Didavi and Divock Origi are the team’s leading scorers with four goals each while Yunus Malli has three. Didavi is also team’s leading assister with six so far (2nd in Bundesliga) while defenders Robin Knoche and Paul Verhaegh recorded two each. Along with Arnold Maximilian, Verhaegh also dominates the passing segment with 497 and 495 total passes while goalkeeper Koen Casteels has 173 shots against, 45 saves and only one clean-sheet game so far. Malli and Marcel Tisserand collected the team-high three yellow cards each while Maximilian and Paul-Gorges Ntep has one red card each.
Daniel Didavi (concussion), Marvin Stefaniak (ankle) and Christian Trasch (unknown) are listed as day to day while Kaylen Hinds’ (Illness), Jakub Blaszczykowski’s (back) and Ignacio Camacho’s (ankle) status is unknown. Sebastian Jung (ankle) and Adelino Vierinha (ankle) should be back in action in few days.
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH
The Borussia Monchengladbach is probably the team with biggest moral at the moment having in mind that they took down defending champions Bayern Munich in a head to head fight last week at Borussia Park. This accomplishment reminded the fans of the glory days when Monchengladbach belonged to the very top of the German team soccer but those days might be closer than the most of us expect according to the fans that like all other fans, do have a tendency of overreacting in praise of their own players. Still, the team put everyone on notice last weekend and proved that they have enough mental strength to set eye on the top of the league rankings.
They are currently ranked at No. 4 spot with 24 points earned and 7-3-3 record (3-2-1 on the road). They have relatively poor goal difference (23-22, 14-13 on the road) thanks to a couple of high-scoring defeats that occurred earlier in the season. The team managed to score at least one goal in every road matchup this year and they’ve also managed to score in each of their last 10 duels. 62% of their overall games had over 2.5 goals in total while 83% of their road games had over 3.5 goals in total. Astonishing 67% of away matchups had over 2.5 goals at half-time as Foals managed to score at least two goals or more in each of their last three away games. Both teams score in 69% of their games and in every third road showdown they’ve managed to score at least one goal in both halves. They’ve managed to concede at least one goal in every second road game and the most common score on the road was a 2:2 draw (occurred twice).
Head coach Dieter Hecking prefers simple 4-4-2 scheme with Wendt, Vestergaard Ginter and Elvedi in the defensive line and Hazard, Zakaria, Kramer, and Hermann as midfielders. Raffael and Stindl usually operate up front. In order for this formation to be successful, every player on the field must know his assignments and carry them out perfectly, as Borussia’s players obviously are capable of. Thorgan Hazard, younger brother of more famous Eden Hazard that plays for English side Chelsea tops the team in scoring with five goals while Raffael and Lars Stindl recorded four each so far. Along with Nico Elvedi and Vicenzo Grifo, Hazard is also team’s leading assister with two while passing segment belongs to defender Mathias Ginter with 611 total passes. Goalkeepers Yann Sommer and Tobias Sippel have 211 shots against, 47 saves and three clean-sheet games combined.
Laslo Benes (foot) should be back during the next month while Tobias Strobl’s (cruciate ligament) timetable for return is set for early February next year. Patrick Herrmann’s (thigh), Tony Jantschke’s (skull fracture), Raul Marcelo Bobadilla’s (hip), Ibrahima Traore’s (thigh) and Jonas Hofmann’s (knee) status is unknown while Jannik Vestergaard (Illness) is listed as day to day. Cristoph Kramer (concussion) should be back in few days while Mamadou Doucoure (thigh) is back in training.
VFL Wolfsburg vs. Borussia Monchengladbach – Match Prediction
The visitors are the clear favorite in this matchup but I’m not entirely sure that this would be a good move. A Much less risky pick will be over 2.5 goals in total and that will be my prime advice. Also, when it comes to the final result I would go on a draw rather than any team’s win, just on a hunch.
My pick: Over 2.5 goals (-137)
Additional pick: X Draw (+270)
