Rot-Weiß Oktopus-Haus and pun-proof Paderborn: a matchday 11 preview
FC Union and Hertha are both playing in the same slot this weekend (Sunday 13:30 Germany time). Here's a brief preview of both matches:
FC Union - Rot-Weiß Oberhausen
Paul is dead, long live Paul. Having crowned its new octopus -- we don't yet know what Iran president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has to say about it -- Oberhausen sends Rot-Weiß to the Alte Försterei looking for a first win, and a first goal, in five games. RWO started the season well, but have dipped since the middle of September.
Injuries have contributed to that decline. Several players are out, including right back Pappas, and Moses Lamidi, who scored both goals in the 3:2 defeat to Hertha on matchday 1. Oliver Petersch will likely continue to deputy for Pappas. It looks like Emmanuel Krontiris will partner Felix Luz up front. Luz is a central striker, while Krontiris has been used on both wings, but neither player has been on the field much this season. Union fans will be hoping they don't choose Sunday to click.
After last week's three points on the road, Union could do with points from this match to build up momentum and haul themselves up and away from the relegation zone. Karim Benyamina is of course celebrating a debut call-up the Algeria squad. Fellow Algerian (and national player too, once upon a time) Ahmed Madouni is injured, and Parensen is still definitely out, but Santi Kolk might make a return. If he doesn't, the team will likely be the one that started against Bielefeld and Augsburg. Unhappy with his free kicks and corners so far this season with the new ball, Torsten Mattuschka has this week apparently been practicing set pieces.
SC Paderborn 07 - Hertha BSC
Hertha are the only unbeaten club left in either the 1. or 2. Bundesliga and will stay top even if they lose at Paderborn -- unless they lose by a very big margin. Aue, now christened "the Mainz of the 2. Bundesliga", to Hertha's Bayern, won 1:0 on Friday at home to Fortuna Düsseldorf to join Hertha on 26 points, but have a goal difference of +8 to Hertha's +14.
Hertha were reasonably comfortable in the 3:1 home win against Ingolstadt last weekend. The squad has proved large enough to cope with the few injuries it has sustained. There are none new for this weekend, though Maikel Aerts, who made a surprise return in goal in that game, might not play. The management have rejected suggestions that he was brought back too early to face Ingolstadt.
SC Paderborn 07 were only formed in 1985, and this is the first time they have played Hertha in a league match. They started this season playing 4-4-2, but have since switched to something more like a 4-2-3-1, with Albanian international Edmond Kapllani up front on his own. He doesn't seem to mind, with three of his four goals this season (as well as one assist) coming since the change. Look out too for Daniel Brückner on the left wing.
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