Position
Holstein Kiel have not won any of their last five games in the Bundesliga. The North Germans have only won three of their 22 games in Germany's top flight so far. The team led by coach Marcel Rapp had to wait until Matchday 9 for their first victory with a 1-0 win against FC Heidenheim. The other two wins also came at home at the Holstein Stadion against FC Augsburg (5-1) and Borussia Dortmund (4-2). The other games ended in four draws and 15 defeats. The Storks dropped down to bottom spot for the first time since Matchday 5 after the 3-1 defeat away to Eintracht Frankfurt at the weekend. "We succeeded in playing well at times but we made too many mistakes overall – me included," said central defender David Zec after the game. "I'm sorry about my misplaced pass before the third goal we conceded but now we have to look forward and try to take the positives from the game." And striker Fiete Arp was also positive: "There are still enough games to play for us to have more chances of getting results." They currently have 13 points. The gap to the play-off position is just one point. But they are already eight points behind TSG Hoffenheim in 15th position.
Fiete Arp has a lot of respect for the forthcoming opponents Bayer 04: "The way they play football, how versatile they are, and how tactically and technically adroit this team are is a sight for sore eyes." After going 2-0 down early on in Leverkusen in the Hinrunde, Arp levelled at 2-2 for Holstein Kiel from the penalty spot after Max Geschwill scored to make it 2-1. "That was one of those games that showed us what's possible when we push ourselves to the limit," said Arp. And the "desire to do it again" will not only be big in his case on Saturday.
Personnel
Holstein Kiel coach Marcel Rapp has a lot of injury problems. In the 3-1 defeat in Frankfurt, strikers Steven Skrzybski (muscular problems), Alexander Bernhardsson (knee) and Benedikt Pichler (muscular problems) were joined on the sidelines by number one keeper Timon Weiner (infection) plus central defenders Carl Johansson (knee problems) and Colin Kleine-Bekel (rehab after torn cruciate), midfielder Patrick Erras (concussion) and winger John Tolkin (thigh). The latter came to Kiel from New York Red Bulls in the winter. Rapp will also have to manage without defender Ivan Nekic (muscular problems) in the game against Bayer 04. The Croat, signed a few weeks ago from NK Varazdin, made his first start for Holstein Kiel against Eintracht Frankfurt. His position in defence could be taken by Marco Ivezic. Also missing on Saturday is Marvin Schulz (adductor muscle injury).
And there is a question mark over regular starter Finn Porath. The Storks number eight is the only member of the team to have played in all 22 Bundesliga games to date. The 27-year-old also has muscular problems. Alternatives on the flanks are Lasse Rosenboom and Dominik Javorcek. Captain Lewis Holtby and Armin Gigovic are first choices in central midfield. Phil Harres, Fiete Arp and Shuto Machino are ready to go up front.
Problems
The newcomers have the worst defence in the league with 57 goals conceded so far. The team from Schleswig Holstein have only kept one clean sheet before now. So it is no surprise the Storks have conceded the most shots on goal in the league (382). Holstein Kiel are primarily susceptible at set pieces (15 goals conceded), counter-attacks (five) and in the air – the 13 headed goals conceded is the worst return in the league. Kiel have only secured three points on the road this season – one of them was the 2-2 draw against the Werkself in the Hinrunde. The North German side have yet to win a single game away from home.
Performers
Kiel stand for courageous attacking football. The bottom-placed team have scored an impressive 34 goals in 22 games – and that is only two goals less than RB Leipzig in fourth place and one less than Mainz 05 in sixth. Kiel have scored 20 times in their last eight games. The Werkself will have to be on their toes at set-pieces from the Storks: The ten goals scored from dead balls puts them seventh in that ranking. Coach Marcel Rapp has a lot of quality in attack. The most successful goalscorers are the Japan international Shuto Machino and Phil Harres with seven goals each. But their fellow strikers Fiete Arp (2) as well as the currently injured Steven Skrzybski (4), Alexander Bernhardsson (2) and Benedikt Pichler (1) have also already scored.
Despite the injury problems, the team shows enormous resistance and never gives up. Kiel often score in the final 15 minutes. Ahead of the 2-2 draw against VfL Bochum on Matchday 21, kicker calculated that Holstein Kiel would be second in the table with 31 points and 13 goals scored and seven conceded if only the last 15 minutes were counted. In the 4-3 defeat against Bayern Munich three weeks ago, Skrzybski scored twice in added time. Kiel have gained seven points from losing positions with only five teams having a better return in that category.
