Position
Mainz 05 became Mainz 5-0 on Tuesday night: Away at Werder Bremen, FSV secured a surprising as well as exciting runaway victory – that set a club record: The gala display on the night secured the biggest-ever away win for Mainz in the Bundesliga and also their biggest win in the top flight. Memorable, above all, given the fact that the 5-0 win in Bremen took over from a game in the top Mainz performances that wasn't even a month ago: At the end of November, the team from Rhinehessen won 5-1 away at Hoffenheim – and that despite playing a whole 45 minutes with ten men. It was a very fine debut for Achim Beierlorzer who had just been appointed as head coach as the successor to Sandro Schwarz. So Mainz were on fire for a second time in the fifth game under Beierlorzer and they are really buzzing under the new coach. Since the 52-year-old has been at the helm, Mainz have been able to move away from the relegation zone and are now fourteenth in the table with a four-point lead over the play-off spot – that's where the team were when Beierlorzer took over.
personnel
The man of the match on Tuesday night was, without doubt, Robin Quaison: The Swedish striker scored three goals – more than ever before in the Bundesliga. Quaison stands out above all through his pace and technique. And: Under certain circumstances, he could play alongside a long-term absent partner. Jean-Philippe Mateta has been sidelined for almost the whole of first half of the season with a torn meniscus. The Frenchman made a first and brief appearance in the 4-0 defeat against Borussia Dortmund and in Bremen he played for 23 minutes – and scored his first goal to make it 5-0. Mateta's goal threat adds another dimension to the already well-oiled Mainz attack. The central striker scored 14 goals in the Bundesliga last season. And there is still more attacking power: Karim Onisiwo could be back in the squad for the game against Bayer 04. The powerful Austrian missed the last two games with a knee problem but could be fit again for the last match in the first half of the season. The only regular starter who will definitely be missing his midfielder Danny Latza. The driving force in the middle is struggling with a back injury.
problems
As good as they are in front of the opposition goal – the Achilles' heel for Mainz this season is the defence. FSV have already conceded 38 goals with only Werder Bremen letting in more. The Mainz defence has struggled above all against the top teams in the league: Six goals were conceded against Bayern, eight against Leipzig and Beierlorzer was unable to prevent Dortmund scoring four times. On fire at times up front, often susceptible in defence: The Mainz season is a constant matter of sink or swim. They are the only club in the whole league without a single draw after 16 games. There is a slight hope in defence for the game against the Werkself: Central defender Jeremiah St Juste returns after serving a one-match ban.
potential
As in previous years, Mainz have a unique mix in their squad: Players from numerous nations alongside talented youngsters from their own academy. Five home-grown players were in the Mainz squad for the game against Werder Bremen and there were a total of eleven nationalities. That highlights the two very successful strings to the Mainz bow. The long-term outstanding success of the academy and the scouting network under the auspices of sporting director Rouven Schröder, that again and again attracts players capable of development, who are looking to take the next step in their careers in the Rhineland Palatinate state capital. In recent years that has brought large financial gain to the club for players including Abdou Diallo (to Dortmund, now at PSG) and Jean-Philippe Gbamin (to Everton); players like Mateta or central defender Moussa Niakhaté could soon follow.
prediction
In spite of modest finances, Mainz have now been in the Bundesliga for over ten years – and the chances of that not changing in the early part of next year are not bad. As in the previous three seasons, FSV are primarily playing to avoid relegation but the quality of the squad is good enough to be able to achieve this target again this season. It could be essential for this endeavour that Beierlorzer succeeds in stabilising the defence. If that happens then nothing should stand in the way of staying up.
