Our next opponents: Schalke looking to break logjam

Position

The horrendous run is now hanging over the Veltins Arena like the sword of Damocles. FC Schalke have not won in the Bundesliga for 25 games and the runners-up from 2018 are in danger of equalling the worst ever record set by Tasmania Berlin – 31 Bundesliga games without a win. Given the strength of the squad, it is hard to believe the Royal Blues cannot escape this downward spiral. In last Saturday's 4-1 defeat at Borussia Mönchengladbach, Schalke did not play like the team at the bottom for half an hour. "We defended and counter-attacked well up to the goal that made it 2-1," was the analysis of Manuel Baum who took over as head coach from David Wagner after matchday two. The Royal Blues scored a goal with a nice move and had the chance to score a second – but ended up losing by a clear margin. As in previous matches, there were good signs in the Schalke game at times. Striker Steven Skrzybski talked about "progress" after the Gladbach encounter and Mark Uth was optimistic: "It will turn round at some point." "Some point" should obviously be as soon as possible as Schalke urgently need points as the bottom-of-the-table club. The only win of the season so far came in the DFB Cup with a 4-1 victory over Regional League Schweinfurt.

Personnel

It is hard to predict which players Schalke will field against the Werkself on Sunday. Against Borussia Mönchengladbach, Baum suddenly pulled 19-year-old striker Matthew Hoppe out of the hat with his first start on his debut. When Hoppe was substituted on 81 minutes, he was replaced by a teammate from the Schalke second team – the 21-year-old Luca Schuler, also a Bundesliga debutant. The reason: There are currently no genuine central strikers available in the first-team squad as Goncalo Paciencia is sidelined with a knee injury,Vedad Ibisevic is out of the reckoning, Ahmed Kutucu has contracted coronavirus and Rabbi Matondo has yet to recover from a knee injury. It is possible that Baum will again look for replacements from the U23 team for the Werkself match.

Schalke also have injury problems in defence. Key defender Salif Sané is ruled out, central defender Ozan Kabak and former Leverkusen player Bastian Oczipka are touch and go. And Baum could be forced to improvise in goal. There is a question mark over the keeper Frederik Rönnow due to a muscle problem and the number two shot-stopper Ralf Fährmann is also unlikely to appear. That means the third choice Michael Langer could be in between the sticks on Sunday.

The two midfielders Amine Harit and Nabil Bentaleb are definitely ruled out of the squad. Both players were asked to pause for reflection in the form of individual training after the 2-0 defeat against Wolfsburg.

Performers

If Kabak and Rönnow are available then the centre of defence will be well above average even without Sané. That appears rather strange given the 28 goals conceded in the nine Bundesliga games to date but the Schalke last line of defence was often just at the end of a chain of mistakes. In addition to Sané and Kabak, Schalke have three high-quality central defenders in Matija Nastasic, Benjamin Stambouli and the young Malick Thiaw with loanee Rönnow behind them enjoying a good season in goal. The Werkself will definitely not find it easy to score – particularly given Schalke are much more solid in defence in home games than they are on the road. In the last three matches at the Veltins Arena, the Royal Blues have only conceded four goals including just one from open play.

Problems

The fewest goals scored, the most goals conceded, the longest run without a win plus last-place in several of the Bundesliga data rankings produced by the statisticians – the list of faults at Schalke is too long. At the same time, the Royal Blues have enough talent with players like Kabak, Serdar and Uth to not be involved in a relegation battle. The reasons for their plight appear to be more of a mental nature at the moment. Against Borussia Mönchengladbach, the team lost the plot after conceding the goal to make it 2-1 and then – as forward Uth put it – "the plug was pulled again." He was unable to explain why: "I don't understand it. We just need to carry on as we were." But that does not appear simple after the run of poor results. The one win is missing that could enable them to break free and the sword of Damocles disappear. Then a lot could automatically improve that up to now has simply not worked.

Prediction

Schalke 04 are involved in the most difficult season of the past 20 years. There is no doubt the quality of the team is more than sufficient to stay up. However, they need a win as soon as possible to break the logjam. After the game against the Werkself, the Royal Blues play Augsburg, Freiburg and Bielefeld up to Christmas. The performances in the opening 30 minutes against Borussia Mönchengladbach and after 30 minutes against Wolfsburg give Schalke reasons be hopeful that the winless run will end before the festive season.