Bundesliga | Gameweek 12

Nov 29, 2024 at 7.30pm UK

Millerntor-Stadion

St Paulivs.Holstein Kiel

Match preview

St Pauli were completely outplayed in the first half by Borussia Mönchengladbach. Die Fohlen had seven shots on target, scored twice and created three big chances, but they'll feel their positive second-half display deserved at least one goal.

Boss Alexander Blessin wasn't happy with how his players started the match, saying: "We weren't fully focused when they scored from the corner." After that, we gave Gladbach a lot of space and opportunities. By the end of the match, we had three or four chances, and it's possible that one of them might have led to a different outcome.

Blessin's side are just two points from 15th-placed Heidenheim, and they've conceded 14 goals, which is better than 13 of the other 17 clubs in the top flight, including the rest of the bottom eight.

St Pauli are having a rough time, to say the least. They've lost four, drawn one and only won one of their last six league games. And they've failed to score four times in that period.

The hosts have also had a tough time at home this season. The club hasn't managed to win or score in any of their five games at Millerntor-Stadion, losing three times.

Meanwhile, the visitors go into the game having lost to Mainz fairly deservedly. In that match, Holstein Kiel didn't create any big chances and faced 10 shots from inside the box.

After the match, manager Marcel Rapp was pretty downbeat, telling reporters: "We never really had a chance to get in there and make an impact. Mainz is a solid team. "If we don't give it our all, we end up with performances like today."

In the Bundesliga, Rapp's team have scored 12 goals and conceded 28 times, which makes them the fourth-worst offensive and second-worst defensive team in the division.

The Storks have only managed to win two of their 13 games this season, and just once in their 11 Bundesliga matches.

Holstein Kiel's recent form is pretty poor. They've lost four of their last five matches, and they've conceded 12 times and scored just three goals.

Apart from their 3-2 win against Alemannia Aachen in the DFB-Pokal on 17 August, the visitors have struggled away from home, losing four and drawing two of their next six games.

Recent Performance

St Pauli Bundesliga form:LLDWLL

St Pauli form (all competitions):LDLWLL

Holstein Kiel Bundesliga form:DLLWLL

Holstein Kiel form (all competitions):LLLWLL

Team News

Blessin's squad has been hit hard by injuries, with goalkeepers Sascha Burchert, Ben Alexander Voll and Soren Ahlers all ruled out.

They also without forwards Elias Saad, Conor Metcalfe, Simon Zoller and Scott Banks, while defenders Adam Dzwigala and Karol Mets won't be back until mid-next month.

On top of that, Robert Wagner won't be in the starting XI, so we'll probably see Jackson Irvine and Carlo Boukhalfa in a double pivot ahead of Hauke Wahl, Eric Smith and David Nemeth.

It looks like Johannes Eggestein will be starting as a striker in a front three, and Nikola Vasilj is almost certain to be trusted in goal.

The visitors will be without attackers Alexander Bernhardsson and Andu Yobel Kelati, but the latter could make his comeback from injury in the next few days.

With Rapp set to field a 3-5-2 formation, the strikers at the front could be Phil Harres and Steven Skrzybski.

Centre-backs Carl Johansson and Colin Kleine-Bekel won't be playing for Holstein Kiel. Maybe the away side will field a back three with Marco Ivezic, Patrick Erras and Max Geschwill.

Possible starting lineup

St Pauli possible starting lineup:

Vasilj; Wahl, Smith, Nemeth; Saliakas, Irvine, Boukhalfa, Treu; Afolayan, Eggestein, Guilavogui

Holstein Kiel possible starting lineup:

Weiner; Ivezic, Erras, Geschwill; Becker, Holtby, Knudsen, Remberg, Puchacz; Harres, Skrzybski