Borussia Mönchengladbach “road warriors” celebrate Alassane Plea, lament more bad keeper luck | OneFootball

Among the winners in the latest set of Bundesliga 15:30 kickoffs, Borussia Mönchengladbach had both highly interesting positives and negatives to reflect upon. Hat trick scorer Alassane Plea continues to be a certified killer of the day’s opponents, SV Werder Bremen. With Plea in the XI, Gladbach have never lost (five wins and five draws) against the Hanseaten. Plea even scored a hat trick against Bremen once before in November 2018.

BMG head coach Gerardo Seoane – who literally possesses an embarrassment of riches at the ten position – didn’t reveal whether this governed his decision to start Plea above Kevin Stöger. In his coaching tenure with Gladbach, Seoane has also used Rocco Reitz, Florian Neuhaus, Nathan Ngoumou, Robin Hack, and even Tomas Cvancara in the ten slot. The Swiss gaffer always seems to have some sort of innovative tactical formula this year.

Gladbach’s fourth consecutive away win on Saturday tied a club record set in the 1994/95 campaign. Unfortunately, Plea and the club’s milestones were rather overshadowed by the fact that the Niederrheiner absolutely cannot escape all the ridiculousness associated with their goalkeepers this year.

Jonas Omlin had to be subbed off injured in the 71st, forcing recent young debutant Tiago Pereira Cardoso back onto the pitch. After keeping a clean sheet in his debut match against Heidenheim, the 18-year-old Luxembourg international may find himself starting again after the international break.

Club sporting director Roland Virkus offered up no specifics on Omlins injury, yet did deliver a funny line in his Sky interview. All of Gladbach’s keeper problems have come on the road.

“Jonas felt a twinge,” Virkus said. “We’ll have to see exactly what it is. I have the feeling that when we play away, we always come back with only one goalkeeper.”

GGFN | Peter Weis