The Royal Blues had a really brilliant season in Domenico Tedesco’s first year in charge, but can they keep it up in the 2018/19 campaign?
Schalke finished as runners-up to Bayern Munich last year, and though they were not even close from winning the title, their rise from 10th to second and return to Champions League football give their fans something to cheer about.
However, the Bundesliga is set to be tougher for them this time around. With the departure of some key players and increased demands due to European football, fighting for the top four might prove to be trickier than what they expect.
Key Strengths
Tedesco’s rise to prominence was surprising but well-deserved. After all, he is the main reason the team secured a return trip to European football after a year that saw them finish with more losses than wins —and almost the same number of draws!
His pragmatic approach and tactical fluidity worked well for the team, and that style should be a key driver for another title pursuit or, realistically, another top-four finish.
The Gelsenkirchen-based squad is also one of the best defensive teams in the league, finishing with the third-most menacing defence last season. They conceded just 37 goals, only one behind VfB Stuttgart and nine behind Bayern Munich. In fact, they had 13 clean sheets and conceded more than two goals on just 10 occasions.
It should also help the team that they were able to sign Senegal international Salif Sane from Hannover. An experienced Bundesliga defender, the 27-year-old centre-back is undoubtedly brimming with confidence right now after his stint with Senegal in the World Cup.
Sane is a versatile player capable of playing all defensive positions, so his addition to a defensive line composed of Naldo, Matija Nastasic, Baba Rahman and fellow new recruit Hamza Mendyl should only tighten things at the back for Schalke even more.
Major Weaknesses and Concerns
For a well-balanced team like Schalke, it’s confusing to see their midfield severely lacking in quality—though that might not be surprising for Royal Blues fans who are already used to seeing their club sell or let go of their best players on a yearly basis.
Indeed, the departure of their top midfielder Leon Goretzka and promising 22-year-old Max Meyer is a huge blow to the team that now lacks a clear leader in midfield.
Suat Serdar (from Mainz 05) and Omar Mascarell (from Eintracht Frankfurt) were brought in as replacements, but the two are yet to perform consistently at a high level. Besides, just like in other teams, the new boys need some time to adjust and get used to Schalke football.
Aside from the midfield, Schalke’s frontline can also benefit from some improvement. The team lacks variety offensively, scoring most of the time through set pieces. While that is not wrong, they need to find a way to score from open play especially if they are to mount a legitimate title challenge.
Mark Uth, who top-scored Hoffenheim with 14 league goals in 2017/18, will be crucial for the Schalke offence. Now, Tedesco must look for the best approach to utilise and maximise their prized signing of the summer.
Key Players to Watch
Naldo remains one of the team’s best players, and Schalke will certainly lean on his leadership skills to guide them as they try to manage the demands of domestic competitions and Champions League football.
The 35-year-old defender, who will turn 36 this September, was voted the 2017/18 Bundesliga “Outfield Player of the Season.” He is a great all-around player—even scoring seven times last year while finishing as the league’s top tackler—and hasn’t shown any sign of slowing down.
Guido Burgstaller is also a key member of Schalke. After leading the team in scoring with 13 goals in all competitions, the Austrian forward is expected to improve and increase his offensive production.
It remains to be seen how Burgstaller will fit alongside Uth, but hopes are high that their combination up front will give the team better Bundesliga 2018 results.
Fearless Forecast
Schalke didn’t come close to winning the title in the past season, and I don’t think they will be any closer this year. The Bundesliga 2018 betting odds at SBOBET put Schalke behind Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, and I think that’s just right.
The Bavarians are still the team to beat in the German top flight, while the deeply talented Dortmund are poised to return to relevance with the arrival of master tactician Lucien Favre.
It shouldn’t help Schalke that they will be playing in the Champions League this year, which means Tedesco will need to rotate his squad more often than he did last year. And did I mention that the 32-year-old boss has no prior experience managing a Champions League team?
Schalke are strong and have a competitive squad, but I think they’ll have a difficult time this year. A top-four finish—at third or fourth—is my prediction for Schalke, though I won’t be surprised to see them dropping out of the best four (case on point: the 2016/17 Bundesliga runners-up RB Leipzig).
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