Schalke 04 will hope to defy injuries and poor results with a win at Fortuna Dusseldorf. It all starts with how they line up. Here’s our prediction.
It’s been kind of gross lately, I think we can all agree. Schalke 04’s 2020 is shaping up to be one of the worst years in club history, and that’s not even taking the COVID situation into account. Even without the pause and the pandemic, and everyone affected, the Royal Blues have been downright awful in nearly every single minute on the pitch.
The numbers back it up. Since the turn of 2020, Schalke has scored just four goals and conceded 22. That -18 goal differential is far and away the worst in the Bundesliga after a first-half that made it seem—erroneously, apparently—that Die Knappen was ready to play ball with the big clubs. A win over RB Leipzig, a goalless draw against Dortmund, it all looked deceptively good.
Now the question is what the club can do to not just get a result, but score a goal and not surrender a handful. It doesn’t get much than the current state of the club, and with injuries piling up like those to Amine Harit and Suat Serdar and Omar Mascarell, Schalke can’t even count on the guys they know they can get something out of.
Schalke 04’s XI against Dusseldorf can still look strong
Next up is Fortuna Dusseldorf, and the mixture between dread and excitement is impossible to distinguish. Of course fans are excited to see the Royal Blues back on the pitch, but the dread of another potential loss is overwhelming.
It all starts with David Wagner and his personnel choices. And as for our predicted XI, I had to toe the line between what I wanted—and what should happen—and what the manager would opt for. Don’t worry, I’ll make a distinction where.
Let’s talk about how David Wagner will situate. My bet on formation is a 4-1-3-2, though I don’t particularly like it. Anyway, we start in goal.
Keeper
Markus Schubert will keep the job. It’s the right choice, even if you don’t like it.
Moving on to the defense.