Stuttgart at home

I started writing this on the S-Bahn heading home in a train full of fans after the Stuttgart match.  The mood is fairly subdued after todays match as the S5 trundles towards Charlottenburg on its shuttle service taking fans away from the stadium.

What a frustrating game to watch this was as Joachim Löw looked on from the stands. Hertha dominated the first half with nearly two thirds of the possession, more corners and more shots. But they lacked clinical finishing and shots went anywhere but in the net. I lost count of the number of times I threw my hands up only to end up grasping my head!! At half time it ended 0:0 but with a positive air in that Hertha were on top. It was not to last . . . .

In the second half Stuttgart "came out of the blocks" running but we were still putting our shoes on. We were caught napping and paid the price.  Hertha conceded a goal totally against the flow if the match up until that point and it was a real blow.
Hertha continued to battle on creating chance after chance but nobody could get it in the net.  Even in the closing minutes another chance appeared and then faded away once more.  It ended 0:1 and Hertha pick up no points again on this match day.
There is still much to be proud of not least of which is the support given by the fans but also the fact Hertha dominated a team that got to the DFB Pokal final last season and qualified for Europe (although they didn't stay there long). The numbers speak for themselves really: Hertha having 19 shots (compared to 8 from Stuttgart!) and winning 61% of the tackles.

Sure they came away with no points but if there was any justice in the world they deserved at least one. The worrying thing, in my opinion, is the finishing, and Jos Luhukay has some work to do in the coming week I think.  6:1 against Frankfurt feels like a long time ago now.