Hertha aim for first treble in 2022
Berlin’s Hertha remains one of the Bundesliga’s biggest problem children. The “old lady” actually had a lot planned for the start of the new calendar year. It is all the more disappointing that the first three games in 2022 resulted in just one measly point. They also suffered two crushing home defeats, conceding three and four goals respectively.
It is therefore hardly surprising that the “Big City Club” finds itself in the relegation battle of the top flight. The capital club is only three points ahead of the relegation place. This is one of the reasons why Friday night is all about real big points. At the start of the 21st matchday, Hertha are favourites against Bochum according to the odds. The 2.25 at the top implies a 43% probability of a home win.
Betting on the three-way market would, of course, still involve a certain risk, especially as the visitors from Bochum have played a solid season so far and are even two points ahead of their upcoming opponents in the standings. Hope for a trend reversal, however, is at least given the record against the Ruhr team as well as the fact that the promoted team has yet to pull up any trees away from home.
Hertha – Statistics & current form
It has almost become a perennial favourite to start a paragraph about Hertha with the fact that the “old lady” is once again lagging behind its own expectations and simply cannot live up to the high expectations.
The start to the new football year 2022 could hardly have been weaker. The capital club only earned one meagre point from the games against Cologne (1:3), Wolfsburg (0:0) and FC Bayern (1:4). In addition, Korkut’s team was eliminated in the last 16 of the DFB Cup by Union Berlin, of all teams. For the first time in almost exactly a year, three consecutive competitive matches were lost at the Olympiastadion.
At first glance, therefore, there are few serious arguments for predicting a home win between Hertha and Bochum. On closer inspection, however, it becomes clear that the “Big City Club” must be trusted more at home than away.
Hertha must pull the lever in defence
14 of the total of only 22 points were scored at home. In addition, ten fewer goals were conceded at home than away. Especially against clubs from the immediate neighbouring regions of the ranking, the “old lady” did not present herself badly at all. Instead, three of the four home defeats came against opponents from the upper half of the table.
Accordingly, we think it is anything but improbable that Korkut’s team will pick up at least one point in the all-important home match on Friday evening. The top priority must be to stabilise the defence, which has recently looked shaky. Only with a compact basic order can the Berliners score. In the current season, keeper Schwolow has had to make two or more saves, and there has only been one victory (3:2 against Dortmund).
Consequently, it can be assumed that the coach will once again intensify his work against the ball and therefore a bet on the under 2.5/3.5 can be considered between Hertha and Bochum. In terms of personnel, those responsible are hoping that new signing Marc-Oliver Kempf will bring more tackling strength and leadership quality to the defensive centre. In addition, the return of top scorer Jovetic to the starting eleven could give the team a boost.
Predicted line-up of Hertha:
Schwolow – Pekarik, Stark, Kempf, Björkan – Ascacibar, S. Serdar – M. Richter, Mittelstädt – Belfodil, Jovetic
Last matches played by Hertha:
1st Bundesliga
01/23 2022 – Hertha Berlin 1 – 4 Bayern Munich
DFB Cup
01/19 2022 – Hertha Berlin 2 – 3 Union Berlin
1st Bundesliga
01/15 2022 – Vfl Wolfsburg 0 – 0 Hertha Berlin
01/09 2022 – Hertha Berlin 1 – 3 1. FC Köln
12/18 2021 – Hertha Berlin 3 – 2 Borussia Dortmund
Bochum – Statistics & current form
Before the season, VfL Bochum were considered one of the hottest contenders for one of the two direct relegation places. However, after 20 match days, the promoted team is in a respectable eleventh place. Although a five-point lead over the relegation places is not yet a reassuring cushion, the Ruhr team has made a very stable and, above all, consistent impression.
The first four competitive games in the new year also encourage us to believe that VfL will not collapse again this season. Against Wolfsburg (1:0) and Cologne (2:2), four points have already been recorded. In addition, a 3:1 home win against Mainz 05 secured a place in the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup. However, it was the Rheinhessen side that inflicted the only defeat in the 2022 Bundesliga on the Blue and Whites.
Bochum with big problems away from home so far
With all the justified euphoria, it must not be forgotten with regard to a suitable Hertha vs. Bochum forecast that coach Thomas Reis’ troops have by no means delivered the results away from home that they have at home. Six points from ten away games are only enough for penultimate place in the away rankings. Two victories were offset by eight defeats. No other team scored fewer goals away from home than VfL (six). Six times no goals were scored away from home.
With this in mind, it is probably smarter to neglect the odds on a surprise coup for the visitors between Hertha and Bochum. Especially because the Ruhrpottler have lost the last five direct duels against the “old lady” in all competitions, have been without a goal of their own three times in a row in the capital and, to make matters worse, have to do without perhaps their most important midfielder. Liaison player Anthony Losilla, who usually acts as the only six in front of a back four, has tested positive and is out.
Predicted line-up of Bochum:
Riemann – Stafylidis, Bella Kotchap, Leitsch, Danilo Soares – Tesche – Löwen, Rexhbecaj – Pantovic, Holtmann – Locadia
Last matches played by Bochum:
Friendly club matches
01/27 2022 – Vfl Bochum 0 – 2 Fortuna Düsseldorf
1st Bundesliga
01/22 2022 – Vfl Bochum 2 – 2 1. FC Köln
DFB Cup
01/18 2022 – Vfl Bochum 3 – 1 Mainz 05
1st Bundesliga
01/15 2022 – Mainz 05 1 – 0 Vfl Bochum
01/09 2022 – Vfl Bochum 1 – 0 Vfl Wolfsburg
Hertha – Bochum Direct Comparison / H2H Balance
Hertha already underlined in the first leg that they quite like to act against VfL Bochum. The “old lady” won 3:1 on matchday four in the Ruhr and thus inflicted one of only two home defeats on the promoted team so far. It was Berlin’s fifth success against VfL in a row.
At home, there has only been a defeat in two of 21 Bundesliga games against the visitors from the west (twelve wins, seven draws). Only against Union Berlin (3.5 in two games) did the capital club score more goals on average at home than against their upcoming opponents (2.2). With a bit of courage to take risks, betting on a home win can therefore also be considered for the reasons mentioned.
Hertha – Bochum Tip
There is a lot at stake for Hertha on Friday night. At home against Bochum, who have two points more on their account, they are looking for their first three points after a weak start to the new year with three defeats and a goalless draw. Although the “old lady” has so far lagged behind its own expectations, the task at the start of the 21st matchday reads absolutely doable.
Before the kick-off of the match between Hertha and Bochum, the betting odds will be influenced by the fact that the visitors from Bochum have only scored six points away from home and have also scored the fewest goals of all Bundesliga teams. In addition, the Berliners already won the first leg 3:1 and have five successful direct duels in a row.
We are therefore convinced that the home side will definitely not leave the pitch as losers and will at least keep a point in the capital. To generate even higher odds, we combine the double chance bet 1X with the Under 3.5 between Hertha and Bochum. Given the importance of this match, we do not believe in many goals.
