Out-Hertha’d

By: Abby | August 18th, 2009

I think that’s the best description of Saturday’s game.

Over the past season we gained a reputation for taking our chances, turning lack of domination and possession into three points and generally baffling pundits with our ability to keep winning while not playing well in a conventional fashion. Borussia Mönchengladbach, after miraculously escaping relegation last season, seemed to have learned how to do that against us.

We’d started playing well, with Gojko Kacar having a good game and Maxi Nicu and Raffael firing wide, but it was Gladbach who opened the scoring. On the 23rd minute the Dutchman Brouwers, who’d scored in their opening game against Bochum, headed firmly past a somewhat-surprised Drobny for a lead that they never lost.

The second goal came in the second half, veteran Oliver Neuville making it pretty easy for Karim Matmour to finish with a cross and a bit of class. Light glimmered for the Berliners when that boy Gojko made it 2-1 only 60 seconds later, finishing off a Raffael corner, but it was not to be and the points stayed in the Rhineland.

It’s a blow to be sure, but we didn’t play all that badly and it’s early in the season. Last season we had a good habit of shrugging off losses, and I can only hope that the tradition continues. That doesn’t mean the team is off the hook for lack of concentration, and I really hope the Swedish kid can make a difference at the back when he finally plays.

Also, Arne broke Jaroslav Drobny’s nose. He definitely looked a little off and dazed after the collision, which happened fairly early, and I can now see why.

That’s not the real news, though. The real news is that the rumblings around the return of Andriy Voronin are turning into more of a roar. Lulu told Bild that he’s still in contact with the forward, and Preetz says he’d love to have him back if the price was right. News of the World (yeah, I know) suggests that he’s on his way for a €3.5 million fee. I’m not sure we actually have that money. And if we did, my head says that we might be better off spending it on someone on the correct side of 30.

But my heart says “come back Andriy! They don’t love you like we love you!”

There’s something about him that’s just so damn personable. I think a lot of it is that he clearly enjoyed playing here, and he clearly took Berlin to heart. That means a lot for a team like Hertha, without the sort of glory and success of some of our peers. Also, he played very well for us and fit into the style Lulu was crafting. It’s one thing to get a young player in and hope he does well, another to have one we know can. And that likes it there. And has a fantastic ponytail. Maybe I’m just justifying my irrational desires, but I’m pretty sure that I’m not the only one who’d like to see him back here.

Am I?