Stuttgart vs Darmstadt Prediction, Betting Tips & Preview

Preview

Haydn Cunningham Oct 22, 2015 @ 02:47 pm

Stuttgart had gained all 7 Bundesliga points they’ve accumulated in the past 4 games but threw away a 2 goal lead on two separate occasions at Bayer Leverkusen to lose 4-3. Darmstadt have performed much better on the road and suffered another home defeat, this time conceding a late goal against Wolfsburg to receive a slender defeat.

In 5 away league matches, Stuttgart have scored 11 goals but that has brought just 4 points. The latest was the most displeasing of the lot as they were in front 2-0 and 3-1 at the BayArena but conceded a late, late goal that meant they left Leverkusen with nothing for their endeavours. At home they’re less prolific scoring just 4 times but gained a crucial first home victory of the season against Ingolstadt in the last appearance at the Mercedes-Benz Arena. The win took them off the foot of the table and thankfully for Stuttgart both Hoffenheim and Augsburg lost which meant they remained in 16^th. New manager Alexander Zorniger has a huge task on his hands and will need to stem the flow of goals going in at the wrong end. 

Darmstadt are one of the most efficient teams at shutting out the opposition in the latter stages of the game and the goal they conceded against Wolfsburg was the 1^st time they’ve conceded after the 70^thminute this season which cost Dirk Schuster’s side a share of the spoils. After just 5 points from their six home matches in 2015/16, Schuster will be scratching his head at why they’re performing much better away from home as opposed to in front of the Darmstadt supporters. They still sit comfortably in 11^th season after 33 years away from the top-flight and have a favourable schedule, not facing anyone in the top 7 for the next 6 matches.

The visitors are unbeaten away from home and will fancy extending that run against a side that has lost 4 out of 5 home matches in the Bundesliga. Stuttgart now have the worst defence in the league after conceding 4 against Leverkusen which see’s them concede on average 2.3 goals a game. Darmstadt’s goalkeeper Christian Mathenia, has made the most inaccurate long balls (210) out of any other Bundesliga player and made the least attempted short passes (8) which is a clear indication of the instructions Schuster gives to Mathenia to find the front men direct.

Serey Die will be back in Stuttgart’s midfield despite picking up his 5^th yellow card this season in the Leverkusen defeat as the former Basel enforcer will serve that midweek in the DFB Pokal. Fabian Holland is the only absentee for Darmstadt as Schuster prepares his squad for the trip to Stuttgart.

Stuttgart

Stats: W-2 L-7 D-1

Recent Form - WLDWL

Darmstadt

Stats: W-3 L-3 D-4

Recent Form - DWLWL

Head-to-head record:

Possible Line-ups

Stuttgart (4-3-1-2) – Tyton, Klein, Sunjic, Baumgartl, Insua, Schwaab, Rupp, Ferati, Didavi, Harnik, Werner

Darmstadt (4-4-1-1) – Mathenia, Garics, Sulu, Caldirola, Diaz, Heller, Gondorf, Niemeyer, Rausch, Sailer, Wagner

Injury List/Suspended Players

Stuttgart – Gentner (inj), Ginczek (inj), Kostic (inj), Kruse (inj), Langerak (inj)
Darmstadt – Holland (inj)

League Positions