On the one hand, it’s good that VfL Bochum has a lot of personnel to choose from. But the squad that’s too big also brings with it a lot of dissatisfied players who don’t even make the squad.

Game two under Dieter Hecking, the new VfL Bochum coach. After the creditable 1-1 draw with the reigning German champions Bayer Leverkusen, things are hardly going to get any easier.

On Saturday (3:30 p.m.), they will be traveling to the current runner-up, VfB Stuttgart. And even though they have not yet been able to match the form of the previous season, they are still capable of putting on a show like the 5-1 win against BVB, despite currently occupying eleventh place.

But it is also a fact that VfB have only won one of their last six Bundesliga games. Hecking is therefore optimistic that VfL will finally get their first competitive win of the season, as he said at the pre-match press conference: “There are differences between Leverkusen and Stuttgart. Bayer has a clear structure, but with VfB I have the feeling that they are suffering a little from the players they have lost. Nevertheless, they have quality in their forward play that could cause us problems. They are not quite as aggressive in pressing, which means we might have more of the ball, but we’ll have to do something with it. I think they are struggling. That’s an opportunity for us. That’s why we have to be brave. We have to score.”

Hecking can almost call on an unlimited number of players, and Bernardo is also back on board at VfB Stuttgart, only striker Myron Boadu is still missing. Hecking: ‘He’s not fit yet. I don’t want to give a time frame, he’s increasing his scope. I hope he’ll be available before Christmas.’

It was a short speech from me, one from Manu. It’s about the common goal of avoiding relegation.

Dieter Hecking

When all the players are fit, you realize how big the squad is. Not an ideal situation for the coach: “It’s a big challenge with the big squad. When players are left out, it’s never good. Sometimes it can be managed, sometimes not. Nevertheless, there are seven or eight players who are not traveling to Stuttgart.”

A large number of them will probably get some game time with the U21s in the derby against SG Wattenscheid on Saturday (1 p.m.). Manuel Riemann will not be in the squad for either the first team or the U21s. Regarding his training comeback, Hecking said: “Manu is here now, it was not an internal issue. It was a short speech from me, one from Manu. The common goal is to avoid relegation. Everyone has to subordinate themselves to that. The club comes first, everyone knows that. I’m relaxed about that. Patrick Drewes knows what I think of him and of course he should keep as well as possible. Timo Horn also plays an important role in the dressing room.”

This is how VfL Bochum could play at VfB Stuttgart

Drewes – Passlack, Oermann, Medic, Wittek – Losilla, Sissoko – Miyoshi, Bero, Holtmann – Hofmann

Missing: Myron Boadu