Kadeřábek out of the lineup, Koubek not even on the bench. What is the position of Czech players in the Bundesliga?

Seven Czech players are running around the German Bundesliga. And while the fates of Patrik Schick and Adam Hložek at Bayer Leverkusen are often the subject of headlines, some others escape the media’s attention. So here is a summary of the performances of all Czech players in the German Bundesliga so far.

Jiří Pavlenka

Jiri Pavlenka signed a new contract at the club in the summer, after his Bremen side was promoted back to the Bundesliga, which would see him be a mainstay at Werder until 2025. So now it’s his turn to work out his new contract. Although he has been catching every game, his performances have been erratic and he has scored ten goals in the opening six games.

He kept his only clean sheet against Bochum, which could signal a move towards more stability. However, he was injured in the following game against Augsburg and was substituted after about half an hour. He appeared in the national team afterwards though, so hopefully it won’t be anything serious. However, he and the club are set to fight for salvation after their return to the elite.

Tomas Koubek

Tomas Koubek has completely dropped out of the FC Augsburg lineup and there is no place for him on the bench. Apparently the third goalkeeper behind Rafal Gikiewicz and Daniel Klein, at 30 years of age Koubek should still certainly have something to offer to whoever gets him out of his still two-year contract.

Vladimir Darida

Vladimir Darida has lost his place in the Hertha lineup. He did come off the bench in the last game, but only at the very end of the game. Before that, he did not play in four games at all and he did not speak until the last ten minutes of the city derby against Union in the first league round.

He could have appeared in the Cup, where he also came on as a substitute, this time in the 72nd minute, but as the game went to penalties, he had more space. Even though he scored an assist in extra time and converted a penalty, his Hertha lost this encounter, just like the aforementioned game against Union.

The club’s new coach is definitely not having any luck and in the last year of his contract, it doesn’t look like an extension yet.

Pavel Kadeřábek

Pavel Kadeřábek didn’t have it easy in the past seasons. Hoffenheim’s form has faltered and he has had his share of injuries. Now that he looks to be back in match shape and health is holding up, he has to contend with competition in the form of Robert Skov and Angelino.

Angelino is of course a left wing-back, but his arrival and immediate induction into the starting line-up has just shifted Robert Skov to the right at the expense of Kadeřabek.

However, the Spanish loan signing from Leipzig has not yet made his mark and Angelino sat on the bench in the last game against Mainz. When he came on in the 75th minute, it was not in place of Kadeřábek, but in place of Skov. The Czech full-back finally enjoyed the full 90 minutes and made a sweet spot in injury time with a goal.

Even if he didn’t immediately claim an unshakable place in the starting line-up, it is clear that coach Breitenreiter is counting on him. Even now, he has regularly used him off the bench after about an hour of play. In addition, spreading out the workload may come in handy for Kadeřábek, given his injury history.

Alex Kral

Alex Král was brought into the starting lineup immediately after his arrival at Schalke. He jumped into the first four games of his new team, which is not having an easy time back in the Bundesliga.

The uneasy role has also had its effect on King, who has been the one to blame for some of the goals he’s received on several occasions during the occasional defensive acrobatics of his entire squad. Sometimes more justifiably than at other times, King, who was always withdrawn towards the end of the match except for the draw with Wolfsburg, was the fatal demolition of Union Berlin’s kicking game.

After this unfortunate and actually undeserved six-goal charge, when, hand on heart, Union scored several unprecedented goals, King spent the last two games on the bench and did not intervene in the game at all. It doesn’t help that Schalke got their first win in these games, it must be added against weaker opponents than before, in addition to one draw. Now he has to wait for an opportunity.

Patrik Schick & Adam Hložek

What to say about Leverkusen that hasn’t already been said. They had an awful start to the season. Patrik Schick, a pre-season contender to win ‘die Torjägerkanone’ has only two league goals to his name, supplemented by one hit in the cup. Yet he remains an unquestioned mainstay in attack and has played all available minutes so far without a couple of drives.

Adam Hložek, on the other hand, was perhaps irresponsibly thrown into the water with the words ‘swim’. He started two of Bayer’s opening three games in the starting line-up, and in the third he came on at half-time.

Individually, there wasn’t that much to fault his performance, but he didn’t offer what his team needed at that moment from the left wing. Moreover, this need wasn’t complemented by the extreme defender on his side and so, after a change of formation, he was given space to work into the team out of the limelight as he sat out the next two games.

Given that he was Leverkusen’s only reinforcement for a long time, there is interest in him not only in the Czech media but also on the German side. Now, after the arrival of the second offensive reinforcement to BayArena, Callum Hudson-Odoi, the window of opportunity on the left wing has seemingly closed.

But again, this acquisition meant a return to the 4-2-3-1 formation and Hložek can now compete for the spot under the top, where the uncertain Azmoun has been mostly operating.

It is clear that coach Seoane, who reportedly still has the confidence of the club’s management and cabinet, is still looking for the ideal mix for this season. And while Patrik Schick doesn’t have a challenger for his position and when the individual wheels fall into place, he will be the unquestioned number 9, Adam Hložek has to assert himself in a stronger competition.

But he is doing that and not only Azmoun, but also maybe Amiri, or the failed experiment with Diaby at 10 and Frimpong on the wing, are making his efforts easier. Now just to make it all work before Florian Wirtz returns from injury.

Source: Bundesliga