Hamburg already on the ropes

The 4-0 home defeat by RB Leipzig last weekend was the latest in a long line of shocks to the Hamburg system, so much so that fans can hardly now describe them as shocks.

Their long-suffering supporters have become boringly used to mediocrity and worse in recent seasons. But such is their inconsistency, Hamburg could easily batter promoted Freiburg on Tuesday and fans again would not be surprised.

Coach Bruno Labbadia will feel he has to change something in the starting lineup following Saturday's embarrassment and with only a point from three games so far.

Alen Halilovic is the most obvious candidate to come into the first XI. Fans have been clamoring for the "mini Messi" to be given a start after being on the bench three times but if the coach ignores them and Hamburg flop again, Labbadia will have a tough time back at the Volksparkstadion with his future definitely on the line when Hamburg host Bayern on Saturday.

But is an away game against a handy promoted side really the best opportunity to give the highly-rated attacking midfielder his bow? He could easily be squeezed out of a potentially physical game and Labbadia would have already shown his hand.

One thing is for sure, another new signing will definitely keep his place. Bobby Wood has looked every bit a Bundesliga player after stepping up from Union Berlin to lead the line for Hamburg.

His two goals so far mean Labbadia is unlikely to be tempted to bring Pierre-Michel Lasogga straight back in, although the burly frontman is the sort of street fighter Hamburg now badly need.

Wolfsburg's stern defense offers test for Tuchel

After bagging six against Darmstadt last time out and six against Legia Warsaw the game before, Dortmund are on a red-hot streak. Wolfsburg meanwhile come off the back of two scoreless draws after Mario Gomez failed to hit the target for his new club.

Wolfsburg being at home makes predicting the result a little trickier and let's not forget that Dortmund lost to Leipzig in their last Bundesliga away game. Gomez will also be desperate to make his mark against a big gun.

However, Dortmund still look favorites when you consider that Mario Götze and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang did not even play against Darmstadt on Saturday. Dortmund were so also impressive in their last two games because they spread out the scoring load. Only Gonzalo Castro appeared on the score sheet more than once over the two thrashings.

If only Wolfsburg had that sort of firepower. With Bas Dost now gone, they look dangerously reliant on so far scoreless Gomez. But they have at least tightened up at the back and three games in they have yet to concede. Something has got to give, however. Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel expects a tough encounter.

"I always find games in Wolfsburg difficult to play. Above all, Wolfsburg are very attacking at home and you have to defend crosses and attacks down the flanks," he told the prematch news conference on Monday.

"The players' feet are on the ground. I think the best approach is to deal with the players like we always have. But we don't want to belittle our recent achievements; we believe we deserved to win both games handsomely."

Second season syndrome for Darmstadt and Ingolstadt

The Dortmund pummeling was painful for Darmstadt, especially after they had battled so hard to beat Eintracht Frankfurt on Matchday 2. Second season syndrome - whereby a promoted club find the second campaign in the top flight much tougher - is thoroughly expected by pundits when its comes to Darmstadt.

Losing coach Dirk Schuster in the close season was a big blow but the departure of striker Sandro Wagner was arguably bigger.

On Tuesday they will come up against the man mountain again when he runs out at the Böllenfalltor as a Hoffenheim player. It will only show home fans what they have lost and failed to adequately replace.

Ingolstadt, on one point, are suffering similarly to Darmstadt. Losing the coach who masterminded your first-year survival often knocks the stuffing out of a team. They did give Bayern Munich a fright on Saturday - albeit for just four minutes - when Dario Lezcano gave them an early lead at the Allianz. Ingolstadt need to take that sort of confidence into the home game against Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday.

Romain Bregerie and Sonny Kittel will again be missing.

"We have had a great chance in each game so far. Now we want some reward for that," said coach Markus Kauczinski.

"We are a good team and deserve to be in the Bundesliga," should be Kauczinski's mantra. After all, it was Frankfurt that needed to win the relegation playoff to stay in the league last season.

Frankfurt though will of course be buoyed by Saturday's win over Bayer Leverkusen.

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Bundesliga Matchday 4, Tuesday games (all 20.00 CET)

Freiburg vs. Hamburg

Wolfsburg vs. Borussia Dortmund

Darmstadt vs. Hoffenheim

Ingolstadt vs. Eintracht Frankfurt