Read the tactics of HSV against Mönchengladbach as you watch

Gather what you need before kick-off

You need a confirmed way to watch, a notepad and a simple pitch outline for each team. A replay facility helps, because live pictures often follow the ball and leave much of the structure out of shot.

kicker has published a guide to which broadcaster is carrying the match on television and by stream. The summary available for this article does not name the broadcaster or state the date, so neither is given here. Current line-ups, form and league positions are not known either, and this method does not depend on them.

Some background adds context. Hamburger SV and Borussia Mönchengladbach have both won the German championship and European trophies, so this fixture carries a long shared history. That history can explain the interest in the game, but it cannot tell you how either side will play now.

Confirm the competition and the broadcaster

Start with the competition, because it shapes both where you can watch and how the teams may manage risk. Television rights are sold in packages, so the broadcaster can vary by competition, by match and by country. Check the listing for your own territory on the day rather than relying on what you remember from an earlier game.

The format matters as well. A league match ends after normal time, and a draw earns each side a point, so a team may accept a level score late on. A knockout tie in the German cup continues to extra time and, if needed, penalties. That can change when a coach chooses to commit more players forward or to make substitutions.

Sketch both shapes in and out of possession

Do not rely on the graphic shown before kick-off. It is a simplified list of positions, and teams often take one shape with the ball and another without it.

Use the opening spell to draw two pictures of each team. For the out-of-possession picture, wait until the opponent has settled possession and count the players in each defensive line. For the in-possession picture, look at the back line when a centre-back has the ball: how many players stay behind it, and how many stand between the lines?

Then look for the player who connects the two shapes. A full-back may step into midfield, or a midfielder may drop between the centre-backs. These movements explain why a listed formation can look quite different once play begins.

Identify what triggers each press

A press usually starts in response to a cue rather than at random. Watch the player closest to the ball and note the moment when that player accelerates. Common triggers include a pass back towards the goalkeeper, a poor touch, a pass to a full-back near the touchline or a receiver facing their own goal.

Next, look at how the press is organised. A forward may curve their run to block the pass across the pitch and push play towards one side, where teammates can squeeze the space. Note how the rest of the team responds. If the back line steps up, the gap between the lines stays small, but more space opens behind the defence. If it holds its position, a gap can appear in midfield.

This is the first half of the tactical problem each side poses: where is the opponent trying to force the ball to go?

Follow the first exit from build-up

Now look at the same contest from the team in possession. When one side presses, the other must find a route past the first line. Common routes include a midfielder dropping to receive, a full-back positioned to draw an opponent wide, a long pass to a forward, or a goalkeeper acting as an extra passer.

Record which route each team tries first and what happens immediately afterwards. A long ball might look like a clearance but still be planned, if teammates are already in position to compete for the second ball. A short pass may be intended to draw opponents forward and open space further upfield.

Pay close attention when possession changes. Note how many players are ahead of the ball when a move breaks down, and whether the nearest opponents counter-press or fall back. That moment shows how much risk a team accepts in its attacking structure.

Log set pieces and adjustments

Set pieces are the most rehearsed moments in a match and among the easiest to study on screen. For each corner or wide free kick, note whether the delivery is inswinging or outswinging, where the runners begin and how the defending team marks. It may use zonal marking, man-marking or a mix of the two. Also note who stays back to guard against a counter-attack.

At half-time, compare your notes with both opening sketches. Then watch the early part of the second half for changes in the height of the press, the position of the full-backs or the route out from the back. Treat substitutions in the same way: redraw the shape first, then decide whether the role has changed or only the player filling it.

Avoid the mistakes viewers actually make

• Treating the formation as the plan. A list of positions says little about how a team moves with and without the ball.
• Watching only the ball. The cause of a chance often lies several passes earlier, away from the action. Replays can help you find it.
• Judging by reputation. Each club's past can create expectations about its style, but squads and coaches change. Base your reading on what you can see in this match.
• Reading too much into one incident. A single turnover may be an error rather than a design. Wait until you see a pattern repeat.
• Confusing the result with the process. A goal can come from a deflection or a set piece without proving that the wider tactical plan worked.

Skip this approach when it does not fit

This method suits a viewer with time to watch closely, and a full view of the match helps. It works poorly with a highlights package, because edited footage removes the slow build-up and the off-ball movement. Pictures that stay tight on the ball also limit what you can establish, so mark your conclusions as provisional if you cannot see the full shape.

It is also the wrong tool if you need team news or a forecast. It describes behaviour as it happens and cannot tell you who will play or what the outcome will be. For confirmed team information, use the clubs' official channels.

Frequently asked questions

Who is showing HSV against Mönchengladbach on TV?

kicker has published a guide to the television and streaming coverage of this fixture, but the summary used for this article does not name the broadcaster. Rights are sold in packages and can vary by competition and by country, so the most reliable approach is to check a current listing for your territory on the day of the match.

What is a pressing trigger in football?

A pressing trigger is a cue that tells a team to close down the opponent in a coordinated way. Typical examples include a backward pass, a heavy touch, a pass out to the touchline or a receiver facing their own goal. The point of agreeing such cues is that players move together, so one player's sprint is backed up by teammates covering nearby passing options.

How can I work out a team's formation while watching on TV?

Wait until the opponent has settled possession, then count the players in each defensive line. Repeat the exercise when the team has the ball and a centre-back is in possession. The two pictures often differ because full-backs and midfielders change position between phases, so one formation number rarely describes a team fully. Replays and wide camera angles make this easier.

Why does the HSV and Mönchengladbach fixture have historical interest?

Hamburger SV and Borussia Mönchengladbach are two of the established names in German football. Both have won the national championship and European trophies, which gives their meetings a long shared background. That history explains much of the interest in the fixture, although it offers no reliable guide to how the current teams will set up or play in any particular match.

Sources and further reading

• kicker: the German football publication whose broadcast guide to this fixture prompted the article
• Deutsche Fußball Liga: official information on the organisation and rules of German professional league football
• Deutscher Fußball-Bund: official competition regulations, including the format of the German cup
• UEFA coaching publications: technical material on pressing, build-up play and set pieces