Borussia Monchengladbach coach Michael Frontzeck has predicted a long, hard slog for his team this season on the evidence of yesterday's 3-2 defeat at Hoffenheim.

That result left the Foals fourth from bottom of the Bundesliga standings with just six points from their first eight games. And Frontzeck expects his side will have to fight to the end if they do not buck their ideas up soon.

"We contributed ourselves to not being able to win this game," he said. "With 10 men and then, in the end, only nine, it got complicated. Hoffenheim took full advantage and deserved to win.

"For the performances we have shown so far this season, we have too few points, but it is going to be a complicated season because the league is so tight."

For the performances we have shown so far this season, we have too few points, but it is going to be a complicated season.
Michael Frontzeck, Borussia Monchengladbach coach

Raul Bobadilla put the visitors in front after 12 minutes, but Demba Ba levelled immediately in the second half. Juan Arango was given his marching orders for violent conduct after an hour and Ba put Hoffenheim in front shortly afterwards.

Sebastian Schachten was the next Gladbach player to head for an early bath in the 81st minute and Salihovic rubbed salt into their wounds by scoring from the penalty spot. Mohamed Idrissou salvaged some pride for Frontzeck's side with a goal to make it 3-2 in stoppage time, but it was too late for anything more.

Gladbach avoided relegation comfortably last season and Frontzeck's aim this term is to improve on that with a mid-table finish. But, after a 7-0 defeat at Stuttgart and yesterday's 3-2 reverse, Frontzeck would gladly take any kind of win to lift his side's spirits.

"I wish we could have a game that we play really terribly but still win once in a while," he said. "I haven't had one of those yet in the last 16 months."

Few would have expected Hoffenheim to win yesterday's match given the way they played in the first half, not least their coach Ralf Rangnick.

"We were too fearful in the first half," he said. "The whistles from the crowd at the end of the half were justified."

There are only five points separating third and 12th so that is why it was so important to get the three points.
Ralf Rangnick, Hoffenheim manager

Nevertheless, they fought back in the second 45 minutes to clinch a win which lifted them up to fourth and gave them confidence for next weekend's trip to league leaders Borussia Dortmund.

"There are only five points separating third and 12th so that is why it was so important to get the three points," he said. "Now we are in a considerably better situation for the tough game in Dortmund."