As one of the last Bundesliga clubs, FSV Mainz 05 will start preparing for the second half of the season starting on the second weekend in January this Sunday.

Newcomers are not expected until then, and yet Bo Svensson will gather a slightly different team than in the summer.

Not only because Marcus Ingvartsen only joined the Rheinhessen during the preliminary round or because Ádám Szalai will be missing for a while after his head operation.

But also because some of the Mainz professionals have developed significantly in the past six months.

Of those players who had already participated in the furious second half of the previous season under Svensson for the first six months, two stand out in particular. Stefan Bell, whom the coach pulled from the sideline after a year and a half without compulsory play, made head of defense and who is now not only at the center of the three-man chain, but also as a right central defender with more duties in building up the game. And striker Jonathan Burkardt, who is by far the most successful 05 goalscorer with seven goals and who, including his two assists, also leads the internal scorer point evaluation, followed by Karim Onisiwo with two goals and six assists.

"Jonny has improved the quality of his graduation," says Svensson. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that the captain of the U-21 national team acts more decisively in front of the opposing goal, and on the other hand, it has to do with his improved technique. Burkardt worked on his first contact, which was only suboptimal last season; due to poor acceptance of the ball, he had previously lost numerous promising attacks and deals.

The Mainz team scored 25 goals in the first half series, which is ten goals better than a year ago.

Nevertheless, the offensive is the only department in which reinforcement may still make sense in January - reinforcement in the form of a very fast striker who also poses a goal threat.

Not that it is vital for the team to have such a man in their ranks, but that could take them to the next level.

"This is also Mainz 05"

The squad does not have an attacker who can play a tempo advantage over opposing defenders when passing deep; a corresponding new addition would also be a trump card in the fight for international places. “We would like to extend our contract with the Bundesliga,” was Christian Heidel's mantra even when he was still manager and not sports director at Bruchweg. But taking part in international football again would also have its charm.

In principle, however, those responsible do not want to increase their squad.

“We deliberately kept the group smaller than last year because we trust the guys,” says Svensson.

He has three goalkeepers and twenty-three field players, including the young professionals, at his disposal, which is manageable.

“But I'm a fan of rather small cadres.

We want to avoid that players have the feeling that they don't play a role. "

Of course you have to keep your eyes open in January to make a cheap and good transfer if necessary.

The club is in a different situation than last season at this time.

"The players performed well," said Svensson.

"It would be weird not to trust them."

Long-term failures of regulars such as central defender Jeremiah St. Juste, the league's fastest player last season, and Dominik Kohr, the boss in the defensive midfield, are painful, says the coach.

“But we will not leave the path.

Then a couple of young people will play in their place. ”For example Anton Stach, the newcomer, whose professional experience is largely limited to a second division year in Fürth, but who has already made some excellent performances as sixth and eighth.

"That is also Mainz 05."