Two points separate sixth from eleventh in the Bundesliga
Mainz sit sixth on 7 points and Schalke eleventh on 5, with 2 points covering the ground between them.
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Six places in the Bundesliga table, and almost nothing in points. Mainz are sixth with 7 from 4 matches. Schalke are eleventh with 5 from the same number of games. The gap is 2 points.
The two clubs have arrived there by opposite routes. Mainz have scored 10 and conceded 6, a goal difference of 4, and their record reads 2 wins, 1 draw and 1 defeat. Schalke have scored 3 and conceded 4. Their goal difference is -1, and they have won 1, drawn 2 and lost 1.
Look at the home and away columns and the picture sharpens. Mainz have taken 7 wins on the road against 2 defeats, but at home they have 4 wins, 4 draws and 4 losses. Schalke have not won at home at all: 0 wins, 2 draws, 0 defeats. Their single victory came away.
Form over the last five is not identical either. Mainz have gone W, D, W, L, W. Schalke have gone L, D, W, D.
Above them the table is tighter still. Dortmund lead on 12 points with a goal difference of +7. Bayern are second on 10 with +12, and Freiburg third on 10 with +9. Then come Augsburg and Leverkusen, both on 7 and both on +5.
So the whole middle of the division sits inside a couple of results. One win lifts a side several places. One defeat drops it just as far.
The league returns on Friday 9 October, when Bremen visit Dortmund. Before that, the last round produced 3 goals for SC Paderborn against 1 for Hoffenheim on Sunday 20 September.
At the top of the scoring list, Michael Olise of Bayern, Younes Ebnoutalib of Frankfurt, Patrik Schick of Leverkusen, Yuito Suzuki of Freiburg and Phillip Tietz of Mainz all have 4.