Category: German Bundesliga

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-2 Borussia Dortmund – Match Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in German Bundesliga, Match Analysis, Most Recent

This game was wild. Borussia Dortmund were all over the place in their twelfth Bundesliga match of the season, and I can't remember another time where they scraped out a win despite being absolutely shell-shocked by the other team like this. Eintracht Frankfurt were formidable going forward, and kept a whopping 59% of the possession against the Black & Yellows, which is completely unheard of for both sides when facing one another, and for Dortmund in general. Despite this, the likes of Gregor Kobel and Nico Schlotterbeck came out clutch to save the day, and Frankfurt couldn't make the most of their chances. With that, here is our tactical analysis of this stunning match of football, and how both teams need to progress moving forward.

Randal Kolo Muani – Player Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, German Bundesliga, Masterclasses, Most Recent, Player Analysis, Striker

Throughout the past five years, Eintracht Frankfurt have been partially responsible for the conveyor belt production of quality strikers like Sebastien Haller, André Silva, Luka Jović and Rafael Borré. The next heir to the throne is completely different to the goal-scoring poacher-like 'Target Men' previously deployed. In many ways, a departure was needed. Filip Kostic has left the scene to start pastures new at Juventus, and the team no longer have an out-and-out dynamic wing crossing threat delivering peaches into the box for the strikers to ripen. They have a new man leading their attack now, and that man happens to be more of a 'Creative Link' than a scorer of great goals. Here is our analysis of the wonderful Randal Kolo Muani in 2022-23 at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Daniel Farke – Monchengladbach – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, German Bundesliga, Managers, Masterclasses, Team Analysis

After a disappointing season under the influence of Adi Hütter in 2021-22, Borussia Monchengladbach have now enjoyed one of their best starts to a season in recent memory. Daniel Farke has restored stability and solidity at the helm of his new club, with Die Fohlen losing just one of their opening seven fixtures in the league. Along the way, they've beaten Leipzig in stunning fashion, and drawn both Bayern Munich and SC Freiburg, both of whom topped the table at the time. Daniel Farke hasn't made drastic changes to the team's tactics since entering the door, but he's made smart and subtle tactical tweaks that have allowed Die Borussen to up their game and re-find form. Here is our tactical analysis of Daniel Farke's Gladbach in 2022-23.

Dortmund 3-0 Copenhagen – Match Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in German Bundesliga, Match Analysis, Most Recent, UEFA Champions League

Edin Terzic has enjoyed a positive start to the season, even despite some of the kinks in the system clearly still being worked out. Dortmund have lost just one game since the start of the campaign, achieving six wins and one draw in the process. No clearer have their principles of play come to life under Terzic this season than against FC Copenhagen, where the Black & Yellows picked up three points in their first UEFA Champions League match of the season. Here is our analysis of Dortmund's big win.

Game of Numbers #5 – Changing Shapes Mid-Game

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Formations, Game of Numbers, German Bundesliga, Masterclasses, Match Analysis

One of the truest tests of any tactically adept coach is to identify mechanisms for changing around their team’s fortunes mid-game. This is never an easy task, but one that managers must be reflecting on not only with their substitutions, but with the potential for changing the master-plan on a grander scale, whether that be a tactical tweak in style or system. In what was one of the games of the weekend, both Freiburg and Leverkusen made pivotal formational changes as the match wore on. Crucially, both teams changed back to the shapes that they've prioritized since the start of the season, calling into question why they ever abandoned their favoured choice in the first place.

Union Berlin – Tactical Analysis – 2022-23

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, German Bundesliga, Masterclasses

Union Berlin have only kicked on since the start of 2022-23, currently sitting fourth place in a competitive Bundesliga campaign that has seen them start with an unbeaten run of form. Along the way, Fischer has maintained a succinct style of play, that drastically differs from the other German giants around them in the table. Here is our tactical analysis of Union Berlin in 2022-23, under the influence of the extraordinary Urs Fischer.

Pellegrino Matarazzo – VfB Stuttgart – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, German Bundesliga, Managers, Masterclasses, Team Analysis

While they've endured a difficult start to the season, they've surpassed expectations in terms of tactical nous and game IQ since the start of 2022-23. Here is an analysis of Pellegrino Matarazzo's tactically intriguing VfB Stuttgart.