With the snow melted and February nearly out, it's time to gear up for a great 2020/21 Bundesliga "stretch run". There's another fine weekend of football on tap. Here's the re-post for those who didn't have a chance to catch last Sunday's comprehensive breakdown of the previous round. League-Wide Talking Points: Round 22 The VfL Streaks Who can resist a nice and clean streak narrative? Oliver Glasner's Wolfsburg record their seventh consecutive clean sheet on the trot. Friday's 3-0 win over Bielefeld also marks the sixth consecutive time the VfL trainer deployed the exact same starting XI. We know for certain that one series is officially over. Defender John Anthony Brooks … [Read more...] about Bundesliga Tactics Talk–Round 22
Daichi Kamada
Bundesliga Tactics Talk–Round 21
A four-day weekend leaves us with loads of stories on the Bundesliga beat. From the Friday night kickoff to the Monday six-goal thriller, we've got it all covered for those who missed out on the initial post. League-Wide Talking Points: Round 21 Nagelsmann defers until Tuesday The Friday night fixture between Leipzig and Augsburg predictably proved a wretched game of football. Heiko Herrlich's Fuggerstädter racked up four first-half bookings; two of which could be considered accumulator cards. The outclassed Bavarians engaged in so many wince-inducing tactical fouls that, with better finishing, the Saxons might have heading into the dressing room up 4-0. Heading into this … [Read more...] about Bundesliga Tactics Talk–Round 21
Bundesliga Tactics Talk–Round 19
German footballing enthusiasts could have hardly wished for a more intriguing round the second matchday of the 2020/21 "Rück-runde". All the madness of transfer deadline day may leave some still yearning to catch up with the previous weekend's talking points. There's no shortage of riveting storylines heading into week 20. League-wide Talking Points: Round 19 Cooling Iron After losses to Leipzig and Augsburg, the Bundesliga's Cinderella team couldn't quite hold off Gladbach at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. The 1-1 draw now makes it three winless matches for Urs Fischer and die Eisernen. While such a streak certainly doesn't offset all of the Köpenick club's marvelous … [Read more...] about Bundesliga Tactics Talk–Round 19
Bundesliga Tactics Talk–Round 12
Nothing quite like midweek football in the Bundesrepublik! Writers and players alike have their fair share of extra work to get through; not that we would have it any other way. Those perhaps to pre-occupied to catch this Wednesday's post can catch up here. League-wide Talking Points: Round 12 The top two contenders roll on With Dortmund's status as a title contender put on indefinite hold after the coaching change, the two next best challengers to Bayern's uninterrupted eight-year-reign both kept pace with three-point hauls; albeit in radically different fashions. Julian Nagelsmann's Leipzig finally appeared burdened by lethargy against his old club Hoffenheim. Sebastian … [Read more...] about Bundesliga Tactics Talk–Round 12
Bundesliga Tactics Talk–Round 11
With the Bundesliga's first internal "Englischer Woche" set to kick-off just ahead of the holidays, we'll supply an early re-post for anyone who missed this week's hot-sheet. So much to talk about following another eventful weekend. It goes without saying that Lucien Favre earns quite a bit of space in this one. League-wide Talking Points: Round 11 Congratulations to the new "Spitzenreiter" What seemed probable heading into the weekend did indeed transpire. Another huge win for once-fired Dortmund head-coach Peter Bosz and the high-octane 4-1-4-1 we discussed last week. As noted then, they should be considered title contenders. Fatigue can't stop this team, even as so many … [Read more...] about Bundesliga Tactics Talk–Round 11
Bundesliga Tactics Talk–Round Six
While there may have regrettably been no fans on hand to watch it live, round six of the 2020/21 Bundesliga still delivered plenty of great action and intrigue for those who watched. Anyone understandably caught up with other developments can catch the repost of this weekend's bulletin here. League-Wide Talking Points: Round Six Bayern: Business unfinished Congratulations to German hero Thomas Müller on his 260th victory in a Bayern tricot. The result draws him with Oliver Kahn on the club all-time list. Teammate Manuel Neuer, on the other hand, missed out on his chance to tie an Oliver Kahn record when FC Köln scored a late goal. Neuer's 195 clean sheets remain just short of … [Read more...] about Bundesliga Tactics Talk–Round Six