Leipzig coach Marco Rose (left) and midfielder Amadou Haidara celebrate Dominik Szoboszlai’s 2-0 lead.
Photo: imago/Jan Huebner
The exhilarating game between RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund – at least from Leipzig’s point of view – had been over for a while when RB fans were still demanding Marco Rose. After the astounding 3-0 (2-0) success of the home side, the supporters chanted: “We can’t go home without a coach.” enjoy is clear. But the fact that he was celebrated just two days after taking office as RB coach as after winning the title was due to the amazing transformation of the Leipzig team. “It wasn’t perfect yet, but we were intense, broadcast something, took the stadium and each other with us. That was the key today,” said Rose after the premiere against his former club.
In contrast to the two most recent bloodless appearances with 0: 4 and 1: 4 defeats under ex-coach Domenico Tedesco, a completely different eleven was on the pitch under Rose. Not in terms of staff, as Rose only brought Emil Forsberg and David Raum into the team. But in terms of attitude and game system.
“I could tell the guys were getting on their nerves, that they weren’t getting any results. At RB we stand for a certain kind of football, they have it in the tank, that’s why they’re here and that’s how they performed today, “Rose explained the change of style. Old grinder Eduard Geyer recently aptly compared the RB game under Tedesco to a slow waltz. Conductor Rose has now impressively shown that RB Leipzig is also able to play as fast and passionately as a punk band. Rose discoverer Ralf Rangnick, who watched in the stands as well as ex-RB coach Alexander Zorniger, must have liked the power with which the hopeful interpreted football in a classic 4-2-3-1 system.
Austrians Xaver Schlager and Konrad Laimer, with whom Rose has already worked in Salzburg, tore themselves up for the new coach and formed the heart of the new, old RB football. The weakened, desolate and helpless Dortmunders literally smashed to pieces on the Alpine bulwark in the center. The Leipzig team conquered 74 balls and quickly switched over Emil Forsberg, who seemed rejuvenated, and match winner Dominik Szoboszlai. The Hungarian made it 1-0 to Willi Orban after a corner (6th), scored the 2-0 himself with a fantastic flutter shot from 23 meters (45th) and also initiated the 3-0 through Amadou Haidara (84th). .
“I didn’t lay hands on me and I’m not a magician,” clarified the 46-year-old Rose. “We spent two days working on the things we wanted to bring to the pitch and the guys did an excellent job,” he said. Unlike his predecessor Tedesco, who tried to find the ideal way of playing in many discussions with the team, Rose arrived at Cottaweg with a clear game philosophy and his motto “Football is simple”.
“I try to stand for a certain kind of football. The boys got that right in the first speech. We don’t ask, we do it that way,” Rose explained. With his easy-going authority, Rose created facts and confidence in the success system of days gone by. At least for this first phase with further games at Real Madrid on Wednesday and at Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday this week. If RB on Wednesday in the premier class with the “royal” occurs as it did against BVB, that should also stress Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. The recipe is simple: »Exactly the same as what we made today. Now we’re on the right track,” said Szoboszlai.
It seems as if RB Leipzig have found exactly the right coach after the lurch course in the search for the playful identity with Rose. If Max Eberl were to be added as the new sports director shortly, who has a male friendship with the coach from Gladbach days, Leipzig would also be in a better position than it has been since Rangnick’s departure. Eberl would be the ideal buffer between coach and club management and could lead RB back to a more stringent personnel policy that fits the game idea. With his strategic expertise and sporting authority, Eberl, together with Rose, could help the club regain more coherence and unity when making decisions and create a climate in which coaches are not worn out every few months.
By the way: Rose left it at a short greeting in the curve. The ex-defender has sensitive antennae for when there is time to celebrate and when there is still work to be done instead.
