The title fight in the Bundesliga is more exciting than it has been for a long time. While FC Bayern stumbles at VfL Wolfsburg, Eintracht Frankfurt marches to the top of the table. The most important thing for the sixth match day.
Eintracht Frankfurt is marching to the top in the Bundesliga, FC Bayern Munich is failing at VfL Wolfsburg. Add to that two surprise teams and the championship fight is more exciting than it has been for a long time.
In addition, the sixth matchday offered another example of where women’s football can and must continue to develop. The most important thing about the Bundesliga weekend.
The tactical trick: VfL Wolfsburg back in business
VfL Wolfsburg is back in the fight for the German championship. They beat FC Bayern Munich 2-0 and thus reduced the gap to two points. The main reason for the success was a very disciplined defensive performance by the entire team. Tommy Stroot resorted to a tactic that he didn’t like, but that he thought was promising – he let his team defend quite deeply.
Wolfsburg also played with a five-man chain against the ball. When asked by DAZN why he decided to do this, the coach said: “On the one hand, out of a moment of surprise, that Bayern doesn’t know that that is the plan.” On the other hand, they “saw a lot of Bayern’s games against five-man chains” and “did the work” to take a closer look.
Updated on October 15, 2024, 7:15 a.m
Satisfaction after a weak start to the season: the women of VfL Wolfsburg defeated the reigning champions of FC Bayern Munich and joined the top group in the Bundesliga. Nevertheless, the Munich team around Linda Dallmann and Sydney Lohmann are proud of their long series without defeat.
Wolfsburg was able to exploit its greatest strengths in terms of physicality and offensive transition. Things that you weren’t able to focus on recently because you had to design the game yourself. This is also the big problem for the future. As important as the win against Bayern was, it will be challenging to take the necessary development steps in game design.
The season here has been rather disappointing so far. “As passive as we defended, we are still VfL Wolfsburg, that is not a way that suits us in the long term,” Stroot also admitted. For the moment, this approach has meant that we don’t have to give up the championship yet. In the short term, however, your own game against deep defensive chains needs to improve. Otherwise you will inevitably experience further loss of points.
The player of the match day: Janina Minge
One reason why VfL has had a rather bumpy start to the season so far is of course the at least medium-sized upheaval. We’ve lost a lot of key players, others are getting to an age where their form curve is pointing a little downwards. New arrivals have to find their way in first.
But against Bayern it was the newcomers who were able to draw attention to themselves. Vivien Endemann scored a remarkable goal to make it 1-0, and substitute Lineth Beerensteyn increased the score to 2-0. But in a strong Wolfsburg team stood out Janina Go out of here. The former Freiburg player held the team together defensively and ensured good transitions when moving forward.
Minge played against the ball in the center of the five-man chain and repeatedly pushed forward aggressively when Bayern’s Pernille Harder was played in the ten-man area. As a result, the intelligent striker was never able to turn properly and rarely made good moves. When in possession of the ball, Minge sometimes acted in midfield. Their flexible role was an important key to the victory.
The disappointment: FC Bayern cannot compensate for losses
On the other side there was a coach who wanted to finish the game as quickly as possible. And his arguments were of course justified. Alexander Straus repeatedly pointed out that he had to make two unplanned changes: Jovana Damnjanovic, who had to go off injured in the first half after a serious collision with Marina Hegering, and Tuva Hansen, who was unable to continue early in the second half due to a thigh problem.
In addition, there are constant failures in defense, the long-term injuries of Lena Oberdorf and Katharina Naschenweng and ailing players like Lea Schüller, who has been more and less fit in the past few weeks. And yet there was great hope among Bayern that they could get going after the strong second half against Arsenal in the week and the 5-2 win.
But the Munich team continues to struggle against low-lying teams. There is a lack of speed, creativity and solutions. With Pernille Harder out of the game, there are few good ideas. So far the results have been good because good phases or standard situations were enough. After the Wolfsburg game at the latest, the question must be asked as to whether the squad is broad enough.
Here too, Straus has emphasized several times in the past that they cannot keep up with the English clubs and their investors. But part of the truth is that, apart from the top transfers, many players have been brought in in recent years who did not make the breakthrough at Bayern to become at least a helpful rotation player. These include Samantha Kerr and Jill Baijings, who are currently on loan. The second suit doesn’t fit. And that’s a problem at this level.
The lead in the table is now gone. Eintracht Frankfurt crowned a strong start to the season with a 6-0 win against SC Freiburg. It will be exciting to see whether the SGE is able to perform consistently at this level this season. The potential for a special season seems to be there.
The far too rare highlight: record scenery in Bremen
Bremen once again showed what football games in the women’s Bundesliga can look like from time to time: 22,721 fans were ready to watch the duel with Leverkusen in the Weserstadion during the international break. It was a new club record for Werder women.
The backdrop is once again a good example of what is possible in the few slots in which men’s club football is paused. At the same time, it shows that these slots are used far too rarely. Sometimes for financial reasons, sometimes for convenience or because the efforts surrounding women’s football have fallen somewhat dormant.
Even more than two years after the European Championships, which sparked huge enthusiasm in this country, it is difficult to maintain this enthusiasm. One reason why the clubs in the first division recently founded a task force to get future planning going. Until then, you’ll have to enjoy the few highlight games. Like now in Bremen.
What else?
The game between Bremen and Leverkusen ended 1-1. Because RB Leipzig also won against Carl Zeiss Jena, Leverkusen and RB continue to be involved in the concert of the big players. After six matchdays – at least 27 percent of the entire season – that certainly has some significance. Neither will definitely play for the title, but they are capable of further surprises.
Potsdam would also like to have a surprise. But the Turbines also lost their sixth game in the Bundesliga without scoring their own goal. SGS Essen was too strong and took a 3-0 away win. After a strong performance in Munich last week, Cologne was unable to turn around the trend in results. There was a 3-0 defeat against TSG Hoffenheim.
What’s next?
There will be no Monday game on the next match day. Bayern conclude the matchday on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. away to Leverkusen – a big challenge for the reigning champions. Freiburg against Leipzig and Essen against Wolfsburg also promise to be interesting.
In the bottom of the table, Carl Zeiss Jena and Cologne can score important points in a direct duel, while Potsdam has maximum outsider chances away at Hoffenheim. Frankfurt also hosts Werder Bremen.
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