VfB Stuttgart: 2015/16 Season First Half - Hinrunde Discussion

Discussion in 'VfB Stuttgart' started by gmonsoon43, Jul 27, 2015.

  1. gmonsoon43

    gmonsoon43 Member

    Jun 17, 2008
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Since we are about 3 weeks out thought we could start up discussion...
     

    Attached Files:

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  2. gmonsoon43

    gmonsoon43 Member

    Jun 17, 2008
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    upload_2015-7-27_12-45-11.png

    As for US TV Coverage:
    Matchday 1: Fox Sports Plus
    Matchday 2: None
    Matchady 3: Fox Sports 2
     

    Attached Files:

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  3. Potato Head

    Potato Head Member

    Jul 12, 2014
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Disappointed that Fox is being Fox and barely doing anything with the Bundesliga rights, but happy that I'll finally get a few more games now since I get FS2.

    Surprised the Man City friendly isn't on TV. And don't forget the DFB Pokal match on the 8th against mighty Holstein Kiel!
     
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  4. el americano

    el americano Moderator
    Staff Member

    United States
    Jun 9, 2006
    San Francisco
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Hey, you will be able to get every Bundesliga match on demand at http://www.foxsoccer2go.com/. Unfortunately, it's a separate fee, even if you already have the Fox channels on your cable service. It should be $100 for the whole year. They'll have Champions League, too, but no Premier League.

    If you don't need to see it live and don't care about the other matches, then VfB TV will still be there, I think.
     
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  5. Potato Head

    Potato Head Member

    Jul 12, 2014
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Fox just upgraded their coverage schedule:

    Matchday 1: Fox Soccer Plus
    Matchday 2: Fox Sports 1
    Matchday 3: Fox Sports 2
     
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  6. benztown

    benztown Member+

    Jun 24, 2005
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Hi everyone. It's been a while since I've been here. Just wanted to use the opportunity of the brilliant game today vs. Man City to check back in and say hello to all those people who still remember me and to all the new faces.

    I'm planning to come in more regularly again, but I can't make any promises as I'm quite preoccupied by my new job. After leaving Stuttgart almost 15 years ago, I've now left Germany altogether and relocated to the UK on rather short notice.

    Anyway, having seen today's match put me in a rather good mood. I think Zorniger might actually be onto something with his new system and complete tactical overhaul. Still, with this team I find it incredibly difficult to predict how things could look like after this season. I can see anything between a fight against relegation all the way to a fight for the Europa League. Technically, there wasn't much of a change regarding the quality of our players. So while I think that we ended up below our potential, I don't think that potential was particularly great. But if Zorniger's system fits the team and if we don't suffer any major injury blows (stay healthy Didavi) I could easily see Stuttgart ending up above its potential for a change. Anyway, I wish our guys the best of luck.

    And as it happens, I've just seen that this is apparently my 5000th post on these forums. What a nice coincidence for my return :)
     
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  7. Potato Head

    Potato Head Member

    Jul 12, 2014
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Did you see how they were lined up? Soccerway had them in a 4-4-2 with Die on the wing, Klein at center back, and Hlousek at right back, so that doesn't seem right. Also, welcome back!
     
  8. benztown

    benztown Member+

    Jun 24, 2005
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    It was a 4-4-2, but a very dynamic, almost constructively chaotic one. Basically it was Baumgartl & Hlousek as central defenders, Klein & Insua as fullbacks, Dié & Gentner as defensive midfielders, Didavi & Kostic as offensive midfielders and Harnik & Ginczeck as strikers. The game plan was obviously to have a compact midfield and go through the centre. When Manchester had the ball, Didavi & Kostic would help out on the wings, otherwise they or the strikers would only go on the flanks when close to the goal. With those numbers in the centre, Stuttgart could apply Zorniger's idea of a very aggressive pressing game. As soon as a Manchester player had the ball, he was surrounded by 3 Stuttgart players. So there was constant movement in the lineup. Stuttgart played aggressively often looking for a risky, direct pass to the strikers. Most of the time it didn't connect of course, but then there were three players immediately trying to win back the ball again and thereby catching City on their back foot. It really worked out nicely...until in the second half Zorniger literally replaced the entire team. That's when City could squeeze in two late goals.
     
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  9. Winoman

    Winoman Drinkin' Wine Spo-De-O-De!

    Jul 26, 2000
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Welcome back, benztown! I didn't see the game, but was pleasantly surprised by the score line.
     
  10. Winoman

    Winoman Drinkin' Wine Spo-De-O-De!

    Jul 26, 2000
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Here's a summary from VfB's website:

    http://www.vfb.de/en/aktuell/meldun...el-vfb-manchester-city/page/3837-1-1-.html?f2

    FWIW, they listed all kinds of other friendlies, but I couldn't find anything about it on ESPNFC.com
     
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  11. Potato Head

    Potato Head Member

    Jul 12, 2014
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    I think the gegenpress might just work for this team. Not a lot of standout talent but pretty good depth. Use the entire squad and try to run the league to death.
     
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  12. benztown

    benztown Member+

    Jun 24, 2005
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Depends on how you define standout talent. Maybe no world class players (yet) but very promising talent IMHO. Didavi, Ginczek, Kostic are three players who I think could play in most top teams, Maxim has promise but needs to work on consistency, Gentner, Harnik and Insua are three very solid players who may never reach the highest level but who would be a great asset to most teams, Dié is also solid but needs to work on the number of cards he picks up. And then there are of course Werner who at 19 years could have his break through season if he stays and Rüdiger who already is playing for the NT at the age of 22 and who might stay for another year after all. I can't say much about the goalies at this point, but I'm optimistic that Tyton will be an improvement over Ulreich.

    All in all a very young team. If we can get stability in our defense, I'm very optimistic as our offense is really among the best in the league...Bayern are obviously clearly better in that department and Wolfsburg probably as well, but after that, I think we can compete. Last year we mostly suffered from shambolic defending (and some key injuries). But Hlousek has looked improved in CD, Baumgartl is also only 19 years old and may very well become a real asset in time. If Rüdiger leaves, we'll need a good replacement, but even though our defense remains the more problematic part of the team, I'm very hopeful (then again, I always am...).

    Bar injuries, I think the team looks overall pretty good or at the very least solid on every position except maybe RB (but then that is the position where real talent is most rare anyway) and with some question marks in CD: Will Rüdiger stay and if not who will replace him? Will Baumgartl take the next step in his development? Will Hlousek find consistency?
     
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  13. gmonsoon43

    gmonsoon43 Member

    Jun 17, 2008
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  14. gmonsoon43

    gmonsoon43 Member

    Jun 17, 2008
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I forgot to add this with the rest of matches.

    DFB Pokal 1.Runde
    Sat, Aug 8 20:30 CET Kieler SV Holstein hosts VfB Stuttgart.

    Kieler SV Holstein finished 3rd in the 2014-15 3.Liga, but lost the relegation playoff against 1860 Munich.
     
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  15. Winoman

    Winoman Drinkin' Wine Spo-De-O-De!

    Jul 26, 2000
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  16. Potato Head

    Potato Head Member

    Jul 12, 2014
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Sounds like an uncomfortable 2-1 victory in Kiel for the gang. Went down 1-0 in the 37th minute, equalized before halftime through Didavi and then sealed the victory in the 60th minute through Ginczek (who actually played against Holstein for VfB II in January this year). Lots of Kiel pressure at the end according to VfB's Twitter. Maybe should have been more convincing but a nice comeback away from home with two of our top players on the score sheet and in fine form. Bring on Cologne.
     
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  17. benztown

    benztown Member+

    Jun 24, 2005
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Highlights:


    Didavi's goal was absolutely magnificent.
     
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  18. Potato Head

    Potato Head Member

    Jul 12, 2014
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Pretty tasty flick-on from Ginsu on that goal too. That last free header made for some uncomfortable viewing. And that boat tifo from the Holstein supporters was fantastic.
     
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  19. Potato Head

    Potato Head Member

    Jul 12, 2014
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Nice draw in the 2nd round of the Pokal: away to Regionalliga club FC Carl Zeiss Jena.

    Kiel were a third division club so this should theoretically be easier, but Jena took out Hamburg in Round 1. Counterpoint: Hamburg have started the season terribly.

    Wolfsburg vs. Bayern should be fun.
     
  20. benztown

    benztown Member+

    Jun 24, 2005
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Interesting game vs. Cologne so far. Cologne with an early chance that hit the post, after that Stuttgart took control. Three big chances so far: Didavi hit the crossbar with a screamer, Gentner the post and Hlousek had a good header after a Didavi free kick that was saved. Stuttgart playing very aggressive, you can clearly see Zorniger's handwriting. Interesting to see Rupp in the starting 11, other than that, no surprises. But I'm still trying to figure out the formation. Officially it's a 4-3-2-1, but it looks more like a 4-2-2-2. And as I write this, dangerous counter attack by Cologne, saved by a massive tackle from Hlousek and on the other side a brilliant cross by Gentner but two Stuttgart players collided in the box (Didavi and I didn't catch the other one) which would have been a brilliant chance otherwise. Definitely a fun game so far.
     
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  21. benztown

    benztown Member+

    Jun 24, 2005
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Towards half time, Cologne gets more dangerous again. No big chances on either side but a lot of fouls. Yellow for Baumgartl after nothing really, Modeste jumped into him for the header. Good cross now from Kostic, barely saved by a Cologne defender as Didavi was completely alone.
     
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  22. benztown

    benztown Member+

    Jun 24, 2005
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Half Time 0-0. The result doesn't reflect the game though. Could have easily been 3-1. Lots of good chances, lots of action. The ball was hardly ever in midfield, constant box to box action, very high paced game.
     
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  23. benztown

    benztown Member+

    Jun 24, 2005
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    1 minute played and Ginczek with a great chance, trying a volley 4m from the goal. He should have taken more time.
     
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  24. benztown

    benztown Member+

    Jun 24, 2005
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    And now Kostic with a good shot from the edge of the penalty area. Trajectory looked perfect, but the ball had a bit of a spin and just went to the left.
     
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  25. benztown

    benztown Member+

    Jun 24, 2005
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Chaos in Colognes penalty area, several shots on goal blocked. In the end a corner kick for nothing...and another attack via Kostic on the left, pass to the striker doesn't connect. And 1 minute later the same thing, cleared by a Cologne header. Cologne with the occasional counter attack but no big chances. Stuttgart clearly in the driver's seat during these first ten minutes of the second half.
     
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