Bundesliga 2021/22- 22 women chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end a German team wins

Or maybe she's finally taking responsibility for her own failings, reverting to what she offers best for any team..? Like applying pressure to opposing CB's. No longer coming short for passes, she's going long into open spaces not occupied by the striker. Or not trying to go 1v1 with individual skills, but instead looking for early shooting opportunities.

I don't think it's a coincidence all this happens when Wolfsburg's team resembles something closer to her old clubs 4-3-3.... I mean look how the Wolfsburg offense disintegrated once Roord, Waßmuth, left the match.

 

Yeah, I really hope this game will be a wake-up call for Wolfsburg, Oberdorf belonging in the midfield with Lattwein, them looking pretty solid last night against the firepower that’s Chelsea goung forward. Wedemeyer and Janssen should be the CBs, both having pretty good speed, technique, though some mistakes here and there such as Janssen’s crucial mistake that lead to Chelsea’s equlizer.

oh, and I was about to write that Rauch actually did some pretty good tackles yesterday, something you’ve pointed out she couldn’t do until her convincing performance yesterday… which leads me to the Bayern game where Gwinn looked pretty awful as a LB. I mean, she’s always been a right winger right, until her RB days in the WC in France. Now she finds herself as a LB because of Bayern’s strong options out right… but she doesn’t have a good left foot, the services to the box being awful. I really worry that we might have another Lotzen or Wensing situation if she were to injure herself again. If she’s going to play as a FB, then surely as a RB, no?

 

I might have been too quick to doom this Wolfsburg side, but I don’t think the depth is truly there anyway with those 14-15 players you’re looking for, Batfink — sure I think they can find an identity and a style as a team again, but most of these Wolfsburg players are solid and good, even great, just not world class

and you don’t need a team full of world class players, but you need some — like I think they could achieve that with Oberdorf in the heart of the team, Popp fully back from injury and Janssen taking another step

 

I thought Oberdorf showcased a lot of discipline in her mainly defensive CM role versus Chelsea, with Lattwein looking closer to the neat box to box player she was at Hoffenheim too.

But once Wolfsburg got a hold of the games flow, I found it more interesting seeing the 3 of Oberdorf - Lattwein - Huth, not only combine to shut down most of Ji So-yun's influence in their half of the field, but also still run some form of structured offense in the 2nd half, for a front 3 of Wolter - Roord - Waßmuth...

 

Yeah... this game might have been the moment Wedemeyer showed why she should to be a starting CB for Wolfsburg. Not only looking like a really good partner for Janssen, but a defender who clearly enjoys the battle involved in defending.

Even someone like Rauch managed to show genuine intensity for once too. Not only making strong tackles, but never backing down to Chelsea's players trying to make her lose focus, drawing her into mental games.

The defensive errors still cost them in the end, but considering how bad they've looked defensively prior to this match, I say there was still a lot of positives on show.

 

I've never said they have 14-15 elite players, but instead feel they currently have 8 legit players in the 20+ plus players squad.

But even with just 8 legit players, I feel like they have enough talent to at least develop a more team based structure now, that can potentially make them stronger overall than a side still dependent on it's individual ability.

I don't think Gwinn is 100% yet. And in the absence of Simon, it should have seen Rall used as a LB for their WUCL opener away from home.

 

they did have an 4-back when the last time Chelsea defeated Wolfsburg and rather impressivley I might add where your wunder kinds, Pajor & Popp didn't show up as usual in an big important game, lol
Wolfsburg vs. Chelsea - 31 March 2021 - Women Soccerway
but you might be right that Chelsea plays with an 3-back no since this is the first I've seen them this new season. Not much into club football, espcially when it's an all international squad both; Arssnal & Chelsea only start 2-3 English players per game. Last season it was Man U that played the most direct type soccer & led the league about half way through until injuries started to mount due to virtual exhaustion as the coach had no idea how to pace the team(so ended up an dismal 4th place).
Payed more attention to the WSL last year since they had 6 big American signings, but only one decided to return with the others literally tearing up their contracts. The biggest complained was the Enlgish just don't play the same type of soccer that we do back here. In this regard they might be referring to the more physical play(as compared to an more athletic type preferred in the US (and thus we don't seem to have near the injury rate that we see coming out of Europe).

Again, I would beg to differ; you seem to think it was WOB midfield domination that got them the away tie, I say it was long balls out of the danger zone PLUS Wassmuth's athleticism that got them two goals-high pressure that got Rood's.

 

looks like Germans & the Bundesliga get stiffed in the 2021 Ballon D Or nominees
2021 Women's Ballon d'Or nominees: Chelsea and Barcelona lead way; only one USWNT player cracks list - CBSSports.com

I count;
4 Spaniards
3 Canadians
3 French
2 Dutch
2 English
1 USA
1 Australia
1 Denmark
1 Chile

out of clubs
Barcalona 5
Chelsea 5
PSG 3
Lyon 2
Bayern 0/Wolfsburg 0

hey didn't Bayern make the semis in the CL(or was I just deaming!)

 

Perhaps nobody in Bayern’s stand out and it was true team effort.

 

Hmmm, but the evidence shows Chelsea were pretty lucky not to lose 4 or 5 goals. Like many teams that season in the WUCL, Wolfsburg actually dominating Chelsea in the first leg, and only having themselves to blame for not taking their various chances to score.

Plus Pajor, and Popp, were impressive enough to play major roles in getting Wolfsburg to another WUCL final. But I guess none of that counts when you've already decided them not scoring multiple goals in the final, suddenly seeing them at the heart of negative factors for Wolfsburg's awful record Vs Lyon.

All this, as if It's not like Wolfsburg's poor tactics had a major role in any of this... right...

 

I don't care what, or how many nationalities they start... your pretending Wolfsburg lucky in their 3 goal away from home performance, when there are many more obvious reasons for what we witnessed here, beyond the simplistic take randomness of luck being in the favor of one team that night; this, like Chelsea didn't score 2 very fortuitous 2nd half goals of their own...

I mean, one minute Chelsea are this amazing team because of their squad is filled with recognizable internationals, and now it's at the foundation of an weak excuse for their performance Vs a unconfident, in transition Wolfsburg side lol.

 

All that to state something pretty obvious lol... because yeah, outside a few clubs, professionalism within European women's competition, isn't gong to be close to the levels of professionalism witnessed in the US.

However, this didn't stop you proclaiming the English the best in Europe, as realities of European women's football never stopped certain US wnt players taking the payday in England either; when it pretty obvious to most glancing at that league, what the actual quality of football would be available to them...

 

No... not mid-field "domination", but mid-field competitiveness. This all thanks to Chelsea's inability to control the tempo of play, allowing Wolsburg to gradually impose their own influence on the flow/momentum of the match.

Even if you don't want to acknowledge this, Wolfsburg's CM trio of Oberdorf - Lattwein - Huth, took a match Ji So-yun - Leupolz dictating, and past a rough 20 mins period, basically removed their opposing CM effectiveness from much of the following proceedings.

Wolfsburg forced SO DEEP during the opening 15 minutes, it meant they HAD to clear the ball long to simply relieve pressure, and got fortunate in Waßmuth taking advantage of a key defensive error. But outside of two 50/50 long balls forward, that saw Waßmuth score twice, there were also other chances for Waßmuth created with more precise moves that your choosing to ignore.

 

I mean, your not even acknowledging the role of Roord in this performance either, when she played with her back to goal most of the match, selflessly retaining possession of the ball, doing things you either won't acknowledge as important, or dismiss because it's not in line with this Wolfsburg 1v1/kick and chase success story you now believe.

Again... Chelsea's inability to slow down play, aka control the tempo, and keep Wolfsburg at a distance, eventually allowed Roord to receive passes higher and higher inside Chelsea's half, which allowed Waßmuth to run into dangerous spaces beyond the forward, within a team Oberdorf - Lattwein - Huth not only matched their opponents physically, but were able to make the game flow at a tempo they more comfortable with too.

Without this, Wolfsburg can't make the match more equal, meaning Chelsea wins comfortably. That sure sounds a little more than Wolfsburg being lucky...

 

Batfink,
originally you didn’t want Roord in your starting lineup, remember? Whereas I felt this particularly game was absolutely for her since she’s an vet of WSL physical style & very hard to dispossess the ball from. She too had the foresight to make longer passes to the less crowded sides(rather than short balling it). Of course I agree that Oberdorf should be an midfield(totally bizarre that MVT & Stroot want to make her into an CB which she’s still no good at). As I’ve mentioned already; Lattwein’s best game, as in several occasions she was able to dribble the ball upfield swiftly while not getting dispossessed(that was more Huth’s problem as I still don’t think she looks comfortable at AM). I would of preferred Hendrich at CB since she’s wasn’t going to be able to mover upfield much in this particular game & she might of been able to get an foot on one of those two last goals that Chelsea basically bulldozed their way too.
Wolfsburg with a lot more variety/passing options was the key. Booting the ball out of the danger zone(rather trying to play through an crowded field) was very important too[

 

Nope, never proclaimed that, but paying better salaries in woso is the right step. But it doesn’t look like the balanced league at first thought. At least last year there were 4 contenders, now it’s only 2, with the English dominated Man City falling way off. Don’t feel bad though about it, last season they sat Janine Beckie & Rose Lavelle mostly on the bench(she’s the most Euro styled, playmaker we got). Of course she didn’t return for this season

never said Wolfsburg won cause their got lucky, but finally acknowledged what an great player Wassmuth can be. I first took notice of her two years ago, calling her the ‘German Alex Morgan’(though obviously Wassmuth is more of an winger thsn central striker), but since then, has been either miss used or barely used by three different coaches(MVT, WOB & HOF’s newer coach).
She might just hold the key to winning the Euros. But that key is giving her plenty of space to work with

in part true that Bayern as well as Germany tends to be about disciplined team work instead of individual stand outs, but things might be changing as you could see Klara Buhl taking charge in some of the pre season Bayern games(but now she’s on the injury list) and if you saw; Wassmuth’s dominating performance over an Chelsea squad(which 5 of their’s made FIFA’s 18 shortlist.

Sometimes though I feel there’s some anti German bias out there; for instance don’t know how Michael Platini made it all the way up the FIFA ranks? Remembering him as an player who refused to shake hands with Germans after they kicked his Frenchie butt out of the 1982 & 86 WC semis. Could of he used his influence to deny German players their just do’s!

 

how long does it take for Brand to get over her cold!

 

Good game. I'd say Bayern had more patience today than last time in Lisbon but also Hoffenheim didn't want or wasn't able to press as much as they did vs. Koge.

Interesting to see if Leverkusen can push a little both Hoffenheim and Wolfsburg this season.

 

Took a peak on calendar and...Oh my...
---------------------------------------------------
Hoffenheim
07.11 Jena v Hoffenheim
10.11 Barcelona v Hoffenheim
14.11 Hoffenheim v Leverkusen <-- Lev. may try their luck here
17.11 Hoffenheim v Barcelona
21.11 Leverkusen v Frankfurt

03.12 Hoffenheim v Brema
09.12 Koge v Hoffenheim
10.12 Sand v Hoffenheim (no rest)
15.12 Hoffenheim v Arsenal
17.12 Freiburg v Hoffenheim (1 day rest)
------------------------------------------------
Wolfsburg
05.11 Wofsburg v Frankfurt
09.11 Juventus v Wolfsburg
13.11 Munchen v Wolfsburg
19.11 Wolfsburg v Juventus
21.11 Wolfsburg v Essen

03.12 Wolfsburg v Jena
08.12 Servette v Wolfsburg
10.12 Leverkusen v Wolfsburg (1 day rest) <--Lev may try their luck here
16.12 Wolfsburg v Chelsea
17.12 Potsdam v Wolfsburg (no rest)
-----------------------------------------------------
Bayern
06.11 Essen v Munchen
10.11 Lyon v Munchen
13.11 Munchen v Wolfsburg
17.11 Munchen v Lyon
21.11 Munchen v Jena

03.12 Munchen v Leverkusen
09.12 Hacken v Munchen
10.12 Potsdam v Munchen (no rest)
15.12 Munchen v Lisbon
17.12 Munchen v Brema (1 day rest)
----------------------------------------------------------
Leverkusen
07.11 Leverkusen v Koln
14.11 Hoffenheim v Leverkusen
21.11 Leverkusen v Frankfurt

03.12 Munchen v Leverkusen
10.12 Leverkusen v Wolfsburg
17.12 Leverkusen v Jena
-------------------------------------------------------------
Frankfurt
05.11 Wolfsburg v Frankfurt
12.11 Frankfurt v Jena
21.11 Leverkusen v Frankfurt

03.12 Frankfurt v Potsdam
10.12 Bremen v Frankfurt
17.12 Sand v Frankfurt

Surely those next day games will be rescheduled and moved by day or two?
(all dates are from google so don't know how accurate this calendar is)

It's fair to say that Leverkusen may get some serious advantage this fall in playing tired league heavyweights.