Finally got around to watching the Dortmund match. Boy was I shocked! I was in no rush, because I thought we couldn't play with them for 90 minutes. They had more talent, were stronger on the ball, and kept possession, but they did not link up well. Too many bad passes got picked off leading to counter attacks. They stuck with three at the back, to their detriment. It was beautiful. We really did keep up the effort to the final whistle. My favorite goal was Coulibaly's. I did not expect him to beat the defender 1 on 1, but he got a sliver of daylight and curled it in off the post. Who could ask for 5? And it could have been more. Looking up it's maybe too hard to get any higher in the table, but if the team improves their consistency this year, I look forward to an entertaining 2021 with a full Mercedes-Benz Arena!
This is what I am thinking also. I doubt VfB will rise higher than this current spot in the table (7th) and maybe even drop a few spots before the season ends. The main thing is to be competitive and hopefully mid-table at the end so they don't get relegated again. If this young squad can be held together, they will be much better next season. Right now, the many draws are mostly the result of a mistake or two in defense each match, not any overall bad performance. If they can get rid of the mistakes, and tighten up the defense, they will start winning more matches. Of course, anyone having a break out season will likely be a Bayern Munich target down the road.
Wolfsburg - VfB Stuttgart Announced lineup: Gonzalez, Coulibaly Didavi, Mangala Sosa, Endo, Wamangituka Kempf, Anton, Stenzel Kobel Several Wolfsburg players out with Covid.
0-0 at the half. Wolfsburg playing very physical and ref letting them get away with it. Gonzalez hip checked down in the box but ref waved it off. Wolfsburg goal called off due to attacker shoving a defender to the ground.
VfB down 1-0 in the 49th minute on a free kick by Josip Brekalo. Now in the 63rd minute. Come on Jungs, you can do this!
Ouch, tough loss, 1-0. Ref should have given a PK in the first half on that hockey check in the box on Gonzalez. He gave a free kick and yellow card to Mangala to a similar challenge in midfield in the second half. Wolfsburg get the 3 points on a ping pong goal off a free. Massimo got some significant minutes in the second half and looked very good on the right side.
Week 13: 4-6-3 18 points VfB suffer 1-0 defeat away to a very physical, hockey-checking Wolfsburg. Goals - Assists Wamangituka 7 - 3 Kalajdzic 5 - 3 Gonzalez 4 - 1 Didavi 1 - 3 Castro 2 - 1 Mangala 1 - 2 Kempf 2 - 0 Coulibaly 2 - 0 Klimowicz 1 - 1 Klement 0 - 2 Forster 1 - 0 Endo 0 - 1 Sosa 0 - 1 Goals scored: 26 Goals conceded: 20 Clean sheets: 1
Second round DFB Pokal match tomorrow, 13:45 in the Grain Belt. VfB Stuttgart host SC Freiburg in a replay of the first league match this season. Expected lineup: Kalajdzic Coulibaly, Castro, Klimowicz Sosa, Mangala, Endo, Wamangituka Kempf, Anton, Stenzel Kobel Since it is a cup match, I expect Gonzalez to get a rest. Kalajdzic needs some more playing time to stay sharp. I like VfB's chances in this match; I think that they are an improved side since that opening day loss to Freiburg.
Actual lineup: Kalajdzic - Klimowicz Gonzalez - Mangala - Coulibaly - Castro - Endo - Kempf - Anton - Stenzel - Kobel - VfB take the lead in the 15th minute on great team play. I've been really impressed by Coulibaly, Castro, and Kalajdzic so far. I'm not impressed by the Ref. There were a lot of ticky-tack fouls by Freiburg, early on, that were not called. Had he called a couple of them, the yellow card fest right before half-time might not have happened. Also Stuttgart had a good shout for a penalty, but didn't get the call. (Klimowicz was pushed down in the box near the touchline.)
Freiburg picked up the pressure, and their attacking play in the second half, but Stuttgart held on for the 1-0 win, and advance to the round of 16.
Thanks for the play-by-play Winoman. We had to race across the Grain Belt this morning to beat a blizzard to my brother's house, so I missed the live match. I will watch this tomorrow on replay knowing it was a win. Good to see.
The Christmas winter break is over and VfB host Red Bull Leipzig in Stuttgart tomorrow, 13:30 Grain Belt time in the USA. Expected lineup: Stuttgart: Kobel - Stenzel, Anton, Kempf - Silas, Endo, Mangala, Sosa - Castro (c), Coulibaly - Gonzalez
And in the midst of of our (so far) good season, there is a shit-show going on in the front office which is threatening to tear-down everything good. Typical VfB.
What is the news? All I see on the news is that VfB are competing with Liverpool to sign Folarin Balogun, a US-born Nigerian on the books with Arsenal youth. https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=38441
It starts with the spin-off from membership owned to corporation from 2016 - 2017: https://translate.google.com/transl...-mit-mitgliederdaten-an-dritte-785694/artikel A declaration from Chairman Claus Vogt, investigating the data "transfer": https://translate.google.com/transl...eues/verein/2020/claus-vogt-bezieht-stellung/ Hitzlsperger throws his hat in the ring against Vogt: https://translate.google.com/transl...t-hitzlsperger-gegen-vogt-praesident-100.html The question from all VfB fans is why is this going on? There are accusations from Hitzlsperger that Vogt is running the Club into bankruptcy with the data scandal investigation, that he is not transparent enough and is tearing the Club apart, that Vogt is putting his personality in front of the club therefore hindering it, and that he is running an unchecked one man show. Vogt published a letter of explanation, also with counter-charges: The investigation is mostly paid for by an insurance company, the tear in the club is real but because of him trying to be transparent which is not welcome in the corporate leadership. Even worse, he says the investigation is actively suppressed. With the wish to limit the mandate or to completely stop it, it is his job to be in a controlling function over the corporation. Now others are jumping into the breach: Per Spox.com "VfB Stuttgart, nothing more than a coup attempt." https://www.spox.com/de/sport/fussb...ger-will-den-klub-mit-dem-hammer-fuehren.html And so it goes. Why the ******** can't we have anything nice?
Wow. A lot of info there. I will have to read it later. Match just started. Actual lineup: Kalajdzic Gonzalez, Castro, Wamangituka Endo, Mangala Sosa, Kempf, Anton, Stenzel Kobel
0-0 at the half. Stenzel has been poor at right back; bad passes, poor decision making, would rather see Mavropanos in that spot. Commentators were talking about the argy bargy in the VfB front office. Apparently they are having an election in March for the chairman position. Hitzlsperger is going for it against the incumbent Vogt. Too bad. A club with such a storied history should have front office stability.
67' Red Bull get the break through from Olmo, 0-1. They have had the better chances. VfB struggling with linkup play.
And it ends, 0-1. Another home loss for VfB. Midfield play was very poor, and the linkup with the attack was mostly non-existent. Red Bull are very strong at the back defensively.