The new season of “Tactics Talk” has started and will provide comprehensive coverage of all nine fixtures in a weekly recap column. There have been some formatting changes, with no longer a full “focus feature” included, but there will still be an in-depth look at the weekend’s most important match. This week’s deeper dive belongs to the Leipzig-Leverkusen match.
The column will also include more German football commentary by bringing back the German vocabulary feature. Additionally, more tactics boards will be included each week, with the first installment featuring Darmstadt, Heidenheim, Stuttgart, and 1. FC Union Berlin.
The opening match between Bayern and Bremen was somewhat disappointing, lacking the excitement and intensity that was expected. Bayern struggled to break through with slow and unimaginative play, and the match felt labored. The midfield pair of Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka, who haven’t played together for a long time, reunited, and their performance was a highlight in an otherwise lackluster game.
Thomas Tuchel, the head coach of Bayern, is under immense pressure after the off-season administrative reshuffle. Although he got everything he wanted in terms of the team’s composition, his performance record is still questionable. It remains uncertain whether he will finish the season as the head coach of the German giants.
The Freiburg-Hoffenheim match drew attention due to the continued development of the teams and Germany’s goalkeeping crisis. Freiburg’s young goalkeeper, Noah Atubolu, made a mistake early in the game but had a relatively easier time afterward as Freiburg dominated proceedings. The match was also notable for the goals scored by the two Hungarians, Attila Szalai and Roland Sallai, with similarly spelled names but pronounced the same.
Lastly, the “Burning Questions” segment discussed the title prospects of Leverkusen and Leipzig, both of which have made significant signings in the summer transfer window. Leverkusen has been praised for methodically building a team while Leipzig has been criticized for throwing money at highly-skilled players. There is excitement about the potential of both teams, with Leverkusen being touted as the best side since the late 1990s.
Overall, the new season of “Tactics Talk” promises comprehensive coverage of the Bundesliga with analysis of tactics, performances, and key matches.
