A short story about Augsburg's success under Markus Weinzierl
After their first season in the Bundesliga, Augsburg seemed like a goner. Under Jos Luhukay they played a defensive, unspectacular 4-2-3-1-system with defensive instability, a simple build up and no real effectivity in the final third. New coach Markus Weinzierl in their second season (2012/13) seemed to have similar problems and Augsburg finished the first half of the season bottom with just 9 points. After the winter break their seemingly never ending miracle started. A change to a 4-1-3-2/4-1-4-1 mixture made them one of the most interesting teams.
A big change was their focus on more build up, more possession and more technical players. Koo and Moravek played as double #8 infront of Daniel Baier who started to play as pivot since then. Before he was a solid #10, as #6 he's very underrated and possibly a world class player (yes, he is that good).
With a higher focus on possession, short passing and attacking movement Augsburg was somehow able to not be relegated. Since then they are consistently fighting for a top8 or even top6 place, even with many sold players in the last two seasons. Koo left, Ji left (and came back), Ostrzolek left, André Hahn (one of the best scorer in the whole league last season) left and so on.
But Augsburg never left from the upper half of the table and there are a few names who are responsible for it:
- world class pivot Daniel Baier
- the very good Paul Verhaegh on the RB position
- the good Ragnar Klavan as CB and Werner as wingers
- good substitutes for the sold players (like Halil Altintop, but even more Baba and Bobadilla)
- a very good coach in Markus Weinzierl who was voted the best coach in the Bundesliga 13/14
The latter is perhaps, with Baier, the most important factor in Augsburg's run. After Koo went Augsburg was able to change to a 4-4-1-1/4-5-1 system. Their pressing is great. It's very aggressive and flexible. It can change from a 4-4-1-1 to a 4-4-2 or even 4-1-3-2 and 4-1-4-1, if the situation needs it. The pressing line sometimes starts already at the oppositional penalty area while at specific game stats or against some opponents Augsburg presses very deep.
They are very compact horizontally and vertically, use manoriented movement within a zonal marking and also their build up is very flexible. They can build - like in the 2nd half of 12/13 - very patient and with short passes, but since last season they love to play very fast, vertical and with long balls.
The latter one's aren't kick and rush like, but very organized and intelligent. Baier plays them mostly and does it very well. They often try to lure the opponent to one side, then comes the diagonal ball behind defense onto the ballfar halfspace where the winger runs diagonally and gets supported by vertical movement of the second striker and space opening horizontal runs of the strker. That's why Bobadilla, who looks like a proper target man (but very good tactically and technically), often plays on the right wing; André Hahn last season was similar.
This mixture of patient build up, of fast short passing combinations through the wing, middle or half space paired by very good long diagonals from behind make Augsburg a threat in the offensive phase. Against the ball their good pressing and very good counterpressing create a heavy to penetrate defense.
That's why Augsburg might even be a contender for the CL this season, even without real investments and many sold players. Baier and Weinzierl are the main factors and as long Baier is there, healthy and in form, they'll stay a very good team. With the very young and very talented Höjbjerg on loan from Bayern as new partner of Daniel Baier and the possibility to use defensive midfielder Kohr in the back line they even strengthened at the winter break.
Rene Maric
http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1skimgp
