How FCR 2001 Duisburg Tactically Defeated Frankfurt

Perhaps nothing could illustrate as to why 2001 Duisburg was able to defeat favored home side Frankfurt better than the panned camera shot of the Frankfurt bench wrapped in heavy blankets as one sheepish player yawned a yawn that lasted more than the allotted extra time. Frankfurt was caught napping.

Tactically, Frankfurt was superior during much of the first half. Creating numerous options offensively, Frankfurt tested the 4-1-4-1 Duisburg formation. With Duisburg’s lone striker, Inka Grings, unable to apply any dangerous high pressure on Frankfurt’s back four, Frankfurt was able to patiently establish a possession game. Rarely trying to find central gaps on the pitch, Frankfurt weaved in and out of Duisburg’s compacted midfield by attacking the flanks. Numerous simple overlapping runs down the flank allowed for Frankfurt to have multiple options for their player in possession of the ball. Although Frankfurt managed to produce numerous goal scoring opportunities, they failed at finding the back of the net. Perhaps even more condemning, Frankfurt players often passed on an opportunity to take a shot.

Similar to a 4-5-1, the 4-1-4-1 is obviously a very defensive formation. The 4-1-4-1 will compact a midfield and provide a team with a holding midfielder. The holding midfielder is the key to the success of this formation. Offensively, the wing players must be explosive and creative. Duisburg looked sub par within this formation. Defensively, Duisburg did manage to shut down Birgit Prinz. However, Frankfurt’s command of the flanks produced many dangerous situations. Offensively, Duisburg was not creative out of the 4-1-4-1. They lacked creativity, dangerous runs, and any support for Grings. Often unable to string together more than two consecutive passes, even Alexandra Popp’s occasional success on the wing led to few attacking situations.

Martina Voss-Tecklenburg knew that the 4-1-4-1 formation was not working well for her team. After a half time pep talk and tactical changes, Duisburg’s return to their more familiar 4-4-2 formation ignited a surge of offensive power. Duisburg began pressuring high which created dangerous moments. After comfortably passing along the backline during most of the first half, Frankfurt’s back four failed to adjust to the new pressure. At one point. Frankfurt precariously played the ball across their own defensive box while a chasing Duisburg player came within inches of intercepting the ball.

Duisburg began playing with momentum. Frankfurt failed to adjust. Soon after Oster was replaced by Kozue Ando, a foul was committed by Frankfurt on the left side near midfield. The 71^st minute produced the lone goal of the afternoon. A quick restart and beautiful long over the top pass from Fuss to Grings caught a slow to react Frankfurt off guard. By the time Frankfurt reacted to the quick restart, Grings had already successfully scored.

image from FFC 

Voss-Tecklenburg adjusted her formation once again in hopes of maintaining the lead. Mandy Islacker entered in for Maes, and Bresonik was moved to holding midfielder. Ann Von Bonn replaced Annemieke Kiessel in the 80^th minute to round out Duisburg changes. Despite last minute pressure, Duisburg goal keeper, Christina Bellinghofen, denied Frankfurt an equalizer.

Great adjustments from Voss-Tecklenburg combined with Grings leadership ensured a Duisburg victory. For Frankfurt fans, all is not loss. Blame winter break for their slow start to 2011. Frankfurt plays Saarbrucken next week while Duisburg has a difficult challenge against Turbine Potsdam.

Side game notes:

• Birgit Prinz was ineffective and not impressive today. She was subbed in the 66^th minute.
• USA midfielder Ali Krieger stood out for Frankfurt today. Her brilliant game was only tarnished by not finishing what seemed like an easy opportunity against a diving keeper.
• Kerstin Garefrekes continues to maintain her reputation as a tough midfielder. Knee bloodied offensively dangerous, and slammed a ball into the gut of a Duisburg player who tried to stall by delaying her throw-in at end of game.
• With the absence of Abby Wambach and continuing struggles with the 4-4-2, the US Women’s National team performed well in a 4-1-4-1 formation during the Four Nations Tournament

Turbine Potsdam's Newest Young Star: Nataša Andonova

Teams such as Lyon and Turbine Potsdam have been following the progress of Macedonia's young star, Nataša Andonova, for over a year. Born April 12, 1993, the 17 year old midfield/attacker has been known to score goals from all over the pitch. Despite Macedonia being outmatched during the 2010 U-19 UEFA Championship, Nataša Andonova's performance stood out. As a result, Andonova became the first women's player to play in a professional league outside of the her country.

Transferring from ZFK Borek to Turbine Potsdam, Andonova will entrust her development with Bernd Schröder, one of the best coaches in professional soccer.  Playing and training with premier players such as Lira Bajramaj, Anja Mittag, and Babett Peter will provide Andonova with the opportunity to train at an elite level.

Making her Turbine Potsdam debut during an International Indoor Soccer Tournament, Andonova has already netted a goal during the first match. Andonova scored Potsdam's third goal of the match during the 8th minute, helping Potsdam record a 5-0 victory over Arna-Bjørnar Bergen.

As UEFA's U-19 Golden Player of 2010, Andonova has a promising future. Whether or not she is ready for a caliber team such as Potsdam remains to be seen. Although she is an excellent goal scorer, more experienced goal keepers may disrupt her flow of confidence. If she stays with the first team at Potsdam, it will be interesting to see how and where Schröder will use her.

Is Melissa Wiik a metaphor for Norway?

Scanning the globe, few countries can boast that they were the pioneers of modern women’s soccer. Rooted in tradition and pride, Norway’s slow and painful free fall from the elite of women’s soccer has caused a painful and bitter chapter within their history. Melissa Wiik’s early exit from Frauen Bundesliga team, VFL Wolfsburg, may illustrate just how far Norway has fallen behind. Toppserien league’s leading scorer envisioned herself leading Wolfsburg to the top of the Bundesliga table. However, within a year, Wiik’s sensational scoring came to an abrupt halt.

Rewind to January 2010. Norwegian’s young and promising striker, Melissa Wiik announced that she craved being challenged at a higher level. Germany was developing a reputation for being a tactically sound league that showcased both young and established older international players. Wiik, a strong scorer within the Norwegian league, decided to leaver her native soil and sign a one and one half year contract with VFL Wolfsburg, a predominantly younger team. The 2007 Norwegian

Wiik had always maintained that she would return to Norway when her contract ended. After scoring two goals during a winter tournament for her Wolfsburg’s debut, Wiik probably never envisioned the reality that faced her the following year. Wiik had eventually evolved into spectator, watching matches from the bench.

In a crucial World Cup year, international players looking to catch the eye of their national coaches, need to be active in match play. Playing outside of the home country can be detrimental for national training sessions if players are not released from their club. Combined with the lack of play and exposure, Wiik needed to leave Wolfsburg.

Ralf Kellermann, Wolfsburg’s coach, admitted that the tactical philosophy of the team was to blame for Wiik’s lack of playing time. She simply did not fit into the system. As a striker, Wiik found herself competing for playing time against the two Martinas, German superstar Martina Mueller and Swiss Martina Moser. Kellermann, often plays a 4-5-1, focusing his attack with on striker supported by the midfield. Even when Wolfsburg played with two strikers, Moser was chosen over Wiik to partner with Mueller. With Wiik gone, Wolfsburg only lists two true strikers on the roster. One could argue that within Kellermann’s style, Wiik would always be overshadowed by the dominating Mueller. With a supporting midfield which includes Norway’s Larsen-Kaurin, Wolfsburg has found little difficulty in finding goals against Bundesliga teams. That is with one exception. The elite teams.

Despite Wolfsburg’s lack of success against Frankfurt and Potsdam Turbine, the issue at hand, at least for now, is that Wolfsburg needs to develop a stronger defensive core. Whether it is Kellermann’s coaching style or the team’s lack of “readiness”--Wolfsburg will not be mimicking Turbine Potsdam’s aggressive 4-3-3 attacking style. With promising young offensively minded mid-fielders such as Selina Wagner, Kellermann may choose to stay with a limited striker core.

Melissa Wiik was welcomed back to Norway with great excitement from fans. Wearing the Stabæk IF jersey, Wiik could possibly take on Wolfsburg this weekend at the International Women’s Cup. If Wiik succeeds once again at Stabæk IF, may we conclude that Norway has once again fallen in short? Although considered warm-up matches for league play, how Stabæk IF plays against international clubs may send a clear indication as to the strength of Norway’s National squad. Numerous Stabæk IF players are on Norway’s roster. Norway failed to defeat any of the major World Cup contenders in 2010. Melissa Wiik’s future on Norway’s World Cup roster seems uncertain. Returning home, Wiik will be fighting to return to a starting line-up as well as a ticket back to Germany this summer.

On a side note, Wolfsburg was successful in their first match without Wiik. Defeating Bröndby Kopenhagen 4-1, Wolfsburg’s only listed strikers both found the back of the net. Moser scored the first goal of the match followed by Mueller scoring twice.

**Wolfsburg’s Larsen Kaurin scored the first goal for Norway in the 2008 Olympic match against the USA. Wiik scored the second goal. Those two goals left an indelible mark on US women’s Soccer history.