Italian version of Match Analysis on AIAPC Association website: AIAPC - Assoanalisti.it - RB Leipzig of Ralph Hasenhüttl
The 2016-2017 Bundesliga’s revelation team, RB Leipzig is also the "most hated of Germany", accused to be a team with no football history and built only for commercial purposes. The Germans value the company's football history and the fact that RB Leipzig has come up fast, thanks to its sponsor's massive investments, is not well-received by fans: is considered an usurpation of place from more historical clubs, such as Stuttgart. In addition, there is a rule in the German championship that doesn't allow to have the sponsor in the name of the club (with the exception of the historic Bayer Leverkusen) and the insertion of the "RB" instead of "RedBull", justified as "RasenBallSport" that means "ball sports rolling on the lawn" is seen as a strong provocation.
The fact is that, in the field, the team gains the second place in the standings (62 points in 30 games, 8 points less than Bayern Munich) and expresses a football based on the dynamism and speed, which allows them to keep the high zone and achieve important results for this season.
The team is based on high level of athletics and dynamism of players, thanks to the high pressing in defence and transition phases from the first line for all 90', often double teaming on the holder and seeking the development of offensive action with speed and especially on the side bands with the two strikers (Poulsen and Werner) always ready to attack the depth, or, thanks to athletic performance, they allow the team to advance quickly into the penalty area with long pass from the goalkeeper or central defenders.
In the "offensive phase" we can observe that in the first part of the game, the action is started with long pass from behind, often directly from the goalkeeper, that points towards the strikers (Werner and Poulsen) that widen a lot to receive and search depth on sides reaching with a cross the other striker or the inserting midfielder. Later they move to a more handled action, build from the back and set by the central defenders with the support of a median that goes back favouring the progress of the fullbacks. Even in this case, the action is developed mostly on the sides with dribbling or with side chains, so as to overcome the last opponent’s defensive line with cross (mainly by Poulsen) or dribbling (mainly Werner) in order to finishing drill from inside the penalty area.
In a "defensive phase" the team is lined up into a 4-3-3 not always ordered, but aimed at a strong pressing since the first line of defence created by the strikers with the addition of the most advanced midfielder, while at their back two lines are formed: the first with midline, left and right midfielders, and the second with the central defenders and fullbacks. This line remains compact inside the field, blocking the central spaces for the opponent’s development and forcing them to widen the game to the sides where later will be a double teaming, so forcing the opponent to error and favouring the quick recovery of the possession.
In both transition phases, the team show an intensive game: in the defensive transition, with a strong press they blocks immediately the opponent's progress and often forces them back and to start again their action (giving the time to RB Leipzig’s player to return to their positions). In the offensive transition, with a fast verticalization to the striker, who widen as usual on the bands, they opens the spaces for the insertion of the other striker or offensive midfielder.
In short, they express not exactly a "nice game" as the one we are used to appreciate with much more famous clubs and coaches, but it’s successful and based on constantly physicality, speed and athletic intensity for all 90s even when the result is already consolidated.
Italian version of Match Analysis on AIAPC Association website: AIAPC - Assoanalisti.it - RB Leipzig of Ralph Hasenhüttl
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