Bundesliga 2023/24 - Wolfsburg or Bayern? - It's the same question as the years before

What a rare pleasure for me on this side of the world to not have to get out out of bed at 4 am to watch a bundesliga frauen match. Wolfsburg dominating but Frohms will be having nightmares about conceding to Campbell.
Disappointing Stroot takes Pajor off when she's on a hat trick. I get that its important to give other players game time, but its a shame to sub a player having that sort of form in match.

 

Wow... rant time lol. Despite the win, Wolfsburg continue to look like complete garbage... And now, if they don't push for a serious rebuild this summer, they could easily face more years in the UWCL wilderness, being stuck behind a relatively average Bayern side domestically too...

ALL last season, I'd say Stroot forcing Popp - Pajor into the same starting 11 a major negative on Wolfsburg's general play. But now... this issue in poor foresight looks to have spread to the nature of this teams mid-field, and the defence...

FB's options remaining horribly underwhelming, both Hegering, and Hendrich, without clear replacements, knowing Wolfsburg's mid-field already possessing ZERO depth, not close to being prepared for life after Oberdorf.

Rauch, Janssen, Oberdorf, and potentially even Pajor all leaving, but we're watching Wolfsburg excitedly extending the contracts of two of their oldest players lol, at a point in time this club is dire need of higher quality ASAP!

In my opinion, players like Rabano, Wilms, Kalma, never appearing like Wolfsburg level players. It's hilarious just how poor Wolfsburg's squad is right now, that not only do these 3 gain regular match time, we have the addition of Xhemaili appearing to be a significant upgrade over the comically poor mid-field proficiency of Huth, and Hagel lol.

Stroot facing almost no pressure for his lack of tactical flexibility too, after he would be randomly lucky to see injuries shape his first season's success around a 4-4-2, you'd think his current squads limitations would see him return to something that's know to work more effectively...

But across the board, this seasons has Wolfsburg's overall stats lower than what we've seen for years, and it's concerning seeing thinking this club at least 4 new international quality players away from being what they should be, when the Bundesliga's future UWCL coefficient set to take major damage without a strong presence capable of reaching finals and semi finals.

Placing some genuine pressure on Kellermann as head of recruitment...

 

Blomqvist/SJJ ------------------ Popp/Pajor/Kalma --------------------- Endemann/Brand
------------------------------------ Hagel/Xhemaili/Huth -------------------------------------------
------------------------ Minge/Demann ------------------------ Lattwein -----------------------------
Rabano/Brinkmann --- Hendrich/Kuver --- Dijkstra/Hegering --- Wilms/Wedemeyer

Or

---------------- Popp/Blomqvist/Kalma ----------- Pajor/Hagel/Xhemaili --------------------
Brand/SJJ --------------------------------------------------------------------- Endemann/Huth
--------------------------- Minge/Demann ------------------------ Lattwein -----------------------------
Rabano/Brinkmann --- Hendrich/Kuver --- Dijkstra/Hegering --- Wilms/Wedemeyer

Wolfsburg clearly in need of upgrading their FB's, bringing in at least two more international quality CM's, at a time limiting the amount of appearances Popp, Huth, Hegering will see become very important, for a squad Kalma, Rabano, Wilms, should also never see the field.

 

Plus my various points on Frankfurt continue to appear more and more relevant this season... End of the season, regardless of their 3rd place UWCL qualification fate, the club will need to take a genuine assessment of where they go next; with it blatantly clear under the current direction of Arnautis, this group of players have absolutely plateaued.

It needs to be said though, Frankfurt in a unique position where even if they lose someone like Kleinherne, their coach still able to select from a host of impressive young defensive talents all waiting to become regular features within the 1st team.

And the same is true for Frankfurt's future CM options too, where it very easy to imagine this teams mid-field quality continuously growing even stronger throughout the next 2-3 seasons too.

But damn... something has to be done with their coaches weird winger-less diamond system, and the negative effect this system continues to have on the general way this team will seek to attack. Knowing bad finishing can only be blamed so much, before you start to ask questions about other factors which continues to see this team underwhelm..

 

Not able to watch it, but I noticed at halftime it’s Duisburg 1, Bayern 0. Time to bring in the

Lohman-nator?

 

Welcome, Katharina Piljić 👋

The midfielder will join from @SGSEssen and is the first summer addition to the #Bayer04Frauen🙏😍#Bayer04 | #DieLiga pic.twitter.com/DELL3rVvAm

— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) April 16, 2024

LOL, Essen were talking about retaining their top talent a little longer, and then this happens...

Plus it's a very strange transfer to see, when you consider Leverkusen's coming mass exodus of international level talent at the end of the season.

 

Sophia Kleinherne decides to extend her contract with Frankfurt for two more years, ending 2026.

The wnt having a incredibly hard time acknowledging domestic defensive talent, I was sure a move to a good UWCL level team outside of Germany might have seen Kleinherne instantly jump back into post Olympic wnt contention.

But age 24 now, with the growing talent at Frankfurt, and a new wnt coaching team coming after the Olympics, the smart gamble here might actually be staying dedicated to improving her current situation, and seeing what happens next.

 

Nice win by Leipzig over what should have been a more heralded Leverkusen squad, This win might of just guaranteed them a stay in the 1st division. I wonder if their CB Landesberger might have some NT potential? She’s definitely grown height wise since last time I’ve seen her

 

It’s Chelsea 1-0 over Barca with Nusken getting an assist. Leupolz started & played all game as well.
Berger not rostered but I believe has signed with NWSL champions, Gotham

 

Wanted to watch the semifinals, but I had too much work to do today, couldn't do anything about that!

 

The same Hoffenheim who would manage to take 4 points from Wolfsburg, only being a few minutes away from beating them twice this season, also managed to lose 6 points Vs Essen having conceded 5, scoring 0 (today's own goal doesn't count) over both games...

 

LOL... I didn't even know the semi final were taking place today...

 

... What have they accomplished this season to be considered the more "heralded squad"...? Fudalla producing as many goals and assists as Leverkusen top goal scorer this season (Karczewska) lol, and this for a Leipzig side who creates far less chances for their forwards too.

And talking about defensive talent, I've said it all season how crazy it is seeing clubs like Leverkusen recruiting better defenders than Wolfsburg now. But I think it get no more blatant, than taking a look at clubs defensive records this season, to notice Leverkusen have only conceded 2 more than Wolfsburg, having also conceded less goals than Frankfurt...

I mean... within their defensive 3-5 2, Turanyi might be the most improved defender in the league this season, playing next to a young but impressive Bragstad, with the extra protection of really dynamic international quality FB's Levels and Hansen.

So while Senß takes plaudits for her efforts sitting alongside a highly underrated Zbedel, I think bigger teams would be smart to pay close attention to the potential recruitment of 3 or 4 defensive players from Leverkusen...