Rather, Marsch’s biggest stumbling block has been himself, emanating a blind determination to revert Leipzig back to the more basic Red Bull model of offensive gegenpressing and quick, vertical, football.
Though a shift back to the fundamentals isn’t inherently flawed, it didn’t sit well with a squad which had excelled in the past two seasons under Nagelsmann’s more reasoned, possession-oriented, approach.
According to The Athletic’s Raphael Honigstein, players considered the tactical setup a backwards step from what they had built up over the past 18 months, whilst individuals like Dani Olmo - who had specifically been signed for an assertive possession outfit - now looked on from the sidelines without a clearly defined role in the starting eleven.
Even the two biggest signings in 2021 - the €55m package of André Silva and Dominik Szoboszlai - failed to make sense in the context of Jesse Marsch’s appointment. The former excelled last season as a central focal point at Eintracht Frankfurt, whilst Szoboszlai has become a worldwide sensation for his magical ingenuity in possession, not his tactical discipline in a highly structured pressing system.
Club-captain Péter Gulácsi summed it up in the post-match mixed zone, with his frustration mixing with disappointment at the ‘fatalistic’ style in which Leipzig needlessly handed over possession:
“Every ball we won was gone again in 2-seconds, you just can’t win games like that”
That’s Jesse Marsch’s “Fucking-Forward” football, and if your club captain isn’t buying in, you’re in deep trouble.
This lack of tactical clarity and player buy-in was just the tip of the iceberg, with Marsch’s formational layout probably the first red flag held up against his time in charge.
In Marsch’s first 6 matches (in the Bundesliga & Champions League) Leipzig were set up in a 4-2-3-1, a system they had used sparingly the previous season and primarily utilized when facing weaker sides.
Of the 7 matches in which Leipzig used a 4-2-3-1 under Marsch, Die Roten Bullen won just once, and conceded a whopping 14 goals in the process. The following clip from their 4:1 defeat to Bayern is a prime example of how Marsch’s aggressive system was routinely undone. A simple give away in midfield, is mercilessly punished as both of Leipzig’s fullbacks are pushed on, and Marsch’s side doesn’t have the extra protection of an additional centerback.
Playing such a fast, vertical style isn’t inherently flawed, but doing so without some defensive protection for when mistakes inevitably occur is simply suicidal.
Laten we inderdaad een Schmidt kloon aanstellen die zelfmoord voetbal speelt..
Niet voor niks dat ie in Leipzig ontslagen is..
https://www.fubo.tv/news/what-went-wron ... b-leipzig/
"While Marsch was reportedly a popular figure within the dressing room, some players felt there had been a drop-off in the level of tactical instruction being offered to them. What’s more, Marsch inherited a squad accustomed to playing a possession-based game while the American focused more on phases of transition play.
Of course, succeeding Nagelsmann – arguably European soccer’s best young coach right now – was always going to be a tough task, but Marsch failed to adapt when challenges arose. His emphasis on hard work gave him a platform, but players found there wasn’t much depth to the American’s ideas. Reports state doubts started to grow quickly"
Nee, laat maar..
Weer zo'n one trick pony coach..