Hallo und wilkommen! It’s Friday once again and we’re back in Leipzig. After a tough start to life in the second division last week, a formation change inspired an astonishing second half turnaround against St. Pauli, so let’s see if we can build on that…
The first game this week is home to Stuttgart Kickers, who are 2nd. They’re managed by the hilariously-named Wolfgang Wolf, and I recognise another future Leverkusen man, Zoltán Sebescen. Unsurprisingly I stick with the 3-6-1 formation. Gomes is in for the injured Nyamah, and Oelkuch returns for Kaschuba.
We start well, and after going close a few times, we’re in front on half an hour through Younga-Mouhani, and Rost scores 7 minutes later and it’s 2-0 at half time. Rost is enjoying his new role and gets his second just before the hour, before Sritong-In makes it 4-0 on 79 minutes. Kickers score a late consolation, but it’s a resounding win for us, which the board say is good.
We’re away to 5th-placed Zwickau next, who’s zCanadian midfielder Jason Bent will go on to play for Plymouth Argyle in the future. Holzer’s 3-match suspension has started, so Grell is between the sticks. Soares is also suspended but only for 1 match, so Duncan is in. Keller cancels out a Sritong-In strike to leave it level at the break.
The hour arrives, and I replace Gomes with Müller, who is injured immediately, so I have to make another substitution straight away and bring on Wuttke. It’s looking like our first draw of the season until Oelkuch arrives with a late winner. Grell, our stand-in keeper was man of the match, and the board say good result. Müller is ruled out for a month with a fractured arm.
Time for the first Leipzig derby of the season now, as we welcome VfB to the Red Bull Arena. Soares is back for Duncan, and Nyamah for Gomes. It’s a goalless first half, which the visitors have had the better of.
Leipzig were threatening near the end of the first half, so it’s no surprise when they take the lead on 48 minutes. Rost levels the scores with his 4th goal of the season, and for the second match running, Oelkuch turns what was looking like a draw into a win in the last minute, I don’t mind if he keeps doing that!
It’s the next round of the cup, and we face Bochum, who are 8th in the 1.Bundesliga. There’s a Leverkusen theme going on here, as Bochum’s manager is Klaus Toppmöller, who’ll take Leverkusen to the champions league final in 2002, and they also have a player from that side, in Yildiray Bastürk.
Younga-Mouhani is cup-tied, so Petkovic makes his debut. We trail at half time after a Dariusz Wosz strike on quarter of an hour. Nyamah suffered an injury right on the whistle, so Gomes is on for the second half. Wosz makes it 2-0 just inside the hour, and there’s no way back for us, we were simply outplayed by a better side.
With the cup out of the way, we can focus on extending our good league form, with table-topping Jena next to visit. Younga-Mouhani is back in for Petkovic, and Holzer returns in goal. Sritong-In and Younga-Mouhani give us a 2-0 lead in the space of 3 minutes, which angers Jena, and they fight back and get a goal on 26 to make it 2-1 at half time. The second half sees little action, and we condemn Jena to their second defeat.
The board are very pleased with my performance, and the league position (6th), and with Oktoberfest slowly drawing to a close, I’ll pour myself a beer and drink to that!
Our next destination is Düsseldorf, who are 7th. Younga-Mouhani can’t play as he is on loan from them, so Petkovic comes in. Dogan is injured, so Kläsener is at right back, and Duncan in the anchor role. We’re ahead in the first minute as Sritong-In gets his 3rd league goal in 4 games. Düsseldorf equalise on 28 minutes, but Petkovic puts us back in front and we lead at the interval.
Düsseldorf start the second half well and level the scores after just 4 minutes. One thing I’ve learned about this team in my short time in charge is that they’re a spirited bunch and never give up, and just as I’m preparing for a draw, Petkovic gives us our 3rd last-minute win of the season, and earns himself man of the match in the process.
Lowly Unterhaching, who sit 3rd from bottom are next. After Petkovic’s display last match, I have a dilemma, and decide to play him out wide and drop Leónidas. Dogan is back in for Duncan. We’re all over them from the off, but it’s one of Unterhaching’s players who gives us the lead. Younga-Mouhani makes it 2 shortly after.
The visitors suffer another own goal not long before the hour, and Rost finishes the job on 66. The board say a good result, and it’s our first clean sheet in 10 games!
We finish this week with a trip to 14th-placed Meppen. I name an unchanged side, but Petkovic is injured in the first minute, so Nyamah switches flanks and Gomes comes on on the right. We lead after Rost gets his 5th goal in 7 league matches. Meppen equalise right before half time, but by now we should be out of sight.
We keep trying in the second half, and although we come close a few times, it’s the hosts who deliver the killer blow on 70 minutes, and to top a woeful day, Glaubitz gets sent off right at the end. It’s frustrating but you can’t win them all. Petkovic is out for a couple of weeks with a bruised thigh.
It’s disappointing to end this week with a defeat, but the run of 7 straight wins has propelled us up the table to 4th, and just 3 points off top spot. We’re the top scorers, but also one of the worst for goals conceded. That said, we had conceded 14 at the end of part 1, so we’ve only conceded 8 but scored 18 since changing formations. An interesting stat is that we’re the only team in the league yet to draw a game.
So that’s your lot for another week. Join us next week as we take on Frankfurt, who’ll be looking to avenge that cup defeat, and also Fortuna Köln and Wattenscheid, which will to take us up to the half way point. Tschüss!