Team Focus: Defensive Improvements Have Maturing Hoffenheim Flying High

At first glance it may seem as though not much has changed in football over the past 14 years. In 2000 Bayern Munich were the reigning Bundesliga champions while Real Madrid were the conquerors of Europe. For some, however, the changes in fortunes have been drastic. In a small village in Baden-Wurttemberg, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim were playing in the fifth division of German football at the turn of the century. 

Their advancement since that period has been something of a fairytale, although their success has been considered hollow by Bundesliga traditionalists. They’ve even been labelled as ‘plastics’, as the roots to their success was manifested in the financial backing of former youth player turned software billionaire; Dietmar Hopp.

Regardless of the politics, Hoffenheim will be hoping to secure European qualification this season for the first time in their history, having yet to match the dizzying heights of their debut season in the Bundesliga in 2008/09 - when they finished impressively in 7th. Despite narrowly avoiding relegation after surviving the playoffs in 2012/13, Hoffenheim are now considered part of the league’s furniture and the fruition of last season’s progression has given Markus Gisdol & his team more than enough reason to be optimistic. 

Even the cynics will have to reluctantly admit that Hoffenheim provide entertaining football that enchanted and gripped the masses. Only titans Bayern & Dortmund managed to find the back of the net more often than them (72) last season, but their fast, attacking brand of football came at a price, with the team shipping a total of 70 goals in the same campaign. No team have conceded as many without facing the drop since SV Waldhof Mannheim in 1986/87.

In theory, the key to a successful follow-up season was apparent: add some solidarity to the back & continue to play expansive, free-flowing football up top. With the substantial additions of former Freiburg captain & commanding goalkeeper Oliver Baumann, Bosnian international centre-back Ermin Bičakčić - more commonly known to fans as “Iron Ermin” - and experienced defensive midfielder Pirmin Schwegler, Hoffenheim find themselves 2nd in the league. Conceding a mere 6 goals, a considerable drop from the 19 shipped in the corresponding fixtures last season, only Gladbach & Bayern boast better defensive records. 

Gisdol may have been astounded if you’d told him fans would be chanting about winning the league (all be it sarcastically), sitting second and still unbeaten after game week 7. But he will undeniably argue that he laid the foundations since taking charge, with the team starting to play to his game plan as well as key players starting to ‘come of age’. This season’s ever-present 19-year-old, 6’4” defender Niklas Süle worked tirelessly to shed 5kg of weight during the summer break, encapsulating Gisdol’s players’ increasing desire to succeed. 

Undoubtedly the star of the show is their Brazilian playmaker Roberto Firmino, who has been Hoffenheim’s highest rated player for each of the last 3 seasons prior to this one. His panache and flamboyance goes hand-in-hand with Hoffenheim’s quick interchanging play in the final third. Despite missing out on Scolari’s World cup squad, Firmino would be more than just a competent addition to any top club. Only Marco Reus (29) directly contributed towards more goals than Firmino last season (27). In addition no player created more clear-cut chances (18) or executed more through balls (16) than the 22-year-old superstar in the making. It’s worth noting that a number of clubs were linked with Firmino in the summer and retaining him will no doubt prove crucial to any success they wish to achieve this season.

They also managed to ward off interest for their rapidly developing forward Kevin Volland, who was supposedly enticing league giants Borussia Dortmund, amongst others. Volland played most of last season out on the right wing, cutting onto his left foot with devastating effect. It may be only a matter of time before the youngster returns to his natural position up front, but Volland played a crucial role on the wing, scoring 11 goals as well as assisting 4. With the purchases of former Schalke striker Ádám Szalai, attacking midfielder Steven Zuber & the rejuvenation of Tarik Elyounoussi, 1899 Hoffenheim are not short of attacking options. 

Sebastian Rudy, who is currently Hoffenheim’s highest rated player on WhoScored.com (7.71), has willingly played a number of games at right-back after Jogi Löw selected him to play there for Germany due to their shortage of full-backs. Gisdol flirted with the concept shortly after and certainly seems convinced of it now. Only two players have made more tackles than Rudy in the Bundesliga this season (30), proving that his positional change may yet be an astute decision.

With the topsy-turvy start to the season for Schalke and the overshadowing distraction of Europa League football for Wolfsburg & Gladbach, a top-6 finish may astonishingly be feasible for Markus Gisdol’s men. Maybe the only dubious negative to point out is Hoffenheim’s celebratory song played every time they score a goal, brought back after it consensually was said to have brought them good luck in their title winning season in 2008 (entitled “Sieben Tage lang: bots” - feel free to check it out). Regardless of superstition, the league’s entertainers will be hoping to invoke some more magic of their own on the pitch and make a real surge for European football.

Do you think Hoffenheim can challenge for European football this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below