Since joining as manager from Austrian side LASK near the end of the 2021/22 season, Andreas Wieland is now in his second full season in charge of Belgian side Beerschot. Last season, he guided the Antwerp-based side to 3rd place, just missing out on promotion back to the Belgian Pro League. This season, however, the 40-year-old Austrian is looking to go one better, with his Beerschot side going into this international break second in the table, level on points with leaders Zulte-Waregem.
With the top two in the second tier of Belgian football now in line for automatic promotion to the top flight, this looks like the season that Wieland can lead the club back to the Pro League for the first time since being relegated at the end of the 2021/22 season, the season when he was appointed in April of 2022. This tactical analysis and scout report will take a more in-depth look at the tactics of the Austrian manager, looking at what he has done to get Beerschot into the position they currently find themselves in.
Possession-oriented attack with quick ball circulation
When watching how Beerschot have looked to attack this season under Andreas Wieland, a clear picture begins to emerge when it comes to how the Austrian wants his side to attack. Beerschot have typically played some version of a back three this season, with the starting shape being either a 3-4-2-1 or a 3-4-3. Most back-three systems are not known to be possession-based, with most coaches utilising this shape, focusing more on counterattacking principles. Wieland is no different; his side also excels in counterattacking moments; the Austrian looks to play a more possession-oriented brand of football.
Looking at the statistics, Beerschot have the highest average ball possession in the Challenger Pro League this season, sitting at 58.4%. They also hold the second-highest total passes this season, as well as the highest passing rate in the division at 14.9, a statistic that looks at the number of passes per minute of possession.
The data viz graphic above shows the pass map of Beerschot this season, which also helps to lend their tendencies in possession under Wieland. As we can see, most of Beerschot’s ball progression, when they get into the opponent’s half, is in the wide channels and half spaces, with the ball not often being played into central areas once they reach the final third.
This leads us to another possession-based attacking principle that Wieland tends to utilise: off-the-ball movements and the use of width in attack to stretch opposition defences.
