Hans Somers’ Playbook 2023/24: An improved attack and KMSK Deinze’s quest to reach the top-flight – tactical analysis

KMSK Deinze are just two years shy of reaching their 100th year of existence, but so far, there is no available record of the team playing in the Jupiler Pro League, Belgiums top flight.

As per Transfermarkt, Deinze spent most of the 1990s and 2000s in the second tier before being relegated in 2009. They returned to the Challenger Pro League in 2015 but were relegated once again that season, with the next four seasons spent in the third tier again. After achieving promotion in 2020, they finished fifth, fourth and eighth across the next three campaigns.

However, the ongoing season has seen them take a leap. Deinze currently sit second in the Challenger Pro League with 46 points from 25 matches, just one behind leaders K. Beerschot V.A. With three matches to go, they could very well end up in the Jupiler Pro League next season for the first time in their recorded history.

The man guiding their charge is former footballer Hans Somers, who has led them to eight wins in his 13 league matches in charge, taking them up from fourth to second. He has done so by improving their attack, with 24 goals scored, while keeping their defence at a decent level as well. The decision to bring in Somers was surprising to some, given that former manager Marc Grosjean, who had been in charge since October 2022, had led them to 20 points in their opening 12 games. However, the upturn in form suggests it was the right call.

This tactical analysis report will dive into how Somers has improved Deinze, his tactics, and an analysis of their best performers under him.

Background

Somers notably enjoyed a two-decade-long professional career before transitioning into management. He began his career with Lierse SK, moving from their academy to the first team in 1996. Five years, 120 appearances, a Belgian Cup and a top-flight title later, the former midfielder moved to Trabzonspor, where he netted 11 goals in 84 appearances and won two Turkish cups before joining FC Utrecht in the Netherlands in 2004.

It was here that he spent the bulk of his career, making 133 appearances in six years and winning the Dutch Super Cup before departing in 2010. Somers spent a year without a club before joining KSV Schriek in his home nation of Belgium, where he stayed for four years before joining Tielt-W. 3000 in 2015. He announced his retirement after the 2015/16 season.

In 2017, the Belgian joined Sport. Hasselt as their manager but departed six months later to take on the same role with KRC Genks U18 side. Two years on, Somers was appointed as the manager of Genks U21 side and held that role from 2020 to 2023 before becoming assistant manager to Marc Brys at OH Leuven. However, both were released from their roles after just nine matches.

In November last year, just a month after Somers was let go of by Leuven, Deinze appointed him as their manager.

Deinzes improvement since Somers arrival: what do the stats say?

At the surface level, Deinze have marginally improved since changing their manager. Over the 13 league matches of Somers reign, they have collected 26 points, averaging 2.00 per game, compared to 1.83 in their first 12 games (20 points). They are scoring marginally more goals per game and are conceding at the same rate, which has evidently assisted in their excellent form. The fact that it has lasted for over a dozen games suggests it isnt a flash in the pan.

However, the three stat-packs below, which compare their per-game stats from their matches under Somers with their season average, show that Deinzes form does not come without a few concerns.

Lets start with their attack. While the goals per game tally has improved, their expected goals (xG) figure has dropped. They are averaging fewer shots per game with marginally more accuracy, partly due to a reduced volume of attempts from outside the box (notably with much more accuracy). However, their penalty area entries and touches have dropped, while their potency from both corners and counterattacks has also fallen. Their improvement in converting positional attacks to shots is also fairly minimal.

Next up are the changes in their passing and creativity. Their possession per game has marginally dropped, resulting in fewer forward and lateral passes. More concerningly, their forward passing accuracy has also dropped, as have their passes into the final third and progressive passes, as well as the accuracy of both. Deinze has improved from crosses, but the rest of their statistics below suggest that they may be overperforming expectations and could return to the norm soon.

Lastly, their defensive numbers under Somers have