TSG Hoffenheim was very successful the last seasons with the youngest head coach in the Bundesliga, Julian Nagelsmann.
Before Nagelsmann will take over RB Leipzig in 2019/2020, he will remain head coach of 1899 one further season. Hoffenheim will attempt to surpass last year’s performance on international soil, which ended in a disaster in the Europa League. This season Hoffenheim will even compete in the Champions League. But how do they line up after losing key players as Uth and Gnabry?
Build-up play with a back-three
Hoffenheim builds up play with a back-three and tries to break lines with diagonal passes. Only the wing-backs provide full width to enable switching from side to side and thereby the creation of gaps. A single pivot in front of the back-three provides a short passing option whereas the other central midfielders position themselves further away from the ball. The deep positioning gives the centre-backs more space and more time in the build-up.
Taking a closer at the occupied zones in Hoffenheim’s possession phases, the intention of Nagelsmann becomes clear. Several attackers are positioned between the midfield and defensive lines of the opposition. 1899 search for a way to get the ball between these lines in order to receive and turn in this dangerous zone or to drag out defenders and exploit the space in behind.
Variety in the attacking phase
Julian Nagelsmann is already known for his 3-1-4-2. Whereas the Hoffenheim coach adjusted his formation in his first Bundesliga matches a lot of times, he now sticks to his system. He always deploys a system with a back-three, two wide players and mostly with one holding defensive midfielder, two offensive midfielders and two strikers. Sometimes he switches to a double pivot in defensive midfield and to one striker up front.
