Which Strikers Should 1. FC Köln Recruit In January? – Shon Weissman, Koki Ogawa, Rayan Philippe, Mikkel Kaufmann, Aune Heggebø Scout Report

FC Köln are what’s called a Fahrstulmannschaft in Germany. 

Fahrstuhlmannschaft, translated into English, means elevator team, describing a team that constantly alternates between the Bundesliga and the second division, the 2. Bundesliga.

With seven relegations, Köln have the third most relegations in Bundesliga history, but their six promotions are also the third-best in German football. 

Last season, it was time once again. 

After five consecutive seasons in the German top flight, Köln scored only 27 points and five wins out of 34 games, getting relegated. 

Furthermore, UEFA handed the club a transfer ban for an irregular transfer of a minor, so they could not sign or register players to their squad until December 31st, 2024.

With key departures, like Jeff Chabot, who left for UEFA Champions League football at VfB Stuttgart, the club signed former Red Bull Salzburg manager Gerhard Struber to their project. 

The 47-year-old Austrian was fired from his coaching gig at Red Bull last season. 

He started his coaching career as a youth coach and took on a new challenge to bring his brand of football to Germany.

While the start of the season looks rather disappointing for a team like Köln, Struber’s men are playing very well. 

Köln are currently allowing the fewest shots and the second-lowest amount of xG against in the league. 

They are also playing the most passes in the league and have created by far the most shots and expected goals in the league so far this season, all of that with the youngest team in 2. Bundesliga.

But Köln are underperforming compared to their statistics, conceding 20 goals out of 14.28 xGA and scoring only 25 goals out of their 220 shots and 25.4 xG. 

While the team is playing well, Köln lacks two things: A bit of luck against the ball and a player consistently converting the chances they are creating.

With Christmas coming soon and the transfer ban being lifted in January, we will take a look at players who could and should be on Gerhard Struber’s wishlist to improve his team’s efficiency for the coming months in this recruitment analysis.

Gerhard Struber Style Of Play & Developing A Profile

To evaluate potential new signings, we first have to establish what Köln have done well so far under Struber, what playing style they are using, and what a potential new striker needs to do for the team. 

Struber started the season with a 4-4-2 diamond formation, but after defensive struggles, he changed his ways and had his team line up in a 3-4-1-2 formation in the last three games. 

Since making the change, the team has not conceded a single goal. 

Things stayed the same up front, with Struber preferring a two-man partnership in his attack. 

This is not just the typical Red Bull way. 

Struber’s teams also need to be present in the attacking centre of the pitch to create quick vertical options in the passing game and to be present in the box for crosses. 

While Red Bull coaches usually don’t value possession, Köln are currently still in fifth place in possession per game because the team is simply the favourite against most smaller teams in the league as a freshly relegated side.

Köln have created 220 shots so far this season, which is by far the most in the 2. Bundesliga. 

Let’s take a look at how they are creating these types of shots.

FC Köln Shot Assists Map

In the graphic, we can see all the shot assists of Köln in the 2. Bundesliga season so far. 

As per the graph, the team has many shot assists, which was expected. 

However, we can also see that they create their shots from a variety of positions, with goals coming from different settings like corners, long passes, and crosses.