The God of Football starts with passive skills

Chapter 8 Klopp in a desperate situation
The Mainz U19 match is at 10:00 AM.

At 5:00 PM that afternoon, Mainz's first team played their 26th round match in the 2. Bundesliga.

Head coach Jürgen Klopp led the team to challenge Aue away from home.

After drawing with Hoffenheim at home in the last round, Mainz has now drawn two consecutive matches.

In the past 9 rounds, Mainz's record is 2 wins, 5 draws and 2 losses.

Everyone is well aware that if Mainz cannot reverse the downward trend as soon as possible, their promising promotion prospects will be ruined.

Playing away against relegation-threatened Aue is a must-win game!

If they can't even beat a relegation-threatened team like Aue, how can Mainz even talk about promotion?
Klopp also carefully prepared a series of tactics.

He still wants to win the opening game.

Just four minutes later, midfielder Daniel Gunkel made a late run and opened the scoring for Mainz.

This made Klopp appear particularly excited on the sidelines.

The young German coach, with a full beard, not only cheered loudly but even started boxing on the sidelines.

But unexpectedly, he threw the punch too early.

Just four minutes later, Aue scored from a corner kick, breaching Mainz's goal.

1 is better than 1!

The score was tied.

In the 16th minute, Aue capitalized on Mainz's eagerness to attack and launched a counter-attack.

Forward Adam Nemec received a pass from teammate Curry and successfully put Aue ahead.

Mainz is starting to get anxious.

On the contrary, Aue, after taking the lead, adopted a defensive counter-attacking tactic.

The anxious Mainz players almost clashed with the opposing team, with Gunkel and left-back Marco Rose receiving consecutive yellow cards.

Even so, Mainz still failed to change the situation.

In the second half, in the 52nd minute, midfielder Calhanoglu made a run from behind and capitalized on a passing error by the opposing center-back to equalize for Mainz.

Mainz has once again rekindled its hopes.

But in the 69th minute, Aue's right winger Fabian Müller once again broke through Mainz's goal.

3 is better than 2!

Aue has taken the lead again.

Klopp made two substitutions in quick succession, further intensifying the attack.

In the 75th minute, center forward Borja assisted Calhan to score again, completing his brace and leveling the score once more.

However, neither side managed to score again.

Mainz ultimately drew 3-3 with Aue away from home.

……

When the final whistle blew, Klopp was completely stunned on the sidelines.

Given the team's current situation, he really couldn't come up with a better solution.

There's nothing I can do!
The key to this match was in the first half.

Mainz needs to intensify its attack if it wants to defeat its opponent.

But everyone in the German second division knows that Mainz is in trouble.

The majority of the goals scored this season were concentrated in the first half of the league.

At that time, the team operated very smoothly and launched wave after wave of attacks.

The attacking trio at the time consisted of Ecuadorian striker Borja, on loan from Olympiacos, Marcus Feulner, and Chadli Amri, who formed the front three.

The midfield also features Daniel Gunkel and Miroslav Karhan, both adept at making runs from deep.

This allowed Mainz to perform exceptionally well in the first half of the season, becoming not only the best defensive team in the 2. Bundesliga but also the most potent offensive force, sweeping all before them.

But the good times don't last long.

Starting in October, first Feulner was injured, then Gunkel.

But the biggest problem is still Chadli Amri.

This Algerian international, who was the most active player in the first half of the season, has been plagued by injuries since the start of the winter training camp.

Although none of them were serious injuries, their playing time was intermittent and their form was very unstable.

With the offensive engine shut down, the team's midfield and forward operations immediately came to a standstill.

It was around that time that Klopp received a call from Bayern Munich's general manager, Uli Hoeneß.

Klopp did not hide any of this.

He was very good friends with the club's general manager, Christian Heidel, so he spoke frankly and openly.

Heidel supports his move to Bayern Munich after the season ends!

Therefore, this did not cause Mainz any trouble.

On the contrary, many players are putting in even more effort, hoping that Klopp will take them with him when he goes to Bayern.

Unexpectedly, Bayern Munich chose Klinsmann.

Beset by internal and external difficulties, Mainz's performance was greatly affected.

Borja, Feulner, and Gunkel are Mainz's top three scorers this season, with almost all of their goals coming in the first half of the season.

After the winter break, these scorers all went cold.

This shows Mainz's current predicament!
If it's just the frontcourt, it's actually not too bad.

In the goalkeeper position, first-choice goalkeeper Timo Wach only played the first two rounds of the season before being sidelined until March due to shoulder surgery.

The injury to this veteran, who has been guarding the team's goal since 95, has had a significant impact on the team.

Fortunately, substitute goalkeeper Christian Witklo performed well after taking over.

But at the end of October, Vitklo also got injured.

Moreover, the injury was exactly the same as Timo Wach's—a shoulder injury.

With both goalkeepers injured, Klopp had to use third-choice goalkeeper Daniel Ischdonat.

Finally, in March, Timo Wach returned from injury.

As a result, not long ago, this starting goalkeeper was injured again, suffering a meniscus tear, which will end his season.

Klopp is truly at a loss regarding the current situation of the team.

He has ways to beat his opponents on the court, but he can't beat his injuries.

Just like this match against Aue.

In a situation like the first half, if it were the first half of the season, Klopp believes that the team would not only be able to suppress Aue and keep scoring, but also that the defense would not have any problems.

The central defensive pairing of Noveski and Subotic is the most consistent central defensive combination in the 2. Bundesliga this season.

With Rose on the left and Hoglund on the right, this is the best defensive line in the 2. Bundesliga.

This is also the key to Mainz maintaining their promotion hopes despite numerous setbacks this season.

But now the game has turned out like this. Klopp is truly at his wit's end!

……

"Judging from the course of this game, midfielders Calhanoglu and Gunkel can no longer keep pushing forward like this. Pekovic is left to hold the back alone, and the defense can't withstand it."

Assistant coach Zelik Buvac remained calm and continued his analysis.

He is Klopp's top strategist.

Klopp was still frowning. "You've seen it too, Borja and Feulner can't score now, and they can barely score when they make runs from midfield."

"If they don't press forward, won't we just become like a turtle shell?"

Buvac certainly knew that "the most critical problem now is that our attacking trident is not putting enough pressure on the opponent's midfield and defense, and is unable to effectively suppress the opponent, which is why the midfielders need to frequently push forward."

Borja was on loan from Olympiacos, Greece, to Mainz.

Their outstanding performance in the first half of the season has led to difficulties in the buyout negotiations between Mainz and Olympiacos.

Moreover, Borja has been in a goal drought recently.

Ultimately, he's not yet a Mainz player.

Feulner is a technical player with good speed, excellent footwork, and passing ability, but he mainly plays on the left wing.

Chadli Amri did not play on the right wing; Sirdan Baljak started today.

This Serbian striker's running was even less than Feulner's.

"Cologne beat Offenbach 3-1 away this round, and we have now dropped to 4th and out of the promotion zone."

The current rules for the 4. Bundesliga are that the top three teams are directly promoted, and the bottom four teams are relegated.

However, starting from the 08/09 season, the third-placed team in the league would have to play a promotion playoff against the 16th-placed team in the Bundesliga.

The third-to-last team will play a relegation playoff against the third-placed team in the 3rd division.

By then, it will be much more difficult to get promoted to the Bundesliga than it is now.

"We must take measures to change things as soon as possible and get back into the top three, otherwise the situation will become increasingly unfavorable for us."

Buvac looked at Klopp and solemnly reminded him.

"Don't forget how we were relegated from the Bundesliga last season."

Klopp certainly hadn't forgotten.

In fact, Mainz had already escaped the relegation zone in the second half of the 06/07 Bundesliga season.

At the time, Mainz thought they had held on and relaxed a little. Coupled with injuries and other factors, the team suffered a series of crushing defeats in the last few rounds.

Starting from the 26th round, Mainz lost to Werder Bremen, Bayer Leverkusen, Wolfsburg, Schalke 04, Hannover 96 and Stuttgart.

In the final round, they suffered a crushing 2-5 defeat to Bayern Munich.

Buvac used this example to remind Klopp that he must resolve the issue as soon as possible to create more room for maneuver.

Mainz is not a big team, and its margin for error is extremely low!

Klopp listened to his capable assistant's opinion.

But he was also in a dilemma.

To resolve Mainz's current predicament, they either need to make adjustments to their existing squad.

Alternatively, they could tap into the team's existing resources to recruit new talent.

That means it can only be the second team and the U19 team.

"Zeliko, let's find some time to go watch the second team's match."

……

Wang Shuo was unaware of the dire situation facing first-team head coach Klopp.

He's doing increasingly well with the Mainz U19 team.

A week later, the team faced Greuther Fürth in the 21st round of matches.

Greuther Fürth's head coach is former Bayern Munich player Frank Kramer.

Despite Greuther Fürth U19's less-than-stellar performance this season, they still showed great resilience on their home turf.

They launched a fierce attack on Mainz U19 from the start, and in the 5th minute, thanks to a late run by midfielder Martin Sotner, they broke through Mainz U19's goal.

Greuther Fürth then began their signature counter-attacking tactics.

Mainz U19 adopted a high-pressing strategy, with Wang Shuo leading the charge to pressure Greuther Fürth U19's midfield and defense, but the effect was not good.

Instead, in the 31st minute, Mainz intercepted the ball near the halfway line and launched a counter-attack.

Wang Shuo created space with his excellent positioning, received a pass from Schürrle on the right side of the penalty area, and fired a right-footed shot to equalize the score for his team.

1 is better than 1!

They failed to score again for the rest of the first half.

In the second half, Wang Shuo's physical advantage became apparent.

Keep applying pressure forward.

In the 50th minute, it was Wang Shuo's pressing in the attacking third that forced Greuther Fürth's center-back, Grabour, to make a passing error.

After intercepting the ball, Wang Shuo surged into the Greuther Fürth penalty area and scored a one-on-one goal, putting the team ahead.

2 is better than 1!

Frank Kramer made two substitutions in just five minutes, starting in the 55th minute.

A third substitution was made in the 70th minute.

They all wanted to intensify their offensive.

However, Mainz continued to perform strongly, and Wang Shuo's stamina remained excellent, constantly applying pressure in the midfield and forward areas.

This made Kramny reluctant to make substitutions, hoping to continue scoring goals.

As expected, Wang Shuo quickly repaid Kramny's trust.

In the 76th minute, it was Wang Shuo's brilliant interception in the attacking third that led to the ball being passed into the penalty area. Schürrle used his speed to force his way into the right side of the penalty area, controlled the ball, and then slotted it home.

3 is better than 1!

Just five minutes later, Wang Shuo's counter-pressing in the attacking third caused chaos again. Robin Medinitz won the ball in the ensuing scramble and fired another shot from the left side of the penalty area, scoring the winning goal.

4 is better than 1!

Only at this moment did Kramny finally make a series of substitutions, seemingly satisfied.

In the end, Mainz U19 came from behind to defeat Greuther Fürth U19 4-1 away from home!

After a winning streak, Kramny's team has risen to 7th place in the Southwest Division with 34 points.

They are only 4 points behind fourth-ranked Frankfurt U19.

In the next round, Mainz U19 will host Bayern Munich U19, led by German prodigy Thomas Müller.

This is also Mainz U19's most anticipated home game of the season.

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(End of this chapter)