Line Up/Pre-Match Notes: 4-2-3-1. We have Merle Frohms in the goal. For defenders Lynn Wilms, Kathy Hendrich, Dominque Janssen, and Felicitas Rauch. For the midfield and attack, Lena Oberdorf, Lena Lattwein, Jule Brand, Sveindís Jónsdóttir, Alex Popp and Ewa Pajor.

Good line up. It’s great to see Brand and Jónsdóttir starting. With Jónsdóttir starting on the wing, this means Pajor will be able to move back into that striker position. In the DFB Pokal match against Turbine Potsdam, Pajor was playing as a winger, and it wasn’t working out like Tommy Stroot hoped it would. She was having a hard time getting her crosses and services off, and kept getting shut down by Turbine. Now, with Pajor playing as a striker, she’ll be able to make those runs into the box, and hopefully find the back of the net

At the same time, I’m hoping to see good services from Brand and Jónsdóttir. Both of them have great pace on the wings as well. Then there’s Svenja Huth available off the bench. Most likely we’ll see her in the second half depending on how things go in the first.

At this point, I don’t really have an issue with how Wolfsburg was playing in their last club friendly against PSV Eindhoven, and in their Pokal match against Turbine Potsdam, especially since it’s the start of the season. There is good movement, control, and possession in the midfield, as well as a good connection between the team as a whole. However, something Wolfsburg needs to work on is the connection in and around the box. At the same time, Wolfsburg needs to be quicker with their touches and services.

As for Wolfsburg’s backline and defense, they’re doing well for what’s been thrown at them. However, I’m starting to see problems that are reminiscent of Wolfsburg’s defending last season. The backline is playing a high line, there are long passes and through balls behind the backline, and they are slow to clear when the ball is in the Wolfsburg box. The defending isn’t that big of an issue at the moment, mainly because Wolfsburg has been doing a great job of keeping possession and controlling the midfield. But looking ahead at teams like Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern Munich, and Hoffenheim, we could see problems in the Wolfsburg backline. It’s important that Wolfsburg can correct those issues in the backline and defense in order to be better prepared against more challenging teams.

When it comes to this match against Bayer Leverkusen, I believe Wolfsburg should be able to come away with a win. I can see Wolfsburg maintaining control and possession, along with maintaining a strong attacking line, where they will keep Bayer Leverkusen under a lot of pressure. If Wolfsburg can up their pace, get their services off quicker and connect in the box, we could see a high scoring game in favor of the She-Wolves.

First Half Notes:

Wolfsburg 2-0.

This was a really good first-half performance from Wolfsburg. There are a lot of good things I’m noticing in this match. Great goals from Oberdorf and Lattwein. There’s great connection between the midfield, attack, and attacking players. Lattwein has been doing well to control things in the midfield, even while Oberdorf seems to be pressing higher in the attack. Admittedly, I didn’t pay much attention to Lattwein last season, but watching her now, she’s playing really well. Her header was beautiful and well-executed.

When it comes to Jónsdóttir and Brand, I’m noticing some good touches and combinations between those two. They do need to clean it up a little more, work on their communication, but overall Jónsdóttir and Brand seem to have great chemistry on the field together. Pajor so far in this match has been pretty quiet, but she is getting in the box, and every now and then she’s working that left wing, getting off a cross or service. The backline and defense look all right in this match for what’s being thrown at them so far, but they need to be quicker with their clearances and watch out for those through balls and passes.

Overall, Wolfsburg looks good. There is a great connection in the attack, great chemistry between the attacking and midfield players, and good control and possession in the midfield. Obviously, there are things Wolfsburg needs to clean and touch up on, but this is good for Wolfsburg’s season opener so far.

Second Half/Closing Notes:

Wolfsburg wins 3-0

This was a great win and performance from Wolfsburg, and there’s a lot that can be said about this match. Starting off with the backline and defense, there are moments, usually towards the final fifteen or ten minutes, when the backline gets too comfortable. I noticed this last season during Wolfsburg’s regular season run and in the Champions League group stages. The backline needs to be better aware when the opposing team is putting them under pressure. They need to be aware of who’s around them and where the ball is.

At the same time, Wolfsburg as a whole needs to do better when it comes to closing out games. Leverkusen had more possession in this second half, and while there were moments where Leverkusen was threatening and dangerous to Wolfsburg, the backline was still able to manage it pretty well. However, Wolfsburg needs to be quicker when it comes to getting the ball out of their box and defensive third.

As for Wolfsburg’s midfield and attack, it’s coming together nicely, but it’s going to take time for the team to get adjusted. Lattwein was good in this match, but Hagel, as a holding midfielder, needs better awareness and, at the same time, needs more support. I like the touches and combination plays between Brand and Jónsdóttir. As the season goes on, I believe their chemistry will only improve. As for Endemann and Kalma, they’re both very promising young players. I like their confidence and movement on the field, especially when it comes to Endemann. I would like to see both of them get on the ball more and make more runs. As for the rest of the Wolfsburg midfield and attack, there’s good connection between the midfield, attack, and attacking players, but they still need to work on their chemistry and communication. As the season progresses, those areas will definitely improve.

Overall, Wolfsburg’s victory marks a positive start to the team’s Frauen Bundesliga campaign. The collective performance of the team is commendable, and it is anticipated that they will further enhance their skills and progress as the season unfolds.