Pre-Match Notes: The VfL Wolfsburg Frauen are facing league rivals, Bayern Munich after the International Break. Wolfsburg drew with TSG Hoffenheim in their last regular season match, while Bayern Munich came away with a win against RB Leipzig. Both teams are currently evenly matched in the Frauen Bundesliga Standings. A victory for Wolfsburg will push them further ahead in the league standings. However, a victory for Wolfsburg may be hard to come by.

This isn’t going to be an easy match for Wolfsburg. Bayern, being a big rival, has always posed a challenge to VfL Wolfsburg Frauen. A win against Bayern isn’t going to come easy, especially with how Wolfsburg has been playing recently. The backline and defense have consistently been a problem for Wolfsburg in regards to responding to opposing teams’ counterattacks and transitions, dealing with overhead balls and passes behind the backline, not being able to keep up with runners, and making mistakes in the box. We could see Merle Frohms starting in goal again for this match, but it still goes back to the defenders at the end of the day. They still have to defend Frohms, or Lisa Schmitz.

When it comes to the midfield, there has been good control and possession in the midfield, along with good connection between the midfielders and attacking players, but against Bayern, that control and possession are going to be essential in order for Wolfsburg to move the ball around, create attacking chances, and keep Bayern’s attack at bay.

When it comes to Wolfsburg’s attack, the area where they struggle the most is in the box. Wolfsburg has great attacking players. So far, Jule Brand, Vivien Endemann, and Svenja Huth have been great at coming up the wings and sending in crosses and services. However, players need to connect with those. Support and connection in the box is something Wolfsburg needs to work on.

At the same time, though, the team and Tommy Stroot can’t just rely on Alexandra Popp to find the back of the net and score. Popp may not be available for this match due to a muscular injury during the international break. If she is available, most likely Bayern is going to be keeping an eye on her and marking her heavily. This is where Wolfsburg’s other attacking players need to come in. As I mentioned in the match against Hoffenheim and in Wolfsburg’s prior games, we need to start seeing players like Fenna Kalma and Riola Xhemaili. Kalma and Xhemaili, both need more playtime in order for them to develop and get adjusted to Wolfsburg’s attack.

This match can go either way, but if Wolfsburg wants to come away with a win there needs to be a change in mentality and strategy.

Line Up Notes

Starting Eleven: We have Lisa Schmitz in the goal. For defenders Lynn Wilms, Kathy Hendrich, Felicitas Rauch, and Marina Hegering. In the midfield and attack: Lena Oberdorf, Lena Lattwein, Jule Brand, Svenja Huth, Alexandra Popp, and Ewa Pajor.

I was expecting to see Frohms back in the lineup, but she could still be getting readjusted to the team again. She has been training with the team, though, which is good. Hopefully, she’ll be back soon.

It’s a little surprising to see Popp. I thought she was still going to be out due to that muscular injury, but it may not have been as serious as I first thought. Popp and Pajor can score goals and have a great track record, but the challenge for them will be getting past Bayern’s backline and finding the back of the net. Easier said than done. I don’t think Bayern’s backline will be easy to break through. I think it would’ve been nice to see some rotation in the attack with players like Kalma and Xhemaili. Both Kalma and Xhemaili are available off the bench, so we could see them in the second half.

When it comes to Huth and Brand, both have been good with their crosses and services, but I think Endemann would’ve been good to start as well. Endemann and Brand both have similar play styles, and having both of them attack on the wings or coming up centrally would be beneficial for Wolfsburg’s attack.

As for Wolfsburg’s backline and defense, truthfully, against Bayern’s attack, this is going to be a very difficult ninety minutes. I don’t think Hegering is going to be able to keep up with Bayern’s attackers. The backline needs to be careful, but at the same time, they have to be quicker in responding to Bayern’s counterattacks and transitions, their passes behind the backline, and their services and crosses into the box. Bayern is going to try to keep possession and maintain their attack. The backline needs to make sure they can handle Bayern’s attack and shut it down quickly.

This is going to be a challenging match for Wolfsburg, but perhaps it’s one this team needs. 

First Half Notes

Bayern Munich 2-0.

It’s not a good first half. The Wolfsburg backline had some close calls in this half, but it hasn’t been good defensively overall. Bayern have been able to find their way through. Poor defending and awareness from Rauch led to Bayern’s second goal. Schmitz has been doing pretty well in goal. In this case, the scoreboard doesn’t tell the whole story. Schmitz was good coming off her line to prevent Bayern’s Lea Schüller from making a run into the Wolfsburg box, after she got behind a Wolfsburg defender. Schmitz also had some big and important saves in this half as well.

As for Wolfsburg’s midfield, they’re getting possession, but there’s not much control or movement in the midfield. There are also too many giveaways. At the same time, the midfield hasn’t been able to connect with the attack at all.

As for Wolfsburg’s attack, it’s virtually nonexistent. Brand, Huth, Popp, and Pajor haven’t been able to get forward like they want. At times, it would look like Wolfsburg is about to set up a play or launch a counterattack, but they would instantly get shut down, and Bayern would be back on the attack. On top of that, Wolfsburg has not made a single shot or attempt on goal. The fact that there’s nothing from Wolfsburg’s attack in this first half is concerning.

Bayern, in this first half, is clearly the better team. They’ve been consistently threatening and have been getting their attack forward.

When it comes to Wolfsburg, they can come back. We’ve seen Wolfsburg come back after going 2-0 down against Hoffenheim, but there need to be big changes regarding strategy and mentality going into the second half. Wolfsburg needs to get back in control of this game, and they need to get their attack forward if they want any chance of making a comeback.

Second Half/Closing Notes

Bayern Munich Win 2-1.

The second half was a somewhat better performance from Wolfsburg, but it still wasn’t good enough. Overall, this was an extremely poor and underwhelming performance from the She-Wolves. Lena Oberdorf was able to get a goal back for Wolfsburg from a distance. The attack was getting forward, and it was a little better in the sense that they were getting in crosses and services, but there wasn’t much connection in the box. At the same time, finishing hasn’t been good. Popp’s attempts from a cross and set pieces have been high. Fenna Kalma came on in the 85th minute for Oberdorf, but it wasn’t enough time for her to get adjusted and make a real difference in this game. There was more urgency in Wolfsburg’s attack for this second half, but overall, the attack was no real threat to Bayern.

When it comes to the Wolfsburg backline and defense, it’s not clean enough. Wedermeyer gave up a penalty kick after a handball in the Wolfsburg box. Luckily for Wolfsburg, Bayern failed to convert, hitting it off the crossbar. Wolfsburg cannot make mistakes like that in the box. On top of that, long balls and passes behind the backline have been something the Wolfsburg defenders have struggled with all season. The defending from the backline needs to be better organized and cleaner. On top of that, like I mentioned in the match against RB Leipzig, there needs to be better discipline from the defenders.

I want to say that this loss to Bayern could be a wake-up call for Wolfsburg, one that the team desperately needs. However, if getting knocked out of the Champions League this season isn’t a loud enough wake-up call to Tommy Stroot and the Wolfsburg team, I don’t know what is.