Pre-Match Notes: The Frauen Bundesliga is back for the second half of the regular season. VfL Wolfsburg have met TSG Hoffenheim, Ajax, Sparta Praha, and Hannover 96 for preseason test games in preparation for the second half of the season where the She-Wolves hope to reclaim their number one spot in the standings, qualify for the Champions League next season, and of course, win the DFB Pokal. For now though, Wolfsburg will be focused on trying to secure a win against SGS Essen.

Wolfsburg kept themselves busy during the preseason break. The She-Wolves played four club friendlies, two of which resulted in 10-0 victories in favor of Wolfsburg. While the first half of the season was rough and, at times, heartbreaking, the team has shown a lot of promise and potential in their preseason test games. The question now is, will Wolfsburg be able to take what they learned in their test games and apply it to their upcoming matches?

When it came to Wolfsburg’s preseason games, there was great control and movement in the midfield, and good connection, support, and drive in the attack. Chemistry and cohesion also seemed to be improving. Additionally, Wolfsburg appears to be playing with a different playstyle, focusing on pressure, possession, and more support in the attack and in the box. This is a change from what Wolfsburg was doing in the first half of the season, where the team would mainly send long balls up to an attacking player and expect them to create something on their own. This often resulted in the opposing team regaining possession.

The challenge for Wolfsburg now is whether they’ll be able to execute their new game plan moving forward, and not settle back into their old ways of relying on one player to get their attack forward. The effort and drive must be consistent, and come from the whole team if Wolfsburg wants to be successful in the rest of their season.

Line Up Notes

Starting Eleven: We have Merle Frohms in the goal. For defenders Lynn Wilms, Dominique Janssen, Marina Hegering, and Nuria Rábano. In the midfield and attack: Lena Oberdorf, Lena Lattwein, Svenja Huth, Vivien Endemann, Alexandra Popp, and Ewa Pajor.

Overall, this is a good strong line up. There is plenty of strong goal scoring potential in the attack with Endemann, Popp, and Pajor. Additionally, this midfield and attack will be able to create plenty of chances for one another, provided that there is good support and drive in the attack. I can see Endemann, Huth, Lattwein, and Oberdorf getting forward and helping to create those chances as well. Attackwise, once Wolfsburg settles into the game, they should perform well.

I can also see Wolfsburg having the most possession and control in this match, however, they still need to watch out for Essen’s counterattacks and transitions, and be ready to go on the defensive. It’s important to note Wolfsburg is missing defenders due to injury, most notably Kathy Hendrich and Camilla Küver. Interestingly enough, Wolfsburg’s newest defender, Diana Nemeth, isn’t on the lineup for today’s match. It’s surprising, but as long as Wolfsburg can maintain possession and control, they should be all right defensively.

We could also see Hagel, Kalma, Jónsdóttir, Brand or Xhemaili come on in the second half, depending on how things go in the first half. These five have also performed well in Wolfsburg’s preseason games, and can be big game changers.

First Half Notes

VfL Wolfsburg 0-0.

Overall, this was a disappointing first half. It feels like the first half of the season. For as much control as Wolfsburg had in this half, there was nothing from it. Yes, the attack is getting forward, and the team is creating a lot of chances, but there’s not enough connection in the attack or in the box. That pressure we saw from Wolfsburg in their preseason games is virtually nonexistent in this match.

I feel like the team is being too cautious. They’re being careful not to give up control and possession, and they’re doing well in that area. However, there is a lack of assertiveness from the attack, a lack of risk-taking. If Wolfsburg wants to win this match, they have to be more aggressive with their attack. They have to up their pace and put more pressure on Essen. On top of that, Wolfsburg needs to connect better and connect where it counts.

Hopefully, going into the second half, Brand, Xhemaili, Kalma, or Jónsdóttir can help the attack when it comes to pacing and getting forward.

Second Half/Closing Notes

VfL Wolfsburg Wins 3-1.

Goal scorers for Wolfsburg: Endemann, Hegering, and Pajor

Overall, this was a good and thrilling match. The first half was a bit slow and lackluster, but things started to pick up in the second half, after Essen broke the deadlock and scored the first goal. I think that was an eye-opening moment for Wolfsburg. After Essen scored, Wolfsburg recognized the urgency to get a goal back and started to up their intensity and attack. It was good to see Wolfsburg taking more risks in the second half. It did leave them more open for Essen’s attack; it did allow Essen to get on the ball more, but Wolfsburg, in the end, managed to come away with the win.

The biggest takeaway from this match is Wolfsburg needs to take more risks in their upcoming games. As the saying goes, high risk, high reward. No risk, no reward. They still need to work on playing with more urgency and intensity. They need to be both cautious and also assertive with their attack. Wolfsburg did great responding to Essen’s goal, there’s no denying that, but I want to see Wolfsburg be more aggressive and intense with their attack, like they were during preseason. There needs to be better connection in the attack, along with more pressure and better finishing.

This was a challenging match for Wolfsburg, but I don’t think we got to see everything this team has to offer. We didn’t see the team’s full potential. If Wolfsburg wants to come out on top this season, they cannot be holding anything back.