At least at times, VfL Bochum showed great courage against the high favourites RB Leipzig. The bottom line, however, is a fourth away defeat and the question: Who is supposed to score a goal for Bochum?
High pressing against an opponent who has several very nimble players as well as a fast switching game, that was a very courageous approach by Thomas Reis. At the beginning, the promoted team in Leipzig lacked a bit of orientation, then VfL was really well into the game with this match plan, but once again gave themselves a leg up.
Almost pleasantly, after the 3-0 defeat at the Champions League participants, goalkeeper Manuel Riemann was severely scolded and, in his usual open and honest manner, addressed the shortcomings not only in the VfL back line.
The fourth away defeat for VfL was also a testament to this: The Bochum side can keep up to some extent, but coach Thomas Reis is not the only one to complain that they are sometimes too careless in tackles, “often lacking the speed of action”, which is surely also a question of quality.
Leipzig double strike ends hopes of a point win
After the lapse at the Leipzig corner kick, the second goal followed within less than 200 seconds, “and there too we made it far too easy for the opponent,” complained Reis. It was clear that the first away point would not be forthcoming. Once again, the team was extremely harmless and did not develop much forward momentum.
Three times in a row and for a total of 301 minutes, the VfL has now gone without scoring a goal of its own, which is currently the longest span of any Bundesliga team. The last goal was scored on the fourth matchday by Simon Zoller, who, as we know, will be missing for months with a torn cruciate ligament.
Also Asano fails to make an impact right up front
In Leipzig, Thomas Reis had nominated Japan’s Takuma Asano as a central front man for the first time, highly understandable because striker Sebastian Polter had made little impact so far, apart from scoring on his Bochum debut against Mainz. Asano was supposed to be a bustling, agile guy who put the Leipzig defenders to the sword, but that didn’t even begin to work because the Japanese player was rarely sought out and even more rarely found and had practically no effect.
On top of that, Bochum were, as usual, extremely harmless when it came to standards. And: Both wingers, Gerrit Holtmann and Christopher Antwi-Adjei, showed some effort and won some duels on the wing, but they rarely managed to finish. Sebastian Polter was also a bit of a failure this time, but he did get a chance in the final phase and actually made three promising appearances in front of Leipzig’s goal, but missed rather miserably.
Too easy goals conceded, hardly ever dangerous in the opponent’s penalty area – that is an explosive mixture for the promoted team. There are 14 days left to refocus and then tackle the all-important game at fellow promoted side Greuther Fürth.
The next opponents are on a par with us
So far, Bochum have played away at the three Champions League starters Wolfsburg, Bayern Munich and Leipzig, as well as at the resurgent 1. FC Köln. Now, says Reis, “we meet an opponent on a par with us, which will certainly also be a game of nerves. In any case,” Reis said on Saturday, “I’m really looking forward to this game from tomorrow.”
Until then, the coach announced, they will be practising goal kicks intensively. To finally create something like danger in front of the opponent’s goal again.
