A Good Offence Starts with a Good Defence
With temperatures around freezing in Hannover, the Christmas Market, which started last weekend is certainly a welcome additional to the hoards of cold football fans making their way down to the stadium. The usual pre-match beer will have probably been replaced with a pre-match Glühwein. Hannover’s last out league game was an entertaining game but unfortunately Hannover were on the wrong side of a 7 goal thriller in Hoffenheim. Looking at some of the goals conceded over the last two games questions should start be asked of the defensive. Maybe this is why manager Tayfun Korkut has recalled the exiled Salif Sane from the U23’s. However there was no starting place but he now has to wait his turn from the bench, but at least he is back in contention. Will Sane be the answer to the defensive problems of late? I am not sure but only time will tell.
Last match in Hoffenheim, Lars Stindl seemed to find his match-fitness again and contributed 2 goals in the 4-3 defeat and while the visitors to the HDI arena were Wolfsburg, another Niedersachsen derby, are flying high this season and sitting in 2nd place there was a bit of confidence that Lars and the rest of the boys to get one over our local rivals. If we can eliminate the defensive mistakes seen against Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim, this game is there for the taking.
Close to kick off and once again, one thing is apparent. The stadium is not full again. Lars Stindl commented that “Those who don’t realise that the atmosphere without the Ultra’s is suffering, is not being honest with themselves” (original German interview with “Bild” here). While I have talked about the lack of Ultras, the atmosphere has been more subdued this season, with large sections of quiet and certain times it has been only the away fans making he noise. It is maybe the lack of the atmosphere of old that is keeping fans away… or maybe it is just the cold.
Shortly before kick off, the Wolfsburg fan unveiled a large flag, under which a number of fans started to light flares. In the cold air, smoke filled the south-west corner of the stadium and as the players were entering the field the smoke was slowly making its way over the pitch. This was greeted by a lot of jeering by the home fans. The smoke cleared just prior to kick off and for the second game in the row Hannover started fast and strong, there was singing and chanting by the North Stand, the coldness of the Hannover afternoon was soon forgotten and the cheering and chanted started. On 2 mins a great opportunity for Joselu to take an early lead but it goes out for a corner. Lars Stindl comes over to get the ball and as he throws the ball to the corner flag, he turns to the fans in the south stand and waves his arms to get the crowd going. Few quick corners in succession and the crowd were responding to Stindl, then, disaster. A high ball goes up and 3 Hannover players go for the same ball and only clear it as far as Ivan Perisic who played a great ball to Kevin De Bruyne and ran unmarked into the penalty box to calmly slot past Zieler. 1 nil to Wolfsburg and only 4 mins on the clock.
This early goal really blew the life of the home fans, it is times like this when we need the ultras, those fans that chant and sing constantly throughout the game. For the next 15 mins Hannover looked like the better team but just lacked that final ball. Joselu had another opportunity on 18 mins but with minimal pressure on him the ball went high and wide. A free kick from Kiyotake after Stindl was brought down on the edge of the area was saved at the second attempt after the ball was fumbled and nearly bundled in. Another free kick from Gulselam was straight down the throat of Diego Benaglio. Numerous corners from Hannover were really putting the pressure on the Wolfsburg defense but they were holding strong. In the final 5 minutes of the first half, the home fans starting chanting again, “Ole… Ole… sechsundneunzig Ole” was ringing out around the stadium, that early goal had silenced the home fans for a large period of the game but now they were starting to find their voice again. Then, on the stroke of Half Time, the equalising goal went in. A series of corners and one of the crosses found Jimmy Briand on the left who crossed to Joselu who headed the ball home from 2 yards. There was barely time to take the kick off again before the referees whistle blew for half time.
On the balance of play, Hannover seemed to dominate possession, shots on goal, corners and just about every stat I could think of, Hannover were on top. They talk about the psychological boost that a goal right on half time is for a team, but this time from the atmosphere point of view it had little effect on the game. Yes, immediately after the goal the place was hopping and normally the crowd is buzzing after a home goal in the stadium for the next 10 mins or so and the players feed off this extra energy, but this time, those next 10 mins were enjoyed with a Bratwurst in hand talking amongst friends and the players sitting in the changing room getting the half time team talk.
The second kicked off and the electric buzz had calmed down since the goal, but the fans were making their presence known and again Hannover started strongly, more corners, more chances, more pressure but no final result. By the time the 60th minute was showing on the clock the match started to turn quite stale and it turned into a passing match with no real opportunities for either side. Wolfsburg then made a match winning substitution, Ivica Olic was replaced by Bas Dost and nearly with his first touch on 69 mins he scored to put Wolfburg back in front. Once again a defensive mistake left him wide open and he was picked out perfectly by Ivan Perisic for his second assist of the day. Zieler was left, once again, with no chance of saving that one and he is picking the ball out of the net for the 9th time in just over 200 minutes of football. The home fans are once again quiet.
Over the next few minutes Hannover tied to fight their way back into the game, Marcelo lunged in and flattened a his opponent and was rightly given a yellow card, then 5 mins later, with 74 minutes on the clock, Marcelo once again lunged in recklessly. The referee runs over to give the free kick and the whole stadium held its breath expecting a second yellow card. If the referee had given Marcelo a second yellow there would be no complaints. Thankfully he kept his cards in his pocket and Hannover remain with 11 men on the pitch. A tactical switch of bringing off a defensive midfielder in Gulselam and replacing him with a striker in Artur Sobiech was now Tayfun Korkut’s idea to push for that equalising goal.
Hannover were going for it, at least they were trying to push forward, there was sporadic cheering, singing and chanting “Hannover….Hannover” from the North Stand and then the West and South would return the chant. Pushing forward, left holes at the back and then with 85 minutes gone, the final nail in the coffin. Hannover had a free kick, and pushed players forward, the goalkeeper collected the ball and some quick distribution from Benaglio put Wolfsburg on the counter attack, a 3 on 2 situation arose and Ivan Perisic for the third time today set up Wolfsburgs second substitute, Maximilian Arnold to finish past a helpless Zieler.
The home fans had no seen enough and there was a mass exodus from all stands heading towards the exits. The Wolfsburg fans noticing this, started their singing of “Auf Wiedersehen!”
Final whistle. It is amazing how quickly things can change, the pre-match build up before the last home game against Bayer Leverkusen was about “Can Hannover keep a club record 4th clean sheet in a row?” and since then they have conceded 10 goals. This is hardly Europa league form and with the Christmas break coming up soon and the opening of the transfer window, the management should be looking at strengthening some key areas in order to make that final push of a Europa league spot. It would be so good to have Europa League football back in Hannover next season.
The next game is another derby away game against Werder Bremen and the next visitors to HDI arena are Augsberg on Tuesday 16th December at 20:00. English week is back. Augsberg currently sit 3rd in the table so it will not be an easy game but then again no game at this level is.
Auf gehts Hannover!
Hannover 96 1 – 3 Wolfsburg
0-1 Kevin De Bruyne 4 mins, 1-1 Joselu 45 mins, 1-2 Bas Dost 69 mins, 1-3 Maximilian Arnold 85 min
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