Liftoff Has Not Happened For Leipzig

This season was going to be one of transition for RB Leipzig but it has not been a good start to the season. Currently tenth in the Bundesliga standings with three defeats from six games played so far, they are yet to pick up a point in their Champions League group losing to both Manchester City and Club Brugge, which could leave their chances of qualifying for the Europa League in jeopardy. Despite being the most hated team in Germany, they have become one of the top dogs in the Bundesliga. Finishing in the top four places, in four of the last five seasons, since gaining promotion. So, no wings to fly?

Given their production of talent over the past few years, major clubs across Europe have poached their best players, with Liverpool and Bayern Munich being the biggest culprits. However, they have continued to perform well on the field despite these losses in their playing staff. The past summer window was no different. They lost Dayot Upamecano, Marcel Sabitzer and Ibrahima Konate as well as their coach Julian Nagelsmann, who took them to the Champions League semifinals in 2020 and the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) Final last season. Turnover of players is something Leipzig is used to, given that they have sister clubs in Salzburg and New York but the constant changes will have an effect at some point. Southampton, Roma and even Borussia Dortmund are clear examples.

Leipzig have been renowned as a high-octane pressing side under Ralph Hassenhuttl and Ralf Rangnick. They play aggressively to win the ball back, attack quickly in transition and press high. Under Nagelsmann, Leipzig's game was refined becoming more possession-based rather than playing on the counter. According to an article from Tactics and Techniques, data metrics like passes, lateral passes, and average passes/possession went up during Nagelsmann's final season than Rangnick's sole season. New coach Jesse Marsch is more in the school of Rangnick, having played a pressing style of play during his time at RB Salzburg. However, given what Leipzig has become during Nagelsmann's time at the club, it is no surprise that there will be teething issues that Marsch is experiencing right now as Marsch uses a 4-2-2-2 formation while Nagelsmann played various formations including playing with a back three. 

Despite their early-season woes, Leipzig still has a talented crop of players. They are still the core of players who have been around before their promotion in Yussuf Poulsen, Willi Orban and Peter Gulasci. Not to mention their acquisition of Portuguese striker Andre Silva from Eintracht Frankfurt, who scored 28 goals in the Bundesliga last season. Also, with Christopher Nkunku, Dani Olmo and Dominik Szoboszlai, generating chances. Jesse Marsch is also a talented coach in his own right, winning the Austrian Bundesliga twice with Salzburg and taking them to the Champions League in consecutive seasons for the first time, having had tough groups in those two seasons.

With the international break coming after their Bundesliga tie with Bochum, Marsch will be looking to find something that can give Leipzig some momentum. However, they have Leverkusen, Dortmund, Hoffenheim and Freiburg plus a Champions League double tie with PSG after the break. They have tougher tests to come and whilst they will find some sort of form, it better come sooner rather than later, with better results.