When Augsburg play their next match against Leipzig, pundits will be on the lookout for reactions from Augsburg’s managing director, Stefan Reuter, because he is the lifeline for coach, Heiko Herrlich at the moment, but for how long?
Augsburg is in crisis after five defeats in six games, and Herrlich has not found a panacea for the defensive woes. Augsburg a team in the Bundesliga since a decade is playing below its potential.
No clear-cut playing philosophy
Herrlich when he came to Augsburg promised attractive football with goal chances, but in the implementation, it has been the opposite.
Augsburg tries to stay compact in defense while looking for a chance to score in most of the matches they’ve played this season. And it is not attractive to watch. The result is individual mistakes in defense.
Herrlich who was a former striker should be knowledgeable on what to do, but does he have the players available?
Injury setbacks
Missing in defense is Rapheal Framberger for over a month. Although he is injury prone, Framberger brings to the table astute positional play, and in these times, it’s an asset for the team.
Latest on the injury list is the Brazilian Iago, who is equally important for Augsburg.
The absence of these players alone does not paint the entire picture, but gives insights on Herrlich’s choices on match days-It’s not much.
The players should rise to the challenges
The remaining players privileged to be on the pitch should recognise the precarious situation the club finds itself. It is not too late for an alternative course.
Although, Augsburger Allgemeine reported sometime ago after the defeat to Bremen that there was a misunderstanding between Florian Niederlechner and Herrlich. Herrlich wanted the opinion of the players why their performance had gone south, Niederlechner told Herrlich some hard truths and the coach took it personally.
After the friction, Niederlechner was the match winner in the next match against Union Berlin at home, scoring two goals. The match ended 2-1.
Do the players need more friction to boost performance?
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