FC St Pauli 3 - 0 FC Heidenheim
-GOAL ANALYSIS-
Friday, 28th April 2017
So here's to something a bit different... I decided to go full Gary Neville. With only Microsoft Paint (not the giant top-dollar touch screen pad that Sky Sports features) and my St Pauli TV account I thought I'd share my thoughts on the 3 goals that won the fixture. I really enjoyed doing this and I really felt like if I had put my tracksuit on, I wouldn't have felt out of place with Ewald on the sidelines.
Here is a screenshot showing the set piece of the opening goal. Stood beside the ball you can see two free kick favourites - Sobota and Buchtmann. I have highlighted the 4 options which could have been used on this piece. Buchtmann as we know has a wicked left foot. Opt.1 is a difficult one to perfect, it means firstly ensuring the ball is successfully lofted over the featured two-man wall. Secondly, it must be entering a dangerous position in the box, not enough pace or whip would mean it should be easily dealt with by the goalkeeper or defenders. Opt.2 would be a left footed driven cross. A favourite for those at the back post. You'd be expecting Sobiech or Bouhaddouz to be the target with this prefence. However, it is solely reliant on a well connected header, generating a lot of momentum and direction. Allowing Sobota to take this piece using his right foot would allow a much more dynamic cross, with both pace and curve. Opt.2 again, aimed for the larger threat lingering at the back. The Pole decides to go for the highlighted Opt.1, a low and difficult to defend cross which should find someone between the near post and the centre of the 6 yard box.
The ball is fizzed in and I have noted above where you would expect the attacking runs to be. A rough split with half running towards the near post and the remaining targeting the back. Unfortunately for Ex-St Pauli forward John Verhoek, it reached neither...
As you can see, the circled Heidenheim players allow the ball to be delivered without any interception. The stray foot which was swung also doesn't help Verhoek as the forward has to assume some form of contact is going to be made before it reaches himself. The ball hits him in the chest as he flinches from the contact with the vicious whip. It deflected and went goal-bound. Unfortunately for the 28 year old, it resulted in the first goal of the night. Sobota claimed what he could, but it was Verhoek's own goal in the 53rd minute which separated the two teams. It was purely just a case of nobody taking accountability for Heidenheim on this one. I couldn't help but feel sorry for Big John.
The second goal came only minutes after the first. A complete mess from the Heidenheim defence, as you will see. The visitors were trying to play it out from the back which seems to be the trend in modern football at the minute. However, as I have shown below, it all goes wrong...
Bouhaddouz recently has done a grand job of applying pressure to the oppositions' defensive line. He is currently sat between the two centre-halves and floating as the ball is shared between Opt.1 & Opt.2 and the Heidenheim goalkeeper, Muller. As Daehli notices that his fellow forward is being stretched both left and right, the Norwegian intervenes himself and closes down the gap between Opt.1 and the deeper midfielder as identified below.
Above I am depicting just how difficult Muller's teammates make it for him. The blue lines are the two sensible routes he could have taken, easier said than done, especially when you have a 6'2" Moroccan charging at you. The black lines signify the motion Muller's teammates SHOULD have taken to spread the coverage and widen their availability. It really is a poor offering from the rest of the team to help their keeper clear his lines. Bouhaddouz' two purple lines illustrate the angle of which he has limited Muller to passing. Him and Daehli do a great job of applying direct pressure from the front. Muller scuffs his pass and literally passes directly to the nuisance that is Daehli. Bouhaddouz actually jumps past Muller, trying to block his kick. Here below is a screenshot of just how his 'clever' body check knocks the German goalkeeper to the ground. Minimal contact made, but enough to knock him off-balance and eventually leaving him stranded on the ground. The referee could have blown up for a foul, but a surprising lack of reaction from Heidenheim didn't force his call.
The diagram following notes Daehli's finish for this piece of play. You can see how clever the body check by Bouhaddouz (highlighted in purple) is as it gives Daehli a opening as where to place the ball. He takes a step to the left of the helpless Muller and slots the ball with ease into the empty net. A terrible mistake, but I must add that Bouhaddouz' antics could have meant the goal would have been disallowed. It was one of those "I've seen them given", but I think the referee had seen 20% of a coming together, 70% of a tactical yet legitimate body check and then 10% of a "serves you right really" moment. A foolish couple of seconds from Heidenheim left them now two goals down in 56 minutes. Only 180 seconds separating the two goals.
The final goal of the game arrived from another set piece. A corner was launched in by Buchtmann, but cleared temporarily by Heidenheim, it just wasn't effective enough. Sobota calmly receives the ball at his feet and looks up to find the corner taker himself floating out wide. Take note below as FIVE, yes FIVE Heidenheim players can be found within just a few feet. a horrendous mistake as you can see...
The purple on the image above is pointing out what options St Pauli have, permitting Buchtmann should put in a decent ball. Gonther wearing the orange boots at the top of the image could make a stealthy and well-timed run behind. The two St Pauli players (Bouhaddouz and Sobiech?) who are currently offside are actually holding really good positions as they are the first ones to react as soon as the ball is whipped in. The Heidenheim defence will be turning towards Buchtmann not taking note of where the men are in the box, as you see below what pans out...
Buchtmann narrows the gap and takes the direct run towards goal. The visitors, all surprised to find Buchtmann alone now focus on the man out wide as opposed to concentrating on the physical threat in the middle. St Pauli's top goalscorer was left to tap the ball in as a perfectly paced ball was put in by the midfielder. A well taken opportunity to add to the Moroccan's impressive scoring run. Again, poor from the visitors who were the architects of their own downfall throughout the game, time and time again showing a terrible defensive performance. Not the sharpest from the hosts either, but they had taken their chances and relied on a well deserved slice of luck at the same time.
The second goal came only minutes after the first. A complete mess from the Heidenheim defence, as you will see. The visitors were trying to play it out from the back which seems to be the trend in modern football at the minute. However, as I have shown below, it all goes wrong...
Bouhaddouz recently has done a grand job of applying pressure to the oppositions' defensive line. He is currently sat between the two centre-halves and floating as the ball is shared between Opt.1 & Opt.2 and the Heidenheim goalkeeper, Muller. As Daehli notices that his fellow forward is being stretched both left and right, the Norwegian intervenes himself and closes down the gap between Opt.1 and the deeper midfielder as identified below.
Above I am depicting just how difficult Muller's teammates make it for him. The blue lines are the two sensible routes he could have taken, easier said than done, especially when you have a 6'2" Moroccan charging at you. The black lines signify the motion Muller's teammates SHOULD have taken to spread the coverage and widen their availability. It really is a poor offering from the rest of the team to help their keeper clear his lines. Bouhaddouz' two purple lines illustrate the angle of which he has limited Muller to passing. Him and Daehli do a great job of applying direct pressure from the front. Muller scuffs his pass and literally passes directly to the nuisance that is Daehli. Bouhaddouz actually jumps past Muller, trying to block his kick. Here below is a screenshot of just how his 'clever' body check knocks the German goalkeeper to the ground. Minimal contact made, but enough to knock him off-balance and eventually leaving him stranded on the ground. The referee could have blown up for a foul, but a surprising lack of reaction from Heidenheim didn't force his call.
The diagram following notes Daehli's finish for this piece of play. You can see how clever the body check by Bouhaddouz (highlighted in purple) is as it gives Daehli a opening as where to place the ball. He takes a step to the left of the helpless Muller and slots the ball with ease into the empty net. A terrible mistake, but I must add that Bouhaddouz' antics could have meant the goal would have been disallowed. It was one of those "I've seen them given", but I think the referee had seen 20% of a coming together, 70% of a tactical yet legitimate body check and then 10% of a "serves you right really" moment. A foolish couple of seconds from Heidenheim left them now two goals down in 56 minutes. Only 180 seconds separating the two goals.
The final goal of the game arrived from another set piece. A corner was launched in by Buchtmann, but cleared temporarily by Heidenheim, it just wasn't effective enough. Sobota calmly receives the ball at his feet and looks up to find the corner taker himself floating out wide. Take note below as FIVE, yes FIVE Heidenheim players can be found within just a few feet. a horrendous mistake as you can see...
The purple on the image above is pointing out what options St Pauli have, permitting Buchtmann should put in a decent ball. Gonther wearing the orange boots at the top of the image could make a stealthy and well-timed run behind. The two St Pauli players (Bouhaddouz and Sobiech?) who are currently offside are actually holding really good positions as they are the first ones to react as soon as the ball is whipped in. The Heidenheim defence will be turning towards Buchtmann not taking note of where the men are in the box, as you see below what pans out...
Buchtmann narrows the gap and takes the direct run towards goal. The visitors, all surprised to find Buchtmann alone now focus on the man out wide as opposed to concentrating on the physical threat in the middle. St Pauli's top goalscorer was left to tap the ball in as a perfectly paced ball was put in by the midfielder. A well taken opportunity to add to the Moroccan's impressive scoring run. Again, poor from the visitors who were the architects of their own downfall throughout the game, time and time again showing a terrible defensive performance. Not the sharpest from the hosts either, but they had taken their chances and relied on a well deserved slice of luck at the same time.
