Not yet a factor in Offenbach’s game: winter signing Philipp Hosiner (left) fired a shot on goal in Hoffenheim in the first half, but was rarely used to advantage. Dejan Bozic came in for him and with him a lot more goal danger.
© –
Kickers Offenbach is struggling with well-known problems and a new phenomenon in the Southwest Regional Football League
Offenbach – After a point from the first two games of 2022, a phenomenon that has been familiar to Kickers Offenbach for years is repeated: among the fans of the regional football league, the euphoria and anticipation for the rest of the season has turned into frustration and resignation after two games. These are well-known Offenbach mood extremes that do not tolerate gray tones.
In internet forums, many are already singing the swan song for a season in which the Kickers still have to play 13 games and can move into the quarter-finals on Wednesday (7.30 p.m.) with a win at the association league club FV Biebrich 02 in the Hessen Cup. But there are recurring patterns that make the belief in a happy ending dwindle.
Lack of consistency of results
The second half of the season has so far mirrored the first half of the season: two wins against Homburg (1-0) and Elversberg (3-1) followed by a setback against Ulm (0-1). A serious difference can be seen in the games against Koblenz and Hoffenheim II. In the first half of the season, OFC got four points (1:1/1:0), in the second half only one against these teams from no man’s land in the table. Now it’s against Kassel, then in March to Walldorf, against leaders Mainz 05 II, to Schott Mainz and against Pirmasens. In the first half of the season, the Kickers only got seven points from these five games. In the second half of the season, such a yield should mean the premature end of the title race. For comparison: leaders Mainz 05 II won the last three games to zero. The second SV Elversberg has won four times in a row since the 1: 3 in Offenbach. Before the 2-0 in Kassel against Ulm, Koblenz and Hoffenheim, i.e. those opponents against whom OFC scored a point. “Statistics are for newspapers,” says OFC coach Sreto Ristic, repeating his mantra: “We have to stay true to ourselves and keep working hard.”
Lack of stability
Sreto Ristic didn’t use the bad luck with injuries that OFC suffered again against Hoffenheim II in the person of Rafael Garcia (knee injury) as an excuse. Rightly so, because the 15 players who played for Kickers on Sunday should have enough quality to win games. Instead, especially veterans allowed too many blunders. The trained centre-forward Mathias Fetsch, who was a stranger in attacking midfield, came twice too late in a duel, was sent off and was substituted. At the first goal conceded after a Hoffenheim ball relay over ten stations and half the pitch, access was completely missing. Right-back Paul Milde didn’t prevent the cross, in the middle Ronny Marcos came too late against Nick Proschwitz.
Outrageous was the passivity that led to the 2:2 when ten Offenbachers behind the ball failed to prevent Robin Szarka and goal scorer Maximilian Zaiser from taking a short free kick and finally Zaiser’s Sunday shot, which, favored by storm Antonia, went in behind Stephan Flauder. “You can see that you’re always learning something new in football,” said Ristic, who was surprised and disappointed at the same time at such a rush.
The personnel selection
Ristic didn’t have much choice with eight failures. He had opted for a 4-1-4-1 system. It quickly became obvious that Denis Huseinbasic was missing his speed, running and tackling strength. Florent Bojaj in eighth and Mathias Fetsch in ten tried hard, but they lack speed and think much more offensively. With the addition of Osarenren Okungbowa, the central midfield stabilized somewhat, although the Austrian didn’t play flawlessly either. The speed deficit in the changeover game after losing the ball remained.
Winter signing Philipp Hosiner acted as the only point this time. But the Austrian, who was brought in as the king’s transfer in January, is still a stranger. A turning shot in the first half, he didn’t pose more of a goal threat. Which was also because he got few balls. And what suggests the conclusion: the vote is not yet right. The question is: would it even help Hosiner if he came off the bench to get used to the team? When Dejan Bozic, now the best OFC scorer with nine goals, moved into the centre, there was immediately more play and therefore more goal danger.
Ristic had also opted for Rafael Garcia, who had just recovered from corona disease. The left winger didn’t get up to speed and was too late with two press strokes, the second of which had painful consequences. Would it have helped Garcia to come off the bench first? Davud Tuma was immediately in the game and in the second half with courageous runs, aggressive pressing and a goal the most conspicuous Offenbacher.
And what is positive?
If the OFC succeeds in lengthening the phases of stability and minimizing errors, it is possible to catch up. The Ristic team proved that from October to December, when they achieved ten wins in twelve games. A look at the results of the competition: Mainz got 25 out of 36 points in the first half of the season against the twelve remaining opponents. Elversberg against the 13 remaining opponents 28 from 39, Ulm 31 (from 39).
By Joerg Moll
–
