February 2016
Board Confidence
Can't touch this. Delighted still. Unhappy with Fandrich's performances. That has been remedied a bit.
Player News
DC Sergey Politevich was named to the Bundesliga Team of the Week.
Bundesliga Match Day #21
Draxler Rules The Day as Bulls Stopped Short
(2) RB Leipzig 1 – 2 Schalke (7)
Goals: Leipzig: Crimi (40) Schalke: Draxler (36), Huntelaar (45+3)
Shots/On Target: Leipzig 11/5, Schalke 5/3
Possession: Schalke 51/49
Man of the Match: ML Julian Draxler 7.9
Form: Baumann 6.7, Nestor 6.8, Willers 6.4, Politevich 6.8, Jung 6.3, Crimi 7.4, Oyenard 6.6, Andersen 6.7, Joãozinho 6.2, Frahn (inj 45) 6.8, Poulsen 6.5, Flávio Augusto (on 45) 6.3
We never looked like winning, even with the shot advantage. Draxler was pretty much unstoppable down the left. Nestor struggled to cope all day. A big test with Leverkusen up next.
Frahn will miss 4-5 weeks with a fractured arm.
Bundesliga Match Day #22
Late Penalty Appeals Denied, Leverkusen Strengthen Grip on Second
(3) RB Leipzig 1 – 2 Leverkusen (2)
Goals: Leipzig: Joãozinho (47) Leverkusen: Klaus (12), Weiss (27)
Shots/On Target: Leipzig 6/3, Leverkusen 20/8
Possession: Leverkusen 57/43
Cautions: Leipzig: Judt (21), Müller (70)
Man of the Match: AMR Felix Klaus 7.5
Form: Baumann 6.7, Müller 6.4, Sebastian 6.3, Politevich 6.9, Judt 7.2, Kaiser 6.8, Oyenard (sub 62) 6.5, Andersen (sub 62) 6.4, Joãozinho 7.2, Flávio Augusto (sub 62) 6.4, Poulsen 6.3, Schulz (on 62) 6.7, Fandrich (on 62) 6.6, Thomalla (on 62) 6.6
After three straight wins, we drop two against two big opponents. We played both Schalke and Leverkusen close, but couldn't repeat our results from the first go-round this season. We drop to fourth with the two straight losses and Leverkusen now has a six point lead over us and Dortmund for 2nd.
DFB Pokal Quarterfinal
Kaiserslautern Eliminate Champions on Penalties
RB Leipzig 2 (2) – P (4) 2 Kaiserslautern
Goals: Leipzig: Andersen (pen 40), Poulsen (73) Kaiser: Schahin (56), Jönsson (62)
Shots/On Target: Leipzig 14/4 Kaiser 10/6
Possession: Kaiser 51/49
Cautions: Leipzig: Sebastian (12), Nestor (20), Judt (24)
Man of the Match: AML Florian Dick 8.4
Form: Baumann 6.4, Nestor 6.2, Willers 6.7, Sebastian 6.8, Judt 6.8, Crimi 6.8, Oyenard 6.8, Andersen 6.6, Fandrich (sub 90) 6.8, Flávio Augusto 6.8, Poulsen 6.7, Joãozinho (on 90) 6.6
The team is spiraling a bit, three losses in six days. We're a tired unit, but have Wolfsburg coming right upon our heels. No rest for the wicked.
We have been given £972K for the loss.
Bundesliga Match Day #23
Super Sub! Rybacki Puts Die Bullen Back in Winner's Circle
(9) Wolfsburg 1 – 2 RB Leipzig (4)
Goals: Wolfsburg: Vázquez (6) Leipzig: Joãozinho (26), Rybacki (90+3)
Shots/On Target: Wolfsburg 16/7, Leipzig 10/4
Possession: Wolfsburg 57/43
Cautions: Leipzig: Schulz (34), Nestor (86)
Man of the Match: AML Joãozinho 8.3
Form: Baumann 7.2, Nestor 6.7, Willers 6.9, Politevich 6.9, van Aanholt (sub 48) 6.7, Crimi 7.6, Schulz 6.5, Andersen (sub 48) 6.3, Joãozinho 8.3, Flávio Augusto (sub 48) 6.3, Poulsen 6.6, Judt (on 48) 6.9, Frandrich (on 48) 6.6, Rybacki (on 48) 7.2
Brilliant finish from Rybacki to steal the win about as late as it could be stolen. Andersen is still struggling to fit into the side, but we're gonna look to change that over the summer and perhaps play him in a more natural position.
Europa League First Knockout Round
Nervy Second Half, Leipzig's 10 Outlast Marseille's 11.
RB Leipzig 1 – 0 Marseille
Goals: Leipzig: Thomalla (21)
Shots/On Target: Leipzig 12/7 OM 176/7
Possession: OM 56/44
Cautions: Leipzig: Judt (4), Politevich (43), Nestor (44, red 49), Oyenard (78) OM: Valbuena (69)
Man of the Match: ST Yussuf Poulsen 8.2
Form: Baumann 7.9, Nestor (red 49) 7.2, Willers 7.1, Judt (sub 49) 6.8, Politevich 6.6, Crimi 6.7, Oyenard 6.7, Fandrich 6.0, Joãozinho 6.7, Thomalla 7.5, Poulsen 8.2, Sebastian (on 49) 6.6
Big win before we had back to France for the return leg. Poulsen snaps out of his recent string of sub-par performances and shines today. Nestor's red hurts us bad, but we can survive it.
Nestor will miss the match in Marseille. Juri Judt has picked up a one match suspension for three yellow cards in European play.
Bundesliga Match Day #24
Flávio! New Signing Makes His Mark
(4) RB Leipzig 2 – 0 HSV (5)
Goals: Leipzig: Flávio Augusto (8, 20)
Shots/On Target: Leipzig 7/5, HSV 13/7
Possession: HSV 58/42
Cautions: Leipzig: Andersen (17), Kaiser (28)
Man of the Match: ST Flávio Augusto 8.8
Form: Baumann 6.7, Müller 7.6, Willers 7.1, Politevich 7.8, van Aanholt 7.0, Kaiser 6.6, Oyenard 7.0, Andersen 6.9, Joãozinho 6.6, Flávio Augusto 8.8, Poulsen 6.4
A big performance from the Brazilian forward propels us to a second straight victory. We're recovering nicely from the losing streak with three wins on the trot. We are streaky to say the least.
Europa League First Knockout Round
Ayew Kidding Me? Marseille Stun Bulls
Marseille 2 (2) – (1) 0 RB Leipzig
Goals: OM: Ayew (78, 82)
Shots/On Target: OM 21/10 Leipzig 6/4
Possession: OM 61/39
Cautions: OM: Fanni (53)
Man of the Match: ST Jordan Ayew 8.9
Form: Baumann 6.3, Crimi 6.9, Willers 6.6, Politevich 7.0, Jung 6.8, Schulz (sub 69) 6.4, Oyenard 6.6, Fandrich 6.4, Joãozinho 6.6, Thomalla (sub 69) 6.4, Poulsen 6.3, Bambara (on 69) 6.5, Rybacki (on 69) 6.6
We held and held and held and held and Jordan Ayew finally broke us down twice in five minutes to end our run in Europe for this season. Now we can focus on our league position from here on out.
We have been given £169K for playing in the first knockout round.
Bundesliga Match Day #25
Leipzig Gut One Out at Stuttgart
(7) Stuttgart 0 – 1 RB Leipzig (4)
Goals: Leipzig: Flávio Augusto (65)
Shots/On Target: Stuttgart 22/8, Leipzig 9/3
Possession: Stuttgart 62.38
Cautions: Stuttgart: Arslan (81) Leipzig: van Aanholt (17)
Man of the Match: DR Loïc Nestor 7.6
Form: Baumann 6.9, Nestor 7.6, Sebastian 7.4, Oyenard 6.7, van Aanholt (sub 56) 6.6, Crimi 6.7, Politevich 7.4, Andersen (sub 56) 6.3, Joãozinho 7.0, Flávio Augusto 7.3, Poulsen 6.3, Judt (on 56) 6.8, Fandrich (on 56) 6.7
We held on for that one. We're back to within three of Leverkusen, so things are looking positive. Bayern still hasn't really slipped up enough to make it seem like they can be caught. Time is running out on the season. Lucas Andersen is still struggling, but Flávio Augusto seems to be flourishing with increased playing time.
Top Players
1. ST Daniel Frahn: 24 apps, 12 goals, 6 assists, 3 PoM, 7.20
2. DC Sergey Politevich: 32 apps, 4 goals, 1 assist, 3.97 tackles/90', 4 PoM, 7.17
3. DL Juri Judt: 22 apps, 1 goal, 1 assist, 9.50 tackles/90', 2 PoM, 7.16
