In their home game in Sinsheim, VfB squandered yet another crucial opportunity in the battle for a European competition spot. Just like against Wolfsburg, they felt too secure in their own superiority and let the game slip away.
Last week, it was Justin Diehl; on Sunday evening, it was Jeff Chabot. Once again, a late goal conceded. They’ve now allowed nine goals in the final 15 minutes—joint worst alongside Freiburg. But in the end, it’s not individual mistakes that are costing VfB points; it’s a gradual drop in intensity, manifesting in careless passes and unnecessary tricks. When Alexander Nübel made a crucial save against Andrej Kramaric just before halftime, it should have served as a wake-up call.
Instead, the team with the red stripe increasingly lost control of the game. While they still created chances, they became more vulnerable at the back until the inevitable happened: Hoffenheim surged forward down the left flank with three players, and this time, VfB’s defense failed to clear the ball. The previous week, Sebastian Hoeneß had felt vindicated in his team’s cautious approach—right up until they conceded. And on Sunday evening, there seemed to be a consensus that, apart from the second goal, everything had gone according to plan.
Too Much Faith in Their Own Strength
But unfortunately, that’s just not enough. Nick Woltemade, who arrived on a free transfer from Bremen last summer, has now caught up in goals to the €50 million strike duo of Undav and Demirović. Undav cleverly let the ball through for the opening goal, used his body well, and played some smart passes—but he didn’t find the net himself. Demirović, previously seen as a selfless but luckless forward, was only brought on after 72 minutes, just like Enzo Millot. Players and coaches alike seem to have great faith in their ability to decide games late. Perhaps too much.
Because in Mainz and against Gladbach, the team’s performance dropped sharply after strong spells. Against Wolfsburg and now Hoffenheim, they were too complacent after taking the lead, only benefiting from their opponents’ lack of cutting edge. As beautiful as the opening goal was, their play afterward lacked directness. Only Chris Führich posed a consistent threat to Hoffenheim’s defense, but he was too focused on personal glory. Too many passes in the final third were sloppy, and as has been the case too often this season, the game remained in the balance for too long.
A Big Opportunity at Risk
The problem still lies more in attack than in the constantly reshuffled defense—where Finn Jeltsch had an impressive debut. Players like Millot, Undav, Demirović, and Leweling continue to struggle in realizing their enormous potential, and VfB is suffering from their lack of top form. And it’s that unrealized potential that frustrates me the most. Of course, finishing mid-table would still be a solid outcome two years after the relegation playoffs. But it would mean wasting a huge opportunity.
Because it’s not like last season’s push into the upper half of the table was a one-off. For most of this campaign, the team has shown they are capable of competing for a top-six finish and a European spot. But for about a month now, VfB has been in freefall, unable to regain momentum. The gap to the top is still manageable, but in the next four weeks, they will face the league’s top three teams.
Belief Alone Won’t Be Enough
In their current form, the priority has to be staying within reach of the top spots, so that they can mount a real push in April and May—with fixtures against Bochum, Bremen, Union Berlin, Heidenheim, St. Pauli, Augsburg, and Leipzig. Given last summer’s transfer spending and the ambitions of certain players, finishing sixth should be the bare minimum.
But believing in their own strength isn’t enough. I want to see it on the pitch.
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