Löw gets started: Five construction sites for the new Leipzig coach

Zsolt Löw leads his first session as the new head coach of RB Leipzig on Monday. In private, as is usual in an English week. After all, the first serious game is already scheduled for Wednesday (20:45/ZDF) with the cup semi-final in Stuttgart. The list of deficiencies is extensive.

Danger of scoring goals

The fact that the semi-final is taking place in Stuttgart is not convenient for Leipzig. After all, the team has gone five games without scoring away from home in all competitions. In the Bundesliga, they have only scored 41 goals after 27 matchdays, compared to 60 in the previous season. RB are struggling with a lot of possession in particular, which is where Löw needs to start.

Weak stars

Xavi Simons is constantly complaining, often lying on the ground. Loïs Openda is in a creative crisis in front of goal. Benjamin Sesko lacks consistency, often disappearing for an entire half. Leipzig also lived off the individual class of its stars for a long time. Löw needs to talk up his difference players and give them confidence again.

Game structure

Ex-coach Marco Rose often gave his attacking players free rein in the final third. Their quality was supposed to create chances. That has hardly worked this season. Leipzig's games were characterized by a lack of ideas, they simply lacked solutions against deep-lying opponents and often made wrong and late decisions when switching play. In addition, the focus was usually solely on Simons' ideas. Löw must provide relief here and give his players a better plan.

Performance gap

Probably Löw's toughest mission. In the current squad, the differences in quality are sometimes huge. There is a lack of both leaders and experience on the pitch. Captain Willi Orban often leads the way, but nothing comes after that for a long time. Veteran players such as Yussuf Poulsen and Lukas Klostermann are past their prime and have long since ceased to be first choice. A restructuring of the squad is necessary - but can only take place in the summer.

RB DNA

Löw is a child of the RB coaching school. Starting in Liefering, he went via Salzburg to Leipzig. The Hungarian knows exactly what makes up the RB DNA developed by his former teacher Ralf Rangnick: counter-pressing, stability through activity, game control against the ball, high intensity. This was hardly recognizable under Rose recently. Löw is likely to try to implement this DNA - possibly in a more advanced form - quickly.