SV Darmstadt 98 is playing for promotion to the Bundesliga. At least that’s exactly what the current table position suggests. One game day before the winter break, the “Lilien” are in third place in the table, have not lost a single game at home and have only suffered a total of two defeats – both league bests. “I think it is undisputed that the first half of the season is a development overall,” says head coach Florian Kohfeldt. But what makes these “lilies” so strong?
“A good defense wins titles” is the biggest cliché in sports. In Darmstadt, that seems to be exactly the basis of success. The Hessians had to accept the third fewest goals conceded in the league and have already finished seven games without conceding a goal – also third place.
Their defense is based on impressive variability. In 16 previous league games, the “Lilien” started with twelve different defensive lines. And it’s not just their personnel that are set up variably: Kohfeldt’s team is able to easily switch between a back four and a back five – often in the middle of a game. The team had already developed this versatility before the season, explains Kohfeldt.
This is why he continues to surprise with new versions over the course of the season. During the cup exit in Freiburg and the last home game last weekend against Münster, midfielder Kai Klefisch played as the third central defender and controlled Darmstadt’s build-up from there.
This means that Kohfeldt now has almost an oversupply in central defense. After all, there are three strong options available with Patrick Pfeiffer, Matej Maglica and Aleksandar Vukotić. Annoying for the latter, who suddenly found himself regularly on the bench in recent weeks after previously playing every game from the start under Kohfeldt. Is he now only in fourth place in the internal rankings? The coach clearly disagrees.
Klefisch was moved to the defensive because of his ability to defend in midfield. “And despite all the appreciation, that is not Vukotić’s profile,” says Kohfeldt. Nevertheless, he makes it clear: “I don’t think there is any need to discuss my appreciation for him, and that remains undiminished.”
An axis of Klehfisch, Schuhe, Hornby and Lidberg
Whether in defense or in midfield – Klefisch is part of a clearly recognizable axis in the Darmstadt game: captain Marcel Schuhen in goal, Pfeiffer as the always-placed defender, Klefisch and, in front of him, Fraser Hornby and top striker Isac Lidberg.
With eleven goals after 16 matchdays, the Swede leads the top scorers list in the Second Bundesliga – but with one flaw: he scored eight of his goals on the first nine matchdays. After this initial top start, he has scored less frequently recently.
Others scored the goals. Perhaps the most striking “lily” of the last few weeks is Marco Richter. The offensive player seems to have really hit the spot. With five assists, he is the top assist provider for Hesse. A week ago against Karlsruher SC, his goal knot burst – and it was worth seeing: He hit a free kick directly into the top corner from almost 17 meters. He also had a great chance against Münster, but only hit the crossbar with a chip ball – Corredor headed the rebound.
A clear, clean game is necessary in the midfield, says coach Kohfeldt. And that’s exactly what he sees in Richter. “He’s leaving out the kindergarten stuff. He’s starting to play football as an adult,” said Kohfeldt. That’s exactly where he has to stick with it to show that in the long term he can be the difference player that he has been in the past few weeks. “I would also like to give him a public warning: don’t think now that you want to score the dream goal again at the halfway line – that’s nonsense.”
A Scot organizes the pressing
What Richter has been doing excellently since his arrival in Darmstadt is his defensive work. He defends diligently, tackles courageously and often plays more physically and taller than his 1.76 meters would suggest. A quality that goes very well with the Darmstadt team’s very high pressing approach. They often run towards the defenders deep in the opponent’s half and push for a quick ball win. This pressing is organized by Fraser Hornby. How important the Scot is for his team became clear in the game against Münster when he was injured and the “Lilies” defended much more passively and pressed later.
Left-back Fabian Nürnberger, who is one of the most important organizers of the defensive chain, was also missing again due to injury. Many players were ready to play in the first half of the season, explains Kohfeldt. “But if you look at the core of the ten or twelve players who always play, I wouldn’t say we were lucky.” In fact, seven regular players missed at least one game due to injury. With the exception of Nürnberger, most of them had a maximum of two or three games downtime. And the left-back should also be available again on the last matchday of the first half of the season – just like Hornby.
If the “Lilies” remain injury-free in the second half of the season, they have what it takes to advance. The return of the two regular players comes at exactly the right time: The “Lilien” travel to Paderborn, tied fourth in the table, for one last top game before the winter break on Friday (6.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the 2nd Bundesliga and on Sky). For Klefisch one thing is certain: “If we then have 35 points under the Christmas tree, then that will be very good until then.”
