RasenBallsport Leipzig – Hertha BSC: Hertha Struggle To Keep Pace With Nagelsmann’s Free-Flowing Table-Toppers (2-1)

Leipzig’s tactical adaptability, in and out of possession, was fundamental to a truly dominant display, and with better finishing or slightly more suitable profiles in attacking positions the scoreline could have looked a whole lot worse for the visitors.
Tactical analysis and match report by Peter Munnelly.

Leipzig are on a roll. They entered today’s match off the back of three consecutives wins while also keeping a clean sheet, including their most recent 2-0 victory over İstanbul Başakşehir in the Champions League. 

Brace-bagging wing-back Angeliño naturally kept his place in the starting eleven, as did seven others; the main changes came upfront, as Dani Olmo and Yussuf Poulsen were dropped, allowing for Christopher Nkunku to push up into the front three with Benjamin Henrichs filling his role in midfield instead, and Alexander Sørloth being awarded his first league start. 

Hertha were afforded a little more rest, which would likely have been used to mull over their third consecutive defeat, which came at home to Stuttgart last Saturday. In stark contrast to Leipzig, having won all bar one match this season so far, Hertha have only managed to win once.

Nevertheless, Bruno Labbadia made only two changes from last week’s side. This saw Dodi Lukébakio take Matthew Leckie’s place in order to partner Jhon Córdoba upfront, while, at the back, Omar Alderete came in to make his debut ahead of Marvin Plattenhardt.

Hertha show their cards from the get-go
Within fifteen seconds of the whistle being blown, the visitors made it abundantly clear what their approach to attacking Leipzig would be. 

In their 4-4-2 . . .