RasenBallsport Leipzig – VfB Stuttgart: Stuttgart Struggles, Szoboszlai Stars (4-0)

As far as first Bundesliga starts go, it does not get better than it did for Dominik Szoboszlai against Stuttgart. After struggling in their first game under Jesse Marsch, Leipzig’s personnel changes allowed them to rip through one of last season’s most impressive teams in Stuttgart, with Szoboszlai scoring twice as Emil Forsberg finished off one of the smoothest team moves the football season has seen so far.
Tactical analysis and match report by Manasvin Andra. 

Despite an inauspicious start to his Leipzig career, the positive vibes surrounding Jesse Marsch and Leipzig remain strong as ever. Though they may have lost to Mainz, it was clear that it would take some time for the coach to impose his ideas, and even then, Leipzig had won the battle based on expected goals. The amount of goals a team is expected to score based on the quality of the shots they take.

Still, Marsch made three changes to the side facing Stuttgart bringing Lukas Klostermann, Dominik Szoboszlai and Joško Gvardiol into the side. Lining up in a 4-2-3-1 structure, Péter Gulácsi was protected by the center-back pairing of Mohamed Simakan and Willi Orban, with Klostermann and Joško Gvardiol serving as right back and left respectively. Amadou Haidara and Tyler Adams were picked as the double pivot Two central midfielders next to each other. airing of choice, with Dominik Szoboszlai, Emil Forsberg and Christopher Nkunku supporting striker André Silva.

For Stuttgart, coach Pellegrino “Rino” Matarazzo picked the familiar 3-4-3 shape, with goalkeeper Florian Müller receiving support from Waldemar Anton, Marc-Oliver Kempf and Konstantinos Mavropanos. Wataru Endo and Philipp Klement formed the double pivot, flanked by . . .