Left Back Football

Bayern Munich got the better of Hertha Berlin in a 1-0 victory with a Javi Martinez header from a James Rodriguez corner, but Pal Dardai theorised a masterful game-plan that his team executed to a tee. Hertha were unlucky to lose despite having two opportunities cleared off the line in a performance where they seemed more comfortable and effective in their game-plan than their opponents. Dardai’s young side are one of the more tactically diverse teams in the Bundesliga while continuously honing their strength as a rapid counter-attacking outfit.

Hertha’s pressing

Hertha pressed high aggressively with a variety of shapes to adapt to the movements of Bayern’s midfield. The front two Salomon Kalou and Davie Selke led the press by positioning themselves in the half-spaces to prevent connections from the centre-backs to Bayern Munich’s multi-talented fullbacks Joshua Kimmich and David Alaba. The two forwards stayed in a horizontal body shape as when the centre-backs would receive possession this would trigger Selke and Kalou to pressure Jerome Boateng and Niklas Sule while wing-backs Max Mittlestadt and Valentin Lazaro would instantly push up and take on the responsibilities of marking Kimmich and Alaba. Hertha consistently forced Manuel Neuer to punt the ball long by limiting his direct passing options allowing Hertha to regain possession.

A staple of Dardai’s Hertha is Ondrej Duda pressing the opposition six as the picture above shows him tracking Martinez into Bayern’s three-chain. Arne Maier and Marko Grujic would take on the responsibility of James Rodriguez and Leon Goretzka as this started as 5-3-2 and would nominally switch to a 4-3-3 and 4-4-2 diamond. These interchanges in shape were facilitated by Mittlestadt’s ability to master his roles as a wing-back, wide-midfielder and a more contemporary midfielder as him and Lazaro proved authoritative at defending in the opposition half. Dardai allowed his three centre-backs, Karim Rekik, Fabian Lustenberger and Niklas Stark to be aggressive in pushing up to win possession. Stark has developed this aspect of his game phenomenally while Lustenberger is a vital conduit in playing the ball out as he meshes the responsibilities of being the central defender in the back-three while also moving into the six space in possession.

Above is an instance where Hertha are pressing in their 4-4-2 diamond shape and Mittlestadt has positioned himself perfectly to intercept a pass and play a ball for Selke into the channels. It was one of many key interventions made by the wide-man as Bayern’s build-up was stifled throughout the first-half.

Hertha’s pressure was man orientated and although it was co-ordinated expertly, the disadvantage of man-orientated pressure and marking all over the pitch allows talented players to cultivate large swathes of space by beating their marker. Bayern Munich managed to do this with their talented crop of forwards and managed to create some opportunities.

Hertha in possession

Hertha displayed an element of verticality in their build-up play as they seek to play quick combinations to work the ball forward at pace. They frequently engaged in wide-centre-back to wing-back to half-space passing sequences to evade pressure or wide-centre-back to half-space to wing-back passing sequences. Duda could drop deep as Kalou is skilled in the pockets while working early balls to Selke in the channels or in the pockets were a recurrent theme with his physical strength and mobility. Maier and Grujic are also highly physically developed and held the ball well to work moves. Hertha preferred to attack after winning the ball in the initial press or after winning possession with their highly positioned centre-backs stepping out to recycle possession as quickly as possible.

Below is a video of Bayern working a great vertical passing move which is cut out with good pressure and Lustenberger stepping out of position to play a one-touch pass to Grujic. Grujic drives the ball forward and works a one-two with Kalou for the Ivorian to go through on goal and have his shot cleared off the line by Boateng. Hertha used the disorientation of Bayern in the interchange of the situation to launch a quick break as the time lapse between Lustenberger regaining possession and having his shot cleared off the line is 11-12 seconds.

Bayern’s second-half response

Bayern were unable to get a foothold on the game in the first half so they replaced Goretzka with Thiago Alcantara to ease their possessional issues. Hertha continued to press ferociously as the Spaniard’s effect on the game was minimal. Grujic would push higher to mark the Spaniard while Duda continued to shadow Martinez. Below is a situation where Kimmich is in possession as his attention is on switching the ball to a 3v1 situation Bayern have on the opposite flank as they overload Lazaro, Mittlestadt uses this lapse to win possession and play a pass to Kalou who trades passes with Selke for the 24-year-old to have his shot blocked off the line by Kimmich. Hertha did a magnificent job of marking players in the area to prevent a combination that could lead to a switch ball while putting direct pressure on Kimmich to win the ball and create an attack of their own.

Below is a picture of Hertha’s response to the Thiago substitution as they continue to force Neuer into kicking the ball long with Duda and Grujic moving up to press Martinez and Thiago, Mittlestadt and Lazaro marking Kimmich and Alaba with the two forwards marking the centre-backs. Bayern scored their goal shortly after this situation.

Hertha response to Bayern goal

Hertha responded to going behind with a renewed focus on moving the ball through the central channels as Duda took up a much deeper starting position to create connections with Lustenberger. Duda was able to weave his way out of pressure with brilliant close control and play the ball through the lines but Hertha’s opportunities on goal were limited. Hertha were down to 10 men when Rekik was sent off after a clash with Robert Lewandowski. Hertha were not disheartened as they used Bayern’s lack of counter-pressure to play the ball through the lines and create openings. However, they were only limited to a Duda shot from range.

Conclusion

Hertha should feel hard done, not only by the result but also by the Rekik red card as their play deserved much more. It is easy to see how Hertha claimed the scalp of Bayern earlier in the season as Niko Kovac will have to continue developing a clear identity for his side without the services of Kingsley Coman. Hertha have to continue in a highly competitive race for the European places which could include as many as seven teams as Dardai will continue to guarantee the side from the capital a finish in the top half as he has always done.