Dalbeider

May 9th 2023 Guess who's back in the Team of the Week? Yep, Lohkemper once again. If he keeps scoring by the truckload he's gonna become a permanent fixture there. We'll be out without backup keeper Müller for the last game of the regular season and most likely the playoffs after he pulled an abdominal muscle. He'll miss around two weeks, so there's a chance he'll be around for the second leg of the playoffs. We'll be bringing youngster Andy Anheier in his place, and cross fingers that Kretzschmar doesn't catch an untimely cold. May 13th 2023 TSV 1860 München (3rd) vs. SG Dynamo Dresden (10th) (2.Bundesliga, 34/34) It's nice to be able to relax in our last match of the season, with neither team having anything to play for other than keeping the good form rolling into the playoffs for us, and possibly a small improvement in prize money for Dresden if they manage to overtake Paderborn. We'll take the chance to rest starters and give young players a chance to shine, and also for some of our loanees for this season to say goodbye. * * * 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-2-3-1): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Kevin Goden (DR), Gastón Hernández (DCr), Christoph Kobald (DCl), Damjan Danicic (DL); Taylor Molumby (MCr), Dennis Dressel (MCl); Tomás Fernández (AMR), Maximiliano Lovera (AMC), Yusuf Kabadayi (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) DYNAMO (3-3-2-2): Lukas Schneller (GK); Erlend Dahl Reitan (DCr), Sebastian Mai (DC), Tim Knipping (DCl); Joe Scally (WBR), Yannick Stark (DM), Jonathan Meier (WBL); Julius Kade (MCr), Niklas Hauptmann (MCl); Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer (STr), Oliver Batista Meier (STl) * * * Of course being this relaxed comes with its own dangers: Dresden mount a quick attack through the center straight out of kickoff and Königsdörffer finishes it in style to score the 0-1 within 28 seconds. Not according to plan. That wakes us right up and we soon start dominating play and testing Schneller, although with little real danger at first. A wide volley by Lohkemper is our first real chance, and it takes twenty-five minutes to arrive. Dresden keep finding space through the center, which Kade tries to exploit on the 39th minute but ends up turning into a rugby try. Meanwhile we keep slamming once and again against their defense, never quite making it through. Only a good, if centered, shot by Molumby in injury time brings us close to a goal, and that one's easy for Schneller. We still trail at half time, of course. HALF TIME - 0-1 After ten minutes without improvement in the second half it's time to bring in the subs, including Sané, Tallig, and Steinhart. The winger starts looking good, shooting narrowly high in the 58th minute, and three minutes later he scores with a good left-footed finish after an assist from Tallig, but it ends up being disallowed due to offside. Thanks VAR. We're on the right track, though, although Königsdörffer gives us a big scare with a run into space that ends with a very narrowly wide finish. The other sub, Steinhart, ends up being key in the goal when it comes a bit later: pass down the left from the full back to Lovera, who manages to sneak past his marker and cross low so Lohkemper can push it over the line to score the 1-1. Dynamo hit us back on the break, finishing with a dangerous shot by Meire that Kretzschmar deflects over the bar. The keeper then performs one of his miracle saves against Kade, who breaks in from the right on the 75th minute in one of Dresden's best chances so far. Molumby answers with a 25-yarder without enough power to be able to surprise Schneller, and the game enters the final ten minutes still level. Dressel adds another high ball from distance then, which Bastista Meier answers with another run into the box and a shot that Kretzschmar parries and sends wide. Then, on the 89th, a long passing play by Dresden ends in a surprising 30-yarder by Stark that Kretzschmar doesn't even see coming, and the visitors retake their lead with very little left to play. Enough for a dangerous header by Lohkemper that the keeper pushes over and nothing else, in fact. A home defeat to close a great season with. * * * TSV 1860 München 1 (Felix Lohkemper 66) SG Dynamo Dresden 2 (Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer 1, Yannick Stark 89) - - - Well, not what I wanted right before the playoffs, really. A defeat marked by one goal at the very beginning and one at the very end, but in which we were the better team through most of the rest. Lovera had a really good game in the hole, too, but in the end it didn't translate to much. Oh well, it didn't matter much, but I hope the players' morale doesn't take a hit before the really important moment. Danicic will be out of those moments in any case: a pulled hamstring sustained today will keep him out for 2-3 weeks. Our third place finish comes with prize money attached, of course: no less than €15.66M, which erase all our negative numbers in one quick swoop and leave us more than eleven million in the black. This should give us much more flexibility for the upcoming seasons, regardless of the playoff result. Said playoff, by the way, will be against Union Berlin, who finished 16th in the Bundesliga. * * * | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | GD | Pts | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | C | Arminia Bielefeld | 34 | 23 | 6 | 5 | 71 | 27 | 44 | 75 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | P | Fortuna Düsseldorf | 34 | 22 | 6 | 6 | 71 | 30 | 41 | 72 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | Pl | 1860 München | 34 | 19 | 8 | 7 | 56 | 33 | 23 | 65 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Schalke 04 | 34 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 49 | 25 | 24 | 61 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Hannover 96 | 34 | 16 | 11 | 7 | 42 | 35 | 7 | 59 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Greuther Fürth | 34 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 55 | 39 | 16 | 58 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Hamburg | 34 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 42 | 31 | 11 | 57 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Nürnberg | 34 | 16 | 7 | 11 | 41 | 38 | 3 | 55 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Dynamo Dresden | 34 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 41 | 44 | -3 | 50 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | SC Paderborn | 34 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 38 | 37 | 1 | 48 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Darmstadt | 34 | 11 | 9 | 14 | 36 | 42 | -6 | 42 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Werder Bremen | 34 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 35 | 40 | -5 | 39 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Jahn Regensburg | 34 | 7 | 14 | 13 | 40 | 55 | -15 | 35 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Ingolstadt | 34 | 9 | 5 | 20 | 33 | 62 | -29 | 32 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Holstein Kiel | 34 | 7 | 9 | 18 | 41 | 62 | -21 | 30 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | Pl | St. Pauli | 34 | 7 | 5 | 22 | 42 | 65 | -23 | 26 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | R | Duisburg | 34 | 6 | 5 | 23 | 28 | 64 | -36 | 23 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | R | Sandhausen | 34 | 4 | 9 | 21 | 26 | 58 | -32 | 21 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| The 2.Bundesliga title in the end went to Arminia Bielefeld, who managed to profit from Fortuna's sketchy form in the second half of the season to recover all the lost ground and then some. The champions ended the season with a 0-2 win in Darmstadt, while Düsseldorf did the same at home against Paderborn. Hannover climbed into the fifth place in the end, Labbadia will have trouble keeping his job after failing yet again to promote Schalke, and the rest ended up mostly where they were. The interesting part of this last week was the relegation battle, and in the end St. Pauli emerged victorious thanks to a final day 5-0 win against Nürnberg, combined with Duisburg's 0-1 defeat against Ingolstadt and Sandhausen's 3-0 loss in Bremen. So Duisburg return to the 3.Liga after only one season, Sandhausen go down with them, and St. Pauli still have a chance at survival with the playoff, which will pit them against Aue.

May 2nd 2023 Lohkemper gets a very deserved nomination as the lone striker in the Team of the Week. May 6th 2023 This is the first week when all the 2.Bundesliga matches are played at the same time, and there's a few doozies today. Most relevantly for us, Schalke-Fortuna, in which we'll be hoping for the visitors to snatch a few points so we can secure the playoff position with a win. Kiel-Duisburg is another huge match for the relegation fight, while Arminia will defend the top position at home against Regensburg, St. Pauli will visit their neighbors and rivals from HSV with salvation on the line, and Sandhausen will play against Fürth for their survival. A good evening to spend watching TV and getting all the live updates. Too bad I'll be kinda busy... - - - SC Paderborn 07 (9th) vs. TSV 1860 München (3rd) (2.Bundesliga, 33/34) After all those promotion candidates we've defeated it almost looks like a win against Paderborn would be a given, but nothing farther from truth: Paderborn have actually got into a pretty good form lately, and are still pushing for a top half finish. We'll need everything we used to defeat Fortuna last week to avoid falling at the lowest hurdle now. * * * PADERBORN (4-1-4-1): Leopold Zingerle (GK); Bendegúz Bolla (DR), Nnamdi Collins (DCr), Uwe Hünemeier (DCl), Thomas Isherwood (DL); Maximilian Thalhammer (DM); Kai Pröger (MR), Tom Krauss (MCr), Marco Stiepermann (MCl), Michael John Lema (ML); Felix Platte (ST) 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-3-3): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Kevin Goden (DR), Niklas Lang (DCr), Gastón Hernández (DCl), Silvan Sidler (DL); Daniel Wein (DM), Erik Tallig (MCr), Dennis Dressel (MCl); Sidi Sané (AMR), Billy Arce (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) * * * Wein starts in Wouters' place today, although the injured Belgian is on the bench in case we need him. Upfront, the two Felixes, both among the best strikers in the division, will duel it out to see who gets their team to win today. And it's Lohkemper who wins that duel, at least when it comes to drawing first blood: long pass by Tallig towards Sané on the right, the winger waits for support, then finds Lohkemper with a neat little low cross so the striker can score the 0-1 (and his twentieth of the season) with only seven minutes played. Tallig continues with a very creative start of the game sending a good ball towards Sané inside the box so the winger can shoot with power, his shot kept outside of the goal by Zingerle's fingertips. Then the midfielder does it again, sending a high ball towards Arce so the forward can nod it back to Dressel, which allows the midfielder to hit it with all his power and rip a hole in the back of the net. 0-2 and not even ten minutes have passed. After a ten minute break Tallig does it a third time, this time with a pass down the right for Goden so the full back can cross into Lohkemper's easy tap-in, making it three. Paderborn finally decide to show up with a cross from the right and a header by Platte that Kretzschmar collects without issue, which we answer in similar fashion with Sané running and crossing for Arce's header, also easy for Zingerle. A high shot by Sidler comes next, nothing too dangerous, and then we start slowing things down before anything else happens in the first half, more than happy with our three goal lead. We go into half time very satisfied with both result and performance. HALF TIME - 0-3 Thing start calm in the second half until they aren't anymore: Arce runs into the box and is brought down by Bolla for a clear penalty. Lohkemper doesn't miss from the spot, seals his hattrick, and puts us four goals ahead. After that we bring in a few substitutes into the game, including Kabadayi and Danicic, and get ready to enjoy ourselves until full time. Meanwhile Paderborn try their best to get at least something out of this game, and have a good chance fall to Shabani on the 62nd minute but Kretzschmar makes sure our sheet keeps clean. We take things slow for the rest of the game, while Paderborn get another chance for a consolation goal through Shabani, who manages to sidestep Kretzschmar in the one-on-one but ends up smashing his finish against the post. On the other goal Sané finds another chance to shoot and Zingerle tips his finish over, but by then there's only seven minutes on the clock and the match looks almost over. There's time for a badly high shot by Tallig in injury time and little else, and the three points fly back to Munich with us. * * * SC Paderborn 07 0 TSV 1860 München 4 (Felix Lohkemper 7 20 55p, Dennis Dressel 10) --- There's winning and then there's winning, and this was in the latter category. Fantastic performance, particularly in the first half, with Tallig racking three "almost-assists" but getting official credit for neither and Lohkemper grabbing his third hattrick of the season in the most decisive moment possible. Because yes, it was decisive: Schalke and Fortuna finished their game goalless, meaning we're now four points ahead in the playoff position with only three more points in play. We're going to the playoffs! Meanwhile both Arminia (4-0 against Regensburg) and Düsseldorf themselves have secured promotion, meaning Schalke will have to spend yet another year in the second tier. That's gonna hurt. In the relegation battle, there was one decisive result with Kiel's comprehensive 3-0 win over Duisburg, which saves both them and Ingolstadt from relegation and leaves it now as a matter of who will grab hold of the emergency buoy of the relegation playoff. Sandhausen lost to Fürth, but St. Pauli stole a point from HSV and climb over Duisburg on goal difference. In the final fixture Duisburg will host the already safe Ingolstadt, St. Pauli will be at home against 8th-placed Nürnberg, and Sandhausen will visit Werder Bremen. We've also broken our consecutive wins record with nine, which is a nice bonus. We couldn't have chosen a better moment in the season to go on such a run, to be honest.

Apr 25th 2023 Steinhart shows up in the Team of the Week, as deserved. Apr 29th 2023 TSV 1860 München (4th) vs. Fortuna Düsseldorf 1895 (1st) (2.Bundesliga, 32/34) And here we are, with the decisive game against the leaders. Fortuna might not be the unstoppable behemoth they were in the first half of the season anymore, but they still have two of the best players in the league in Shinta Appelkamp and Dawid Kownacki and getting anything out of this match will be incredibly difficult. They just need a couple more points to clinch promotion, but Arminia's pressure for the title means they'll go all out regardless. * * * 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-3-3): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Kevin Goden (DR), Niklas Lang (DCr), Christoph Kobald (DCl), Phillipp Steinhart (DL); Dries Wouters (DM), Jayson Molumby (MCr), Dennis Dressel (MCl); Sidi Sané (AMR), Billy Arce (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) DÜSSELDORF (4-2-3-1): Florian Kastenmeier (GK); Steven Alzate (DR), Christoph Klarer (DCr), André Hoffmann (DCl), Kostas Stafylidis (DL); Ilay Elmkies (MCr), Shinta Appelkamp (MCl); Khaled Narey (AMR), Dominick Drexler (AMC), Antoine Leautey (AML); Dawid Kownacki (ST) * * * No shocks in either lineup, with us using Molumby as our main playmaker and returning Sané to the right wing and Wouters to the anchor. For Düsseldorf the biggest surprise is seeing Appelkamp in a deeper role, with Drexler playing in the hole instead. They still put us under heavy pressure right off the gates, and it's only six minutes until Kownacki heads wide a cross by Alzate. Next up is Drexler, volleying a cross by Narey but hitting the outside of the post instead of the back of the net, and then it's Alzate who tries a curving shot but finds Kretzschmar's gloves in the way. Meanwhile we struggle to get the ball out of the defense due to Fortuna's heavy pressure. It was coming, and in the 15th they finally hit jackpot with a cross by Alzate into another header by Kownacki, this one absolutely unstoppable. The goal seems to calm them down at least, and we enjoy some tranquil minutes while we work on recovering control of the ball and build back up from there. We do get a great chance in the 27th, our first serious approach, when Lohkemper runs on the break, pauses, then passes back to Arce. His finish is blocked, but the ball falls to Sané, who hits it first time from three meters away and somehow sends it wide. Stafylidis tries luck with a direct free kick a bit later and finds Kretzschmar ready to punch it wide, but after that both teams fail to create any more danger for the rest of the first half. HALF TIME - 0-1 The second half starts slow, with Düsseldorf being a bit conservative and us still relying on counters to create danger. After fifteen minutes and half-motivated by a knock on Wouters we decide to go for broke and switch to a 4-2-3-1, bringing Sidler, Lovera and Kabadayi in. We do look better afterwards, but also more vulnerable to counters, and only a miracle save by Kretzschmar prevents Kownacki from scoring a second in a clear chance on the break. We finally get a good chance after a steal from Sidler triggers a counter through the center, with Sané delivering the final pass towards Lohkemper and the striker's shot missing the target by inches. A few more chances end in blocked shots, and in the 88th minute a steal by Lovera triggers a break down the right by Sané, who ends up hitting the ground after a trip by Stafylidis inside the box: penalty kick, and goal from the spot by Lohkemper. Düsseldorf now need to score if they don't want to lose ground to Arminia at the top, and soon Narey is heading over the bar a cross from the left. However, that willingness to score has its drawbacks, and that's leaving lots of space at the back. Goden finds space to run into, then sends a perfect pass through the defense towards Lohkemper's run so the striker can sidestep Kastenmeier and score the 2-1 in the first minute of injury time. Fortuna are shellshocked, and allow us to hide the ball away until the game ends. * * * TSV 1860 München 2 (Felix Lohkemper 89p 90+1) Fortuna Düsseldorf 1895 1 (Dawid Kownacki 15) - - - Ladies and gentlemen, Felix Lohkemper. With lots of help from Sané's ingenuity and Goden's sudden bout of creativity, but still, what a comeback, and in what a way. We went for it and got it in the end, and we can keep dreaming for another week. Massive result. In more ways than one, too: first up, Schalke lost to Ingolstadt, so now we're third two points ahead of them. Second, Arminia take the top spot for the first time in the whole season thanks to their win. Third, neither Arminia nor Fortuna have guaranteed promotion just yet, but they both have secured at the very least the playoff. It'd take a disaster for either of them to drop off the promotion places, though. We're also now guaranteed to finish 4th or better after Fürth's home defeat to Dynamo Dresden, so that's something achieved at least. At the bottom, Ingolstadt's win against Schalke propels them to 29 points, six over 16th-placed Duisburg, and are almost completely safe now. St. Pauli and Sandhausen draw against each other, a result which helps neither as they both still remain in the drop zone, but now Duisburg is only one point ahead of St. Pauli and two ahead of Sandhausen, with Kiel three poins further up. Also, Wouters' injury is a damaged elbow, which wouldn't be a big deal at any other point of the season (he'd miss about two weeks) but now we need him available for the final two fixtures so we can fight for the playoff until the end. He'll be wearing protective equipment and play through it, although most likely off the bench and only if really needed.

Apr 18th 2023 Sidler and Wouters selected in the Team of the Week. Apr 19th 2023 Hertha and Hoffenheim will play in the DFB Pokal final after dispatching Leverkusen and Freiburg (second year in a row they fall in the semis) respectively. Eighth and twelfth in the Bundesliga as of right now, so a very unlikely final all things considered. Apr 22nd 2023 FC Schalke 04 (3rd) vs. TSV 1860 München (4th) (2.Bundesliga, 31/34) Well, here we go. This game is probably the most important of all four remaining ones, since a win here puts us one point behind the promotion playoff place and with a shot at stealing it from Schalke themselves in the following games, while a defeat kicks us out of the race altogether. As always, we won't be expecting much from this, but we'll sure do our best until we can't do no more. * * * SCHALKE 04 (4-3-3): Ralf Fährmann (GK); Reinhold Ranftl (DR), Malick Thiaw (DCr), Christopher Lenz (DCl), Pietro Beruatto (DL); Adrian Fein (DM), Matheus Rossetto (MCr), Michal Sadílek (MCl); Nahuel Bustos (AMR), Amine Harit (AML), Simon Terodde (ST) 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-3-3): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Silvan Sidler (DR), Niklas Lang (DCr), Christoph Kobald (DCl), Phillipp Steinhart (DL); Daniel Wein (DM), Richard Neudecker (MCr), Jayson Molumby (MCl); Tomás Fernández (AMR), Billy Arce (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) * * * Both teams face again in a 4-3-3 mirror, which ended in a goalless draw last time out in Grünwalder Strasse. Wein, Fernández, and Neudecker get the nod to start today as our two big changes, while Lang returns after his suspension. After a slow start Arce gets the first shot in, wide from the edge of the box, and we seem to emerge from the early game with a slight edge on possession and general performance. The first really good chance doesn't come until the 27th minute, a ball into space from Arce to Lohkemper that ends in a fingertip save by an excellent Fährmann. Bustos repeats on the other end with Schalke's first approach of the game, a similar run into space down the right flank and a finish that Kretzschmar deflects wide. Then, a set piece from very deep is whipped into the box by Steinhart and Kobald gets to it first to tap it in and score the 0-1, and his first since his arrival last summer. Schalke need to go on the offensive now, although they still resort to counterattacks as their main weapon. Harit has another great chance in one of those, once again stopped by Kretzschmar, but after that we manage to plug the holes completely and not allow any more chances. Our lead survives until half time. HALF TIME - 0-1 We start the second half trying to hold onto the ball, while Schalke try their luck with crosses for Terodde, one of them being headed over the bar by the striker on the 51st minute. Three minutes later a badly cleared corner kick finds its way to Harit, who then crosses towards the far post so Bustos, unmarked, can score the 1-1. Our reaction is immediate, though: cross from the right side towards the front of the box, Steinhart jumps to nod it inside, and Arce volleys it in to put us back ahead only four minutes after conceding the draw. That's a major blow to Schalke's morale, and we proceed to control the game in the following minutes while looking for the third, which would certainly be definitive. They still threaten us from time to time, though, like with a dangerous shot by Sadílek that Kretzschmar touches just enough to turn around the post. Sané could've scored the third after trading passes with Sidler for a while on the right, but Fährmann blocks his left-footed shot and sends it wide for a corner kick. The following minutes are tense for everyone but the keepers, as chances seem to dry up on both sides of the pitch. Terodde finally has a good chance near the end of regular time, but the striker can't beat a once again excellently positioned Kretzschmar. Injury time comes and goes, Fährmann tips over a good shot by Tallig, and the game ends in a fantastic win for us. The dream is alive! * * * FC Schalke 04 1 (Nahuel Bustos 54) TSV 1860 München 2 (Christoph Kobald 30, Billy Arce 58) - - - Awesome. We actually dominated Schalke in their own stadium, that's absolutely massive regardless of the result. And the result was as good as it could get, of course, so all the better. Fantastic game by Steinhart, providing both goals and being a rock in defense, except when Bustos scored his goal. This was a win built from the defense in general, with all our back players having nice performances. Still fourth, one point behind Schalke, three games to go. And if we want to be really ambitious, Arminia dropped two points this week with a home draw against Hannover, so they still are within reach seven points ahead of us. That will probably change next week but hey, a man can dream. Fürth lose again and now trail us by five points, so we're reasonably secure in the fourth place at the very least. At the bottom things are heating up even further: Sandhausen remain last with 20 points, St. Pauli would also relegate if the league ended today with 21 points, Duisburg are in the playoffs with 23, and Kiel and Ingolstadt float slightly above the danger zone with 26. It's gonna go to the wire.

Apr 8th 2023 One of our brightest young talents, attacking midfielder Helmut Franzke, suffers from torn knee ligaments during the U19s match against Bayern's kids. Of course it had to be Bayern... It shouldn't have any long-term effects on his development, thankfully, but he'll still miss what remains of the season. Apr 9th 2023 Surprise April signing! Our scouts caught sight of a 20yo American center-back who'd recently been released by Inter Miami, Ian Fray. We took him on trial, liked what we saw, and now he signs a 1-year deal with us to see how far he can go. His wages are minimal, so it's another no-risk bet. He'll join us for real come July. Apr 11th 2023 Oh hey, an actual job interview offer! Heidenheim are the first to take that step while still in the Bundesliga's drop zone. Not interested, of course, but a nice boost to one's ego for sure. Dressel makes the Team of the Week. Apr 15th 2023 Tallig will miss the Werder game and maybe the Schalke game with a twisted knee sustained in training which will keep him out of contention for about a week. Apr 17th 2023 SV Werder Bremen (12th) vs. TSV 1860 München (5th) (Bundesliga, 30/34) The least difficult of this nightmare stretch of games, Werder are still a team that can hit us hard when we least expected. We beat them in Munich, but we'll need to keep our current good form today if we're to keep pushing upwards. On that note, we have a chance of stealing the 4th place away from Fürth today, since they lost to Fortuna. * * * WERDER (4-4-2): Rubén Blanco (GK); Johannes Dörfler (DR), Dominik Plechaty (DCr), Lukas Mai (DCl), Oscar (DL); Benjamin Goller (MR), Jean-Manuel Mbom (MCr), Niklas Schmidt (MCl), Leonardo Bittencourt (ML); Marvin Ducksch (STr), Luc Ihorst (STl) 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-2-3-1): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Kevin Goden (DR), Gastón Hernández (DCr), Dries Wouters (DCl), Silvan Sidler (DL); Taylor Molumby (MCr), Dennis Dressel (MCl); Sidi Sané (AMR), Maximiliano Lovera (AMC), Billy Arce (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) * * * Back to the 4-2-3-1, with Lovera taking his place behind Lohkemper and Hernández coming in for the suspended Lang. We only need a few seconds to create danger with a pass backwards inside the box from Arce to Lohkemper, the striker's finish blocked by the defense. Werder answer with a deep free kick Kretzschmar fails to catch and Goller heads into the post. Our turn next, with Sidler crossing into Lohkemper's header and Blanco diving well to save. Possession is clearly on our side today and we keep knocking on Werder's door, Lovera being the next to get close with a low shot that the keeper saves with ease. Even better is Sané's chance on the 19th, a point-blank finish after a death pass by Arce which Blanco somehow manages to block with an incredible dive. We keep trying, Lohkemper next in line with a narrowly high 20-yarder, while Werder only manage to attack when we let them, like when Goden misses a tackle and lets Bittencourt run alone down the left, only for the winger to blast it miles away from the target. Lovera also misses the target by a lot in our next chance, shooting well over the bar after a good pass back by Lohkemper, while on the other goal a corner kick allows a dangerous header by Mbom, well held by Kretzschmar. In the end, though, neither team can break through and the first half ends still goalless. HALF TIME - 0-0 The second half starts with a missile from distance by Mbom that goes over Kretzschmar's goal, but little else in the first fifteen minutes. Fernández and Kabadayi join the fray off the bench once again, and although it takes a while, it turns out to be a key decision: 73 minutes in Molumby crosses from deep into the box and Kabadayi shakes off his marker and volleys it in, scoring his third of the season and giving us the lead we'd been deserving for a while. With the first goal in the bag things seem easier now, and soon we're back on the attack with a wide bender by Wouters. Next up is Fernández, shooting over from a tight angle after a good service from Lovera. Another bad finish by Fernández, left-footed for some reason and well over the bar, leads to injury time and Werder's first chance in forever, a header by Rapp that Kretzschmar saves without issues, then Dörfler gives us a real scare with a shot from distance that bounces off the right post. That's all they can do, though, and the game ends with another save by Blanco to Lovera's shot from the edge of the box. Another win to the pile. * * * SV Werder Bremen 0 TSV 1860 München 1 (Yusuf Kabadayi 73) - - - Kabadayi once again unlocking a difficult game off the bench. This kid's got what it takes, I say. Another solid team performance otherwise, with our starting wing players once again being the weak link, and Molumby having another great game together with an assist. He's suddenly becoming our best midfielder after being mostly irrelevant all year long. Worth noting: Wouters ended the game with 20 won headers and a 100% pass completion rate as a ball-playing defender. A good buy, that one. With this we're now fourth two points ahead of Fürth and four behind Schalke, while Fortuna and Arminia share the top position with a healthy nine-point lead on us and five on Schalke. Further back, Hamburg are now sixth but seven points behind us with twelve left to play, so we'd have to implode spectacularly to not finish at the very least fifth. Still lots of stuff to play for... Also, this result secures a top half finish for us for good, meaning we've officially speedrun the 5-year plan the board had laid out at the beginning of my current contract in a single season.

Apr 7th 2023 TSV 1860 München (5th) vs. SpVgg Greuther Fürth (4th) (2.Bundesliga, 29/34) And the nightmare section of our schedule starts, beginning with this game against fourth-placed Fürth, continuing with visits to Werder and Schalke, and finishing with a home game against Fortuna. Of course this nightmare could become the best of dreams if we manage good results in all the duels against the promotion candidates, but we know how that went the first time around. We've already done our job regardless, so we can just go out there and do our best without fear. * * * 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-3-3): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Silvan Sidler (DR), Niklas Lang (DCr), Christoph Kobald (DCl), Phillipp Steinhart (DL); Dries Wouters (DM), Erik Tallig (MCr), Dennis Dressel (MCl); Sidi Sané (AMR), Billy Arce (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) FÜRTH (4-3-1-2 narrow): Sascha Burchert (GK); Raphael Framberger (DR), Bruno Rodrigues (DCr), Nick Viergever (DCl), Jamilu Collins (DL); Tobias Raschl (MCr), Sebastian Griesback (MC), Nils Seufert (MCl); Mijat Gacinovic (AMC); Havard Nielsen (STr), Branimir Hrgota (STl) * * * First time we face against a 4-3-1-2 from the start. Our scouts say that Fürth are particularly vulnerable to attacks from the right flank, so I expect Sané could have a good day today. Their star is Hrgota, second only to Fortuna's Kownacki in goals and also one of the best assisters in the league. They certainly start looking for goals right out, with Raschi being the first to try with a high ball from distance. Our response is according to plan: run and cross by Sané, the ball eventually finds its way to Tallig, and the midfielder shoots over the bar. After Gacinovic sends a very dangerous free kick into the barrier both teams trade blows for a bit, with possession going our way but chances being evenly split. Things slow down eventually, though, and midfield play becomes dominant in the middle part of the half. Gacinovic gets close with another free kick that Kretzschmar saves with some help from the woodwork, and in the 36th we launch a quick counter with a long pass from Lang towards Lohkemper, who runs into the box but is quickly diverted to the side, losing the angle to score. No matter: pass back towards the penalty spot and Dressel comes in running to blast it in for the 1-0. It's Gacinovic once again with the reply, a cannonball from distance that Kretzschmar barely manages to block. The keeper can't do anything to stop Fürth's next chance, though: long ball towards the right so Hrgota can control and cross towards Nielsen, who shoots unopposed and draws the game. A high 20-yarder by Dressel is the last action in a very entertaining first half. HALF TIME - 1-1 Luck always plays a part in such even fixtures, and two minutes into the second half we get our yearly recommended dose: nod by Sané towards Lohkemper on the right, the striker crosses towards Arce on the far post, but Viergever intercepts... and sends the ball past Burchert and into his own goal. Oops. We do well to hold the ball afterwards, while Fürth look for ways to regain the lost ground. Meanwhile, we bring Fernández in to replace a surprisingly ineffective Sané. We enjoy a few decent chances in the following minutes, most coming from the right wing (now reinforced by Goden) and ending in either blocks or last-second tackles by the defense. Our third substitute, Kabadayi, has a good one coming in from the left and shooting into Burchert's save, following a beautiful passing play down the flank. Much better is our next chance, following a horrible back pass by Gavory that Lohkemper intercepts then sends towards Dressel, who blasts it over when he had lots of time to do better. Tallig also scoops it over from the edge of the box a bit later, as we continue our pressure and keep Fürth trapped inside their own half. That's when they escape, of course: long ball towards Nielsen and perfect run towards the unmarked Gacinovic, who runs into the box unopposed and comes across Kretzschmar's fantastic last-ditch save. Nielsen sends a shot in the following corner kick into the keeper's hands, and then time passes until Fernández gets his regularly scheduled chance to score a sitter, once again missed mostly thanks to Burchert's great intervention. The keeper also tips wide a good header by the winger already in injury time, but thankfully we don't end up regretting these misses, as the game ends and our victory is now confirmed. * * * TSV 1860 München 2 (Dennis Dressel 36, Nick Viergever 47og) SpVgg Greuther Fürth 1 (Havard Nielsen 40) - - - Nice. Very even first half, but in the second we absolutely overran them, and we should probably have scored one or two more. Glancing at you, Fernández... Solid performance once again, fifth win in a row, and the dream of promotion is still alive. Let's see where we go from here. The only bad news is Lang's fifth yellow of the season and the suspension it brings with it, but with Hernández and Wouters available we're equipped to deal with it.

Mar 23rd 2023 The yearly youth intake is here! And it's... not as good as last year's, sadly. There's three players with some promise, though: 15yo Tjark Rung could become a pretty decent left back with time and effort, and the two Balkanic center-backs Arsim Ahmeti (Kosovo) and Neven Sikira (Montenegro) could also reach a good level. Sikira is extremely tall for a 16yo at 188cm, too. The rest are mostly 3.Liga talents at best, but these three could make it farther than that. Mar 28th 2023 Heidenheim become the third Bundesliga team to show interest in me as their new manager, according to the press. Sad that it's only been the bottom three so far, but hey, small steps. Danicic pulls his ankle ligaments while playing with the U19s in the new youngsters' debut match. Nothing serious, but he'll be out for 2-3 weeks. Apr 2nd 2023 FC St. Pauli (15th) vs. TSV 1860 München (5th) (2.Bundesliga, 28/34) Well, St. Pauli's season can already be considered a failure. Now it's just a matter of how big of a disaster it'll be, because relegation to the 3.Liga would be tremendous for a squad like them. And if they lose today they'll slip into the playoff position with Ingolstadt sneaking ahead of them, so yeah. Too bad for them, because we want to push as much as we can and see if we can put some pressure on the promotion playoff place, just for kicks. * * * ST. PAULI (4-4-2): Nikola Vasilj (GK); Luca Zander (DR), Eric Smith (DCr), Jakob Medic (DCl), Leart Paqarada (DL); Iker Bravo (MR), Mads Bidstrup (MCr), Christopher Buchtmann (MCl), Daniel Kofi Kyereh (ML); Lee Dong-Jun (STr), Guido Burgstaller (STl) 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-3-3): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Kevin Goden (DR), Gastón Hernández (DCr), Christoph Kobald (DCl), Phillipp Steinhart (DL); Dries Wouters (DM), Richard Neudecker (MCr), Jayson Molumby (MCl); Sidi Sané (AMR), Billy Arce (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) * * * St. Pauli have gone from an ultra-narrow formation in the first half of the season to the complete opposite now. Meanwhile we rotate our whole midfield and part of our defense to give some players more minutes of play, particularly Steinhart and Neudecker, whose futures might be up in the air. It's a slow start for both teams today, but St. Pauli get lucky with their very first approach and Smith heads in a corner kick to put his team ahead with only twelve minutes played. Four minutes later we answer in kind, with Arce heading a corner kick into Vasalj's save, only for the loose ball to find its way back to Steinhart, who crosses towards Sané for an easy point-blank finish. Two corners, two goals. We're not done yet, though, and after a counterattack in which we stumble our way into their box the ball reaches Arce on the left and another cross towards the center finds Molumby, who shoots first time to score the 1-2 and his first goal of the year. Burgstaller has a great chance to pull level again for St. Pauli thanks to terrible concentration on our part when defending a set piece, but thankfully the striker scoops it well over the goal. Kyereh actually scores in a quick break down the left, but VAR disallows it for offside. We try to tighten up and slow play down after those scares, and while for the most part it works, there's still another good chance for Kyereh in the last minutes of the first half, thankfully well saved by Kretzschmar. We keep our lead until the break, but only just. HALF TIME - 1-2 Things don't improve after half time, and soon Kretzschmar has to save another finish from close, this time by Burgstaller. High headers by the same striker and Kyereh follow, and every ball we lose in attack suddenly becomes a dangerous counterattack we struggle to defend. We don't get anywhere close to Vasilj's goal until the 67th with a wide shot from distance by Goden, but that's the sign of a change in the flow of the game. Soon it's us striking fear with our counters and Sané the one enjoying one-on-ones against Vasilj, who manages to keep both his and Lohkemper's follow up out of his net. After a while, though, we settle with keeping possession and trying to run out the clock, and this time it works a treat. St. Pauli never get another chance, and we end up stealing the three points in what was actually a quite even game. * * * FC St. Pauli 1 (Eric Smith 12) TSV 1860 München 2 (Sidi Sané 16, Jayson Molumby 18) - - - All the goals in a six-minute period, but the game was actually quite entertaining even outside that time. Both teams traded blows, with both having their times when they were clearly superior, and in the end we just took the points due to our better finishing, for once. Molumby scored his first of the season and had one of his best performances so far, actually. Meanwhile our two playmakers, Neudecker and Tallig, keep outdoing each other in mediocrity. Our midfield might need some tuning up for next season...

Mar 15th 2023 Been a while since we had any international callups, and with the first international break since the World Cup around the corner, we get some good news: Morgalla, Kabadayi, and 16yo goalkeeper Andy Anheier are included in the German U19 side, while Jayson Molumby gets a call for the senior Irish team. Mar 19th 2023 TSV 1860 München (5th) vs. SV Darmstadt 98 (9th) (2.Bundesliga, 27/34) As mentioned, a game that could define if we end the season looking up or down. A win secures us in the top eight and sends Darmstadt eleven points behind us, while a defeat sees us probably losing the fifth place and the distances with the bottom half shortening. We've been looking good in the last few games, so I'm confident of a result here, particularly given their form lately has been terrible. * * * 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-3-3): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Kevin Goden (DR), Niklas Lang (DCr), Christoph Kobald (DCl), Silvan Sidler (DL); Daniel Wein (DM), Erik Tallig (MCr), Dennis Dressel (MCl); Sidi Sané (AMR), Billy Arce (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) DARMSTADT (3-2-2-1-2): Marcel Schuhen (GK); Jannik Müller (DCr), Nemanja Celic (DC), Patrick Pfeiffer (DCl); Matthias Bader (WBr), Fabian Holland (WBl); Klaus Gjasula (MCr), Yannick Deichmann (MCl); Marvin Mehlem (AMC); Alexander Schmidt (STr), Phillip Tietz (STl) * * * We go back to 4-3-3 against Darmstadt's 3-5-2, the memories of our disaster against HSV still fresh, but with the tranquillity of knowing that results elsewhere have guaranteed our survival already. Deichmann starts today for Darmstadt in his return to Grünwalder Strasse, only his fifth of the season, and his team don't exactly get to a good start today: quick counter through the center with many first-touch passes ending with Dressel opening it up for the completely unmarked Sané when everyone, keeper included, expected a shot. This allows the winger to place the ball into the net unopposed and score the opener. Darmstadt try an instant answer through Bader's cross into Tietz's header, but the ball sails over the bar. Possession is almost perfectly split, but both teams look more dangerous when running on the break, like Mehlem does in the 18th minutes only to shoot wide when put under pressure by Kobald. Immediately after, though, a bad pass by Wein when building up our play allows Tietz to steal the ball and shoot, surprising Kretzschmar and scoring the 1-1. It doesn't last, however, and on the 20th minute a rare cross by Kobald, who happened to be in the attack zone after a set piece, finds its way to Lohkemper, who then shoots from the edge of the box into the underside of the bar and in, putting us back ahead. Both teams keep trading blows afterwards, the most dangerous of which is a header by Dressel that Schuhen dives well into and holds. We start holding the ball more then, keeping Darmstadt at bay for the rest of the first half except for a chip from distance by Mehlem that skims the top of the bar and goes over. Then, in injury time, a steal by Dressel allows us to launch a quick counter which ends with the midfielder falling inside the box after a trip by Diechmann. VAR confirms the penalty kick, and Lohkemper converts it to put ourselves two goals ahead right before half time. HALF TIME - 3-1 Darmstadt need goals quickly, and they try to find them from distance through Gjasula, who shoots over the target very early in the second half. Our answer is a rare individual run by Goden, who finds himself with all the space in the world and goes all the way to the box before shooting a high ball. A shot from the edge of the box by the other full back, Sidler, goes much closer and actually forces Schuhen to dive and tip it wide. Kabadayi then comes into the game, bringing some new energy to our left wing and a surprisingly close direct free kick, only a few inches wide. A great interception by Kobald prevents a dangerous finish by Schmidt a bit later, then Sidler surprises with another finish on the other end of the pitch, once again deflected wide by Schuhen. The keeper also holds a dangerous finish by Tallig in the corner kick that follows, then watches as Kabadayi's header flies harmlessly over only one minute before full time. Darmstadt don't find a way to threaten us, and our win is confirmed soon after. * * * TSV 1860 München 3 (Sidi Sané 4, Felix Lohkemper 20 45+3p) SV Darmstadt 98 1 (Phillip Tietz 18) --- Good football match, this one. Lots of chances on both sides of the pitch, good individual performances, and goals, what more can you ask for? A shame for Wein's mistake because otherwise we would've won this much more clearly, but it's still a very good result for us. Fürth drop points today in a defeat to Schalke, so we creep a bit closer to the fourth place while leaving the ninth place, now Paderborn's, ten points behind.

Mar 6th 2023 Bär will be sent home for about two weeks as he recovers from a late case of winter flu. He hasn't been playing much, and giving how he's dropping off about as fast as Lex and Salger did despite being two years younger, it seems clear that his contract won't be extended this summer. That hip injury seems to have done a number on him, he just hasn't been the same afterwards. Mar 10th 2023 SSV Jahn Regensburg (13th) vs. TSV 1860 München (5th) (Bundesliga, 26/34) Regensburg have spent most of the season idling their time away in the lower end of the pack, never quite making it out of the bottom half. Should be a normal game with little significance for either team, but we have one extra motivation today: putting at least a couple past Hiller. We owe him for being the main culprit behind our first defeat of this season. * * * REGENSBURG (4-4-2): Marco Hiller (GK); Steve Breitkreuz (DR), Tim Rieder (DCr), Souleymane Diaby (DCl), Andrija Raznatovic (DL); Benedikt Saller (MR), Max Besuschkow (MCr), Majeed Ashimeru (MCl), Marin Popovic (ML); Andreas Albers (STr), Anthony Ujah (STl) 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-2-3-1): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Kevin Goden (DR), Niklas Lang (DCr), Dries Wouters (DCl), Silvan Sidler (DL); Taylor Molumby (MCr), Dennis Dressel (MCl); Sidi Sané (AMR), Erik Tallig (AMC), Billy Arce (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) * * * Arce is back in action today, while Lovera takes a bit of a rest to let Tallig play in the hole, since he did well there off the bench last day. Our revenge against Hiller takes exactly three minutes to consumate: free kick taken from the right flank by Arce and powerful header by Sané on the far post to score the 0-1 before either team has had a chance to settle down on the pitch. The keeper couldn't do much there, but he can and does against Arce in our next chance following a neat long ball from Molumby. He also dives well to block a bicycle kick by Sané, more spectacular than effective, but we're still looking quite good in this early game, putting them under constant pressure and not letting them build up any attacks. Twenty-two minutes into the game another set piece allows Lang a fantastic chance to make it two for us, but he sends a clear-cut chance wide. Our attack rate slows down after a while, but Regensburg don't look any more likely to break out of their shell either. A couple more minor chances and the first half ends with us ahead. HALF TIME - 0-1 Lohkemper finally shows up in the third minute of the second half, but not for good reason, as he volleys wide a cross by Sidler when it looked like he was certain to score from point-blank. He does much better assisting Arce for another run into space, although this time it's Hiller who's there to block the final shot. Regensburg finally show some teeth up front with a cross from the right and a finish from close by Ujah, well blocked by Lang for a corner kick. A knock to Sané then takes him out of the game, hopefully nothing serious. Things slow down for a while then, just like they did in the first half, and only a run by Fernández on the right before passing back to Dressel's high ball from the edge of the box seems to break the monotony. On the other goal Kretzschmar shows his quality with a beautiful save to Breitkreuz's dangerous half-volley from the right side of the box, and then holds with both hands Günther's header in the corner kick that follows. Thins smell of danger now that time is starting to get short. Then, on the 81st, a quick one-two between Fernández and Lohkemper ends with the striker shooting with precision past Hiller to score the 0-2 in style. Could've been a 0-3 only two minutes later but, while Fernández did well with his assist earlier, he still can't finish a good chance for his life, and sends another one-on-one straight into the keeper's hands. Another save by Hiller prevents Arce from scoring after gathering a clearance from the defense, and thus the game reaches its end. Good win today. * * * SSV Jahn Regensburg 0 TSV 1860 München 2 (Sidi Sané 3, Felix Lohkemper 81) - - - Objective accomplished, sir. To make things better, Fernández finally showed his quality with a good performance and assist off the bench, although he still can't score for his life. Regardless, another good result to keep us firmly entrenched in the fifth place with only eight games left in the season. Even better, Sané's injury is nothing serious, just a bruise on the ribs that'll heal within a day or two. I'm keeping track of jobs I'm linked to just for posterity's sake, not because I'd be interested in any move away from München right now, but here's another: Union Berlin just sacked Torsten Lieberknecht and I've been touted as a candidate for the job, even though the club has never contacted me, not do I expect them to. They're currently 16th in the Bundesliga, making them the best-placed team yet to show any interest. Soon I'll be able to say no to Bayern at this rate. Now that's the dream... * * * | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | GD | Pts | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Fortuna Düsseldorf | 26 | 17 | 5 | 4 | 53 | 24 | 29 | 56 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Arminia Bielefeld | 26 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 50 | 24 | 26 | 53 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Schalke 04 | 26 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 43 | 18 | 25 | 51 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Greuther Fürth | 26 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 47 | 30 | 17 | 51 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | 1860 München | 26 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 39 | 26 | 13 | 44 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Hamburg | 26 | 12 | 6 | 8 | 32 | 25 | 7 | 42 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Hannover 96 | 26 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 32 | 29 | 3 | 42 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Nürnberg | 26 | 12 | 5 | 9 | 33 | 28 | 5 | 41 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Darmstadt | 26 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 31 | 32 | -1 | 36 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | SC Paderborn | 26 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 32 | 30 | 2 | 34 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Werder Bremen | 26 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 33 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Dynamo Dresden | 26 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 29 | 39 | -10 | 33 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Jahn Regensburg | 26 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 32 | 36 | -4 | 30 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Holstein Kiel | 26 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 33 | 51 | -18 | 25 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | St. Pauli | 26 | 6 | 3 | 17 | 32 | 52 | -20 | 21 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Duisburg | 26 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 25 | 48 | -23 | 20 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Ingolstadt | 26 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 24 | 49 | -25 | 20 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Sandhausen | 26 | 3 | 6 | 17 | 21 | 47 | -26 | 15 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Ups and downs in the last nine matches, but somehow we find ourselves exactly in the same place we were at the start: heading the mid-table pack. Even better, said pack seems to be splitting in two around the 9th place, and we actually host Darmstadt next so there's a great chance to make sure we finish in the top half at the very least. Going any higher than fifth would be a difficult ask, though, considering we have a pretty difficult schedule for these remaining fixtures and we'd require at least one of Fürth and Schalke to start throwing points away, but it's not impossible. What we can say, though, is that we're one point away from being officially and mathematically safe from relegation: 24 points to Duisburg and Ingolstadt, 24 points left to play for. That's success already, anything else is gravy. And extra prize money, of course! The two important battles remain undecided, mostly because Fortuna seem to have decided it's a good moment to enter a slump, and have two defeats and three draws in their last five games. Arminia actually had a chance to catch up to them this last week, but they threw it with a defeat to Duisburg. Now there's four teams in five points and anything can still happen up there. Things are also getting feisty at the bottom, with only Sandhausen having it really tough to get out of the hole. Ingolstadt and Duisburg are separated by two goals, St. Pauli is just one point ahead, and even Holstein Kiel shouldn't feel too comfortable in their position. If any of them can chain two or three good results in a row and secure the direct duels, they'll be safe. It's gonna be a fun end to the season... PLAYER STATS ============ Average rating (min. 9 games played): Felix Lohkemper 7.34 (19(2) apps) Gastón Hernández 7.30 (20 apps) Daniel Wein 7.21 (13(3) apps) Niklas Lang 7.15 (14(1) apps) Kevin Goden 7.05 (18(4) apps) Special mentions to Dries Wouters (7.42 in 4 apps) and Yusuf Kabadayi (7.09 in 3(4) apps) Goals: Felix Lohkemper 15 goals Billy Arce 7 Sidi Sané 3 Dennis Dressel 3 Marcel Bär 3 Assists: Sidi Sané 4 assists Dennis Dressel 4 Billy Arce 4 Maximiliano Lovera 4 3 players 3

Mar 3rd 2023 TSV 1860 München (5th) vs. MSV Duisburg (16th) (2.Bundesliga, 25/34) Just like Ingolstadt had just escaped the red zone when we met them, so has Duisburg now that we're facing them, bringing Ingolstadt back down. St. Pauli and Kiel are starting to run away from both of them and Sandhausen, though, so it looks like a matter of three when it comes to relegation now. They'll want a win to subvert that, or at least to consolidate themselves in the playoff place, but our job is to get the points and keep them down. * * * 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-2-3-1): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Silvan Sidler (DR), Niklas Lang (DCr), Gastón Hernández (DCl), Phillipp Steinhart (DL); Richard Neudecker (MCr), Dennis Dressel (MCl); Sidi Sané (AMR), Maximiliano Lovera (AMC), Yusuf Kabadayi (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) DUISBURG (4-4-2): Patrick Wiegers (GK); Antonios Papadopoulos (DR), Rolf Fletcher (DCr), Marvin Knoll (DCl), Aleksandar Ignjovski (DL); Alaa Bakir (MR), Marvin Bakalorz (MCr), Niclas Stierlin (MCl), Aaron Seydel (ML); Orhan Ademi (STr), Dennis Borkowski (STl) * * * Lohkemper returns to the lineup, together with Neudecker and Steinhart, although it's likely that all three will need replaced in the second half. Another start for Kabadayi on the left, too, ahead of Fernández. It's another rainy evening in the Bavarian winter, in which Duisburg line up almost the same as they did in our previous meeting. For once we look dominant from the start, although Steinhart has to do his job with a great one-on-one save against Bakir on the 12th minute while we stick to a few long shots and weak headers here and there, at least until Lohkemper gets finally involved and assists Sané inside the box, the winger's finish blocked by Knoll. It takes until the 31st minute for us to get close once again thanks to a narrowly high free kick by Steinhart, even though the ball is still under our control most of the time. Wiegers has to intervent to save another free kick by our left back three minutes later, and then it's Kabadayi assisting Lohkemper with a through ball, but the striker can't get past the keeper with his finish. Finally, on the 42nd, Sané receives the ball near the edge of the box and the winger dribbles his way inside to the right before crossing low back towards the center, where Lohkemper shows up to tap it in and score the 1-0. With that and little else, the first half ends. HALF TIME - 1-0 Duisburg try to attack a bit more in the second half, starting with a cross by Bakir into Borkowski's wide header. Same thing for their second attempt, only this time the ball goes over the bar. We answer with a great ball from Hernández to Sané, Wiegers stops his finish, then dives back into his goal to miraculously block the follow-up by Kabadayi. Another great ball by the defender towards Kabadayi kickstars another chance, finished by Tallig and tipped over by the keeper. The tide completely turned, now it's Dressel's turn to try luck from distance, but his 20-yarder hits the crossbar and deflects away. Another curler by Tallig finds Wiegers' glove on the way to the top corner, but the second goal is sure to be coming soon at this rate. That's when the game slows down, of course, and the chances stop flowing freely like before. We restart things with a high free kick by Dressel on the 74th, but it takes fourteen more minutes for another chance to appear, this time a run into space by Sané that ends in another great save by Wiegers, not leaving any gap uncovered. Duisburg don't seem able nor willing go profit from our wastefulness, thankfully, and after an uneventful injury time the match ends in our victory. * * * TSV 1860 München 1 (Felix Lohkemper 42) MSV Duisburg 0 - - - About time we managed to beat Duisburg, really. Today it was thorough domination but terrible finishing for us, somewhat reminiscent of our exploits last season. Thankfully Lohkemper put in the one he had, otherwise we might be talking about another unfair draw. We ended the game with a xG of 2.82 for Duisburg's 0.39. Solid performance overall, with our center-backs in particular having a very good day in defense, and another good show by Kabadayi, who keeps growing day by day.

Feb 21st 2023 Sidler, Wouters, and Hernández almost fill the whole defense in the Team of the Weak. Feb 24th 2023 Hannover 96 (8th) vs. TSV 1860 München (5th) (2.Bundesliga, 24/34) Hannover seem to have picked up the pace, although most certainly too late to mount a serious push for promotion. They're at least in a form good enough to stay in the top half, and we'll have to be at our best today if we're to get anything out of this match. * * * HANNOVER (3-2-2-2-1): Ron-Robert Zieler (GK); Cédric Kipré (DCr), Josip Stanisic (DC), Amos Pieper (DCl); Jakub Kaminski (WBR), Andreas Poulsen (WBL); Johannes Geis (MCr), Svante Ingelsson (MCl); Armindo Sieb (AMCr), Dominik Kaiser (AMCl); Ishak Belfodil (ST) 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-3-3): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Kevin Goden (DR), Niklas Lang (DCr), Christoph Kobald (DCl), Silvan Sidler (DL); Dries Wouters (DM), Erik Tallig (MCr), Dennis Dressel (MCl); Sidi Sané (AMR), Maximiliano Lovera (AML), Tomás Fernández (ST) * * * Lohkemper, Steinhart, and Neudecker all make the bench today, already recovered from their injuries but short in fitness for a complete match. Hannover's 3-6-1 variant is one we hadn't seen since losing to Kaiserslautern at home last season, so not particularly good vibes there. Still, it only takes us three minutes for Dressel to cross low into the box so Lovera can control, turn around and shoot right-footed past Zieler to score the 0-1. A weak header by Sieb is Hannover's first response, but their second is much more dangerous: through ball to Belfodil, who outspeeds Kobald and shoots across the goal to score the 1-1 with only eight minutes played. Quite the start of the match. Lovera continues monopolizing our danger, sending a direct free kick towards the top left corner and forcing Zieler to a difficult save. Fernández also has a fantastic chance following a great assist from Sané, but once again his finishing fails him and the ball ends up bouncing off the post when he was through the defense and with only Zieler ahead. His second chance, this time after a long ball from Sidler, meets the gloves of the keeper instead. Things look set for a draw at half time despite our great chances, but in injury time a long throw-in by Ingelsson finds Poulsen absolutely unmarked and the wingback rifles it in from close to score the second, giving Hannover the lead just before half time. HALF TIME - 2-1 After reassuring the players that they were doing fine despite the result, we start looking for the draw from the get-go, forcing Hannover into their own half. A high ball by Tallig and a blocked shot by Lovera are our first approaches, and our pressure only intensifies once Lohkemper makes his much expected return to action. It's Lovera who has our next chance, though, a difficult finish from a tight angle that Zieler pushes away with more trouble than expected. Another injury returnee, Steinhart, also makes his reappearence with a direct free kick straight into the woodwork. We're dominating and deserving to score, but the goal just doesn't seem to want to come and time keeps running out. Even Neudecker tries luck from distance, also hitting the crossbar with thirteen minutes on the clock. Hannover finally decide to show up near Kretzschmar's goal with a wide header by Belfodil a bit later, which Fernández follows up with a narrowly high belter from distance. We pour ourselves on the attack in the final minutes, but the result doesn't change at all, and the three points stay in Hannover. * * * Hannover 96 2 (Ishak Belfodil 8, Andread Poulsen 45+3) TSV 1860 München 1 (Maximiliano Lovera 3) - - - Unfair result, bad finishing, yadda yadda, we've been here before. Today was particularly egregious, though, as we more than doubled Hannover in shots at goal yet came out empty-handed in the end. Umpteenth disappointing game for Fernández, who's gonna find himself out of the starting eleven as soon as Lohkemper is back in full fitness, and I don't care one bit if his team protests. For all I raged about Lovera in the early season, at least he did something useful from time to time. Fernández only misses sitters.

Feb 12th 2023 And now it's Werder who apparently are interested in me. Well, that'd be an interesting job for sure, but again, not now. Call me back when 1860 have won the Bundesliga. Feb 16th 2023 Here I was thinking that it was nice most of our injured players would be back in action soon, and there goes Wein twisting his ankle in training. We'll be without him for 3-4 weeks, which means Wouters will be the default starter at the anchor whenever we play 4-3-3 during this time. Feb 17th 2023 TSV 1860 München (5th) vs FC Ingolstadt 04 (16th) (Bundesliga, 23/34) More relegation candidates, with Ingolstadt having just escaped the direct drop zone after defeating Werder last week, pushing Duisburg into the hole instead. Regardless, this is a game we should be winning, injuries or not. * * * 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-2-3-1): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Kevin Goden (DR), Gastón Hernández (DCr), Dries Wouters (DCl), Silvan Sidler (DL); Jayson Molumby (MCr), Erik Tallig (MCl); Tomás Fernández (AMR), Maximiliano Lovera (AMC), Yusuf Kabadayi (AML), Billy Arce (ST) INGOLSTADT (4-4-2 diamond narrow): Fabijan Buntic (GK); Dejan Sorescu (DR), Visar Musliu (DCr), Korbinian Burger (DCl), Stefano Celozzi (DL); Tobias Schröck (DM), Marc Stendera (MCr), Merlin Röhl (MCl), Christopher Scott (AMC); Filip Bilbija (STr), Valmir Sulejmani (STl) * * * Start for Kabadayi as a reward for his latest good performances off the bench. He soon rewards us with a fantastic pass towards Fernández, who runs into the box and smashes his finish into Buntic, because of course he does. We still have a hard time holding the ball against such an overloaded midfield, though, and Ingolstadt also have their great chance to score on the 18th, a run into space by Sorescu that ends with the ball sent into the stratosphere by the full back. Slowly, very slowly, we start taking control of the situation, even after Arce takes a blow to the knee that leaves him reeling. On the 32nd minute a long passing play in and all around the box finally finds a gap on the left, with Sidler assisting Kabadayi so the youngster places it into the back of the net through the gap left by Buntic at the near post. The rest of the half is a calm affair, with only Tallig trying luck from distance but finding the keeper well positioned. Not the best of halves, but we're still ahead. HALF TIME - 1-0 Things remain tense but not particularly sharp in attack after the break, with Bilbija only managing a high header in a corner kick to break the tedium. We produce very little, too, even after bringing Dressel and Sané into the game, and it takes us until the 71st to get a shot in, even if it's a terribly high attempt by Wouters. A weak finish by Sané after a good run down the right on the 84th and a high ball by substitute striker Ferati already in injury time are the only half-relevant things to happen afterwards. This borefest ends in our win, and that's the best that can be said about it. * * * TSV 1860 München 1 (Yusuf Kabadayi 32) FC Ingolstadt 04 0 - - - Poor win, but still worth three points. We would've been in trouble today if Ingolstadt had half decent accuracy in their finishing, but then again if they did they wouldn't be as deep in trouble as they are. Meanwhile Kabadayi scores again and keeps showing the South American loanees how it's done. Good work by the defensive unit, too. Arce suffers pulled knee ligaments after that knock on his knee during the first half, he'll miss three weeks. Lohkemper can't return soon enough...

Feb 7th 2023 Arce and Lovera are selected in the Team of the Week, both very deservingly so. Looks like Dortmund won't be repeating last year's win in the DFB Pokal this year, as they just got defeated by Hoffenheim in the quarterfinals. In fact this round was the bane of all three top favourites, with Bayern losing 3-2 to Leverkusen and Hertha defeating RB Leipzig on penalties. Freiburg will be the fourth team in a wide open semifinal round. Feb 11th 2023 Holstein Kiel (14th) vs. TSV 1860 München (5th) (2.Bundesliga, 22/38) Kiel have managed a few good results lately which have propelled them six points away from the relegation battle happening right below them. They're now deep in no-man's land seven points away from Regensburg in 13th and with the constant threat of being pulled back into the mix should their form slip just a bit. Meanwhile, we should be building up on our win against Arminia and try and put some pressure on the promotion hopefuls ahead of us. * * * KIEL (4-3-3): Ioannis Gelios (GK); Eduardo Fereira (DR), Florian Ballas (DCr), Stefan Thesker (DCl), Sandro Theler (DL); Patrick Erras (DM), Gianluca Gaudino (MCr), Steven Skrzybski (MCl); Holmbert Fridjónsson (AMR), Florian Pick (AML), Joel Pohjanpalo (ST) 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-2-3-1): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Kevin Goden (DR), Niklas Lang (DCr), Christoph Kobald (DCl), Silvan Sidler (DL); Jayson Molumby (MCr), Dennis Dressel (MCl); Marcel Bär (AMR), Maximiliano Lover (AMC), Tomás Fernández (AML), Billy Arce (ST) * * * Back to the 4-2-3-1 for today, still without Lohkemper so Arce takes the point once again. Goden and Bär return to the lineup, while Sané is on the bench ready to feature in the second half. Even game in the initial minutes, with Kiel getting a first look at goal with a wide header by Pohjanpalo four minutes in. Ballas gets much closer in a corner kick eight minutes later, hitting the crossbar and bouncing away from any prospective finishers. We slowly increase our possession rate, although we struggle a lot when it comes to reaching Gelios' goal. Things slow down even further after the first fifteen minutes pass, not helped by a downpour that starts halfway through the first half. A curler by Pick on the 36th minute goes wide to Kretzschmar's left in the only further action in the whole half, other than Goden having to be replaced by Danicic seconds before the end due to a hand injury. HALF TIME - 0-0 We look much sharper after some tweaking in the dressing room, and soon after kick off Fernández and Arce enjoy a good double chance, but Gelios stops the first and a defender gets in the way of the second. Sané soon replaces Bär to give us a bit more bite on the right, while Kabadayi takes the place of a once again very ineffective Fernández. Then, on the 64th, Kiel's first approach of the half ends with the ball at substitute Santiago Rodríguez's feet inside the small box and the winger, helped by Kretzschmar's ill-advised rush, scores the 1-0 with ease. We pour forward looking for the draw, and in the 76th our left flank finally produces when Danicic assists an unmarked Kabadayi so the youngster can bet Gelios' soft hands with his finish and grab the 1-1, and his first senior goal for us. Not much happens in the following minutes, with both teams vying for dominance but neither getting anywhere close to the winner, except for a surprise strike by Mehlem in injury time in which Kretzschmar redeems himself with a fine and decisive save. In the end, a fair draw. * * * Holstein Kiel 1 (Santiago Rodríguez 64) TSV 1860 München 1 (Yusuf Kabadayi 76) - - - Well, here's the thirty-fifth point, yay? Not exactly the best of matches, but I'll take an away draw even if it comes after a subpar performance. Good goal by Kabadayi, too, hopefully the first of many. He's been having some good performances as of late as an impact sub, and looks ready to take an starting place soon.

Jan 31st 2023 Transfer window closes today! For once we're expected to do quite a bit of business with all the wage space (and some cash) we've got from the Salger and Moll deals. We got a few players on trial, mostly South American young players who just recently saw their deals expire and might have some promise for the future, but we also want someone for the first team, ideally a defender, even more ideally someone who can play both center and full back. The first big thing to happen is Aue coming with a loan offer for Steinhart, with a €170k optional fee attached. Nowhere close to enough, and right now it'd take something really big for me to get rid of any of my (few) full backs. Rejected, but if they come back with an actual transfer offer around €450k-€500k I might think about it. Second, we secure a loan move for one of our young players, Cameron Harper, who moves to Hankofen until the end of the season to get some minutes in his legs. Depending on how he does there he'll possibly earn a new contract for next season. Phil Zimmermann, the center-back we signed together with Harper and who broke a foot in a training fall a couple of months ago, also moves on loan while still recovering from his injury, to Ammerthal in his case. Same deal for him, although with more lenience since he's one year younger and his development will naturally have suffered from his injury. And finally, an actual signing for us: Serbian 23yo left back Damjan Danicic moves to TSV on a free transfer after spending a few days on trial with us, following the expiration of his contract with Dinamo Zagreb. His deal is for one year and a half at €2.3k per week, quite cheap, and he should be good enough to give us another solid option on the left, thanks to his good pace, tackling, and crossing. He's still young enough to improve, too, which makes him a pretty good bet as a mid-term replacement for 30-year-old Steinhart. We also seal a deal for the next season to bring 24yo Italian winger Alessio Tribuzzi from Frosinone to 1860 on a free transfer come July. A player I've had on my radar for a while, he's best played as a right winger although he's also competent as a central midfielder and attacking midfielder. With solid all-around ability in both creation and finalization duties, he's the natural replacement for Bär, even having similar ability in the air. With Bär on the wrong side of 30 and showing signs of decline after his last hip injury, it's very likely he'll be released at the end of this season and Tribuzzi will slot right into his place in the rotation. It wouldn't be a transfer window closing day without a silly offer from Paderborn. This time it's a €62k offer for Goden with a 20% of future profits clause attached. Try five times that and we might talk, guys. They come back a bit later with a somewhat improved offer (€93k rising to €125k) but still not even close to enough. And finally, our first paying transfer so far: Dries Wouters, 26yo Belgian center-back-slash-defensive-midfielder, joins from Schalke in exchange for €105k, which will rise to €125k once he plays 50 league games for us. A very solid performer in both of his favoured positions, he comes to replace Moll on paper, but will also become our fourth center-back and rotate with Kobald as our starting ball-playing defender when he's not needed in midfield. Not particularly creative, he's exactly what we need for that role: someone defensive-minded, strong in the air, and who knows how to position himself to stop opposing attacks. His contract will be worth €6k per week until June 2025, a very fair price for a player of his level. And with that the transfer window closes, and our team is settled for what remains of the season. We'll still hunt down some more expiring contracts for the next one during the coming months, of course. Feb 3rd 2023 Our injury list grows a bit longer today as Neudecker pulls his knee ligaments in training. He'll be out for at least two weeks. At least Sané should be back soon. Feb 4th 2023 TSV 1860 München (6th) vs. DSC Arminia Bielefeld (2nd) (2.Bundesliga, 21/34) This is a quite rough start of the second half of the season, makes me wonder how we managed to do so well at the beginning with the same set of fixtures... Bielefeld are currently one of two teams in the league (Schalke being the other one) capable of keeping pace with Fortuna Düsseldorf, and as a result they look pretty solid in the second place. A third defeat in a row would be troubling, so let's do our best to avoid it. * * * 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-3-3): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Silvan Sidler (DR), Niklas Lang (DCr), Gastón Hernández (DCl), Damjan Danicic (DL); Dries Wouters (DM), Erik Tallig (MCr), Jayson Molumby (MCl); Tomás Fernández (AMR), Billy Arce (AML), Maximiliano Lovera (ST) BIELEFELD (4-2-3-1): Stefan Ortega (GK); Kilian Fischer (DR), Nathan de Medina (DCr), Eric Martel (DCl), George Bello (DL); Burak Ince (MCr), Alessandro Schöpft (MCl); Masaya Okugawa (AMR), Sarpreet Singh (AMC), Ilyas Chouaref (AML); Daishawn Redan (ST) * * * Wouters and Danicic get starts today, the latter out of necessity since he and Sidler are our only available full backs, unless we count Wein. Arce and Lovera trade positions in the attack, hoping for better performances from both. Bielefeld hold the ball in the first minutes, soon sending a cross for Redan to head into Kretzschmar's arms. Once again we struggle to have the ball due to their high pressing lines, while Bielefeld keep pumping the ball into the box for their forwards to try and finish, Chouaref the next to try and find Kretzschmar in the way. Things seem to slowly improve for us possession-wise, although still trailing and still allowing good chances, the best a run into space by Redan that ends with the ball hitting the post and bouncing clear. Kretzschmar has more work to do when Okugawa shoots from the edge of the box a bit later, and it's obvious that something has to change. We try moving Fernández to the center and Lovera to the right, and suddenly things click: Wouters sends a long pass over the defense into Arce's run, and the inside forward rounds Ortega to score the 1-0, literally in our first chance of the game. It couldn't last, though, and not much later Ince sends a through ball of his own towards Redan and the striker beats Kretzschmar to make things level once again. We get a last-second chance to grab the lead in injury time thanks to a set piece finished by Lang on the far post, but Ortega dives to block his finish and the draw stays until half time. HALF TIME - 1-1 Possession seems more equally split after the break, although the first good chance of the second half falls to Chouaref, who curls a shot wide after a dangerous counterattack. We answer with a counter of our own, Lovera running down the right and passing back to Fernández, but the final shot is blocked by a defender when Ortega looked beaten. A double chance for Lovera and Fernández follows, both of their finishes well parried by the keeper, and things seem to be slowly turning our way. Kabadayi and Dressel come into the game soon after, looking to give us that final push. Chances keep coming, although always lacking in finishing until in the 70th minute Lovera finds Kabadayi with space ahead, the youngster runs into the box, and is tripped by Schlöpf for a VAR penalty. Arce doesn't miss from the spot and our lead is back on. This time Arminia can't get an instant reply, mostly thanks to Chouaref blasting the ball horribly wide when alone against Kretzschmar just five minutes later. Things seem to slow down after that, much to our relief, and only a weak header by Lovera easily caught by Ortega breaks the midfield play in the next ten minutes. Immediately after, though, a long ball by Wouters towards Lovera finds the forward with lots of space to run and cross from, and he does so to find Arce unmarked for an easy first-time finish and his first hattrick with TSV, putting the game beyond any doubt with five minutes on the clock. Or well, that was the idea, but a quick run down the right ends with a death pass from Prietl to Chouaref, who doesn't miss from point blank and makes it 3-2 on the 88th. There are no more problems beyond that, though, and we score a massive win to put us back in the right track. * * * TSV 1860 München 3 (Billy Arce 28 71p 85) DSC Arminia Bielefeld 2 (Daishawn Redan 36, Ilyas Chouaref 88) - - - Now that was unexpected, particularly after the first thirty minutes or so in which Bielefeld basically dominated us at our own game. We did well enough to survive that, though, and from then on the game was all ours, minus their counterattacks. Moving Lovera to the right seems to have been the right move today, he became much more participative and dangerous there. Fernández remains a disappointment so far, though, no matter where he plays he looks out of place. Good show by the new guys, too, particularly Wouters. One more point for the thirty-five! Huh, apparently Karlsruhe might be interested in signing me as their manager? Not sure if just rumormongering or something more substantial to it, but in any case I remain focused on 1860 until we achive all our objectives.

Jan 23rd 2023 We continue with our contract extending spree, and the next one to get that treatment is Gresler, still on loan in Türkgücü where he's doing... passably? Regardless, he gets a one year extension because he still has potential to be at least useful at a 2.Bundesliga level and we might get something out of him even if he doesn't stay beyond next summer. Jan 24th 2023 We secure our first signing for the coming season: 20yo Norwegian striker Mathias Kvistgaarden will join on a free from Brondby on a very cheap €1.5k per week deal. A young prospect with all the makings of a very interesting and complete forward, we'll take him on a one-year deal and probably loan him out to the 3.Liga to see how he does, then work from here, similar to how our two free signings earlier this season were planned to go. If he develops well we could have a very good player in our hands, and if he doesn't, well, nothing lost. Jan 25th 2023 See what I meant early about loaning Salger out being more dangerous? Now Steinhart strained his groin and will be out for 2-3 weeks, leaving us with just Goden and Sidler as actual full backs. Signing a permanent replacement for Salger now becomes a bit more important, although we still need to get rid of Moll first. Actually Salger himself hasn't left just yet either... Jan 26th 2023 But wait, it gets worse! Lohkemper also suffers a groin strain, but his case seems to be more serious than Steinhart's and will need 4 to 5 weeks to recover. We're suddenly left without our star striker and best goalscorer by far, and will for a while. Not ideal. Jan 27th 2023 Salger finally confirms his loan move to Erfurt, who'll pay 60% of his wages and save us €3k per week, plus some extra monthly cash. Minutes later Moll agrees terms with Heracles Almelo and will be moving to the Netherlands in exchange for €450k, which is a very fair price for a 32-year-old already showing early signs of decline. We get €97k added to our transfer budget, and now it's time to invest. - - - 1.FC Nürnberg (9th) vs. TSV 1860 München (5th) (2.Bundesliga, 20/34) More top-half duels, and considering how the Hamburg one went... Nürnberg shouldn't be up to HSV's level, though, although they did steal a point from our stadium in our first meeting, so we know they're tough to crack anyway. We'll be without Lohkemper, which sucks, but we'll be expecting a much better performance than last time today. * * * NÜRNBERG (4-2-3-1): Christian Mathenia (GK); Enrico Valentini (DR), Asger Sorensen (DCr), Florian Hübner (DCl), Fabian Nürnberger (DL); Atakan Karazor (MCr), Mamadou Loum (MCl); Leon Dajaku (AMR), Mats Moller Daehli (AMC), Mustapha Bundu (AML); Manuel Wintzheimer (ST) 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-3-3): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Kevin Goden (DR), Niklas Lang (DCr), Christoph Kobald (DCl), Silvan Sidler (DL); Daniel Wein (DM), Richard Neudecker (MCr), Jayson Molumby (MCl); Tomás Fernández (AMR), Maximiliano Lovera (AML), Billy Arce (ST) * * * With all the injuries and sales we have to add a few kids into the bench just to make ends meet today. We return to the 4-3-3 today, as we're away from home and countering Nürnberg's offense is our top priority. Seems to work fine, and soon enough Arce's testing Mathenia's reflexes with a good-looking header, well caught by the keeper. Nürnberg answer immediately with a narrowly high shot by Bundu and a not-so-narrowly high one by Valentini, and the game already looks like it's gonna be a lot of fun. Dajaku continues the attack with a placed finish Kretzschmar has some trouble blocking, then a high header in a corner kick by Karazor, as Nürnberg slowly take control of the game. After such a fun start the game suddenly stops dead on its tracks. Nürnberg have the ball, but neither them nor us can seem to regain enough edge to break down the opposing defense for a long while. A header by Wintzheimer that licks the upside of the bar in the 38th is the first action since the first quarter, and it's also the last of a goalless first half. HALF TIME - 0-0 We bring Bär and Kabadayi into the game early in the second half, and the youngster gets the first chance of the half not much later, finishing weakly a good movement through the center. We do look much better now, though, and Nürnberg don't seem able to replicate their early game dominance. They have substitutes too, of course, and soon enough Abass comes into the game to assist Bundu, and the winger places a perfect little shot into the corner of Kretzschmar's goal to give Nürnberg the lead on the 68th minute. We respond quickly with a cross by Goden into Kabadayi's good but slightly high header, which Nürnberg answer with a corner kick headed by Karazor into Kretzschmar's block. Arce has a really good chance on the 73rd following a great cross by a very active Kabadayi, but his shot is very centered and easy for Mathenia to block. Abass then shoots into the sidenetting as the game picks up speed once again as it enters its final minutes. A flipping save by Kretzschmar to Abass's point-blank finish in the 90th minute keeps our hopes alive, but our attack doesn't do its part and we fall in the end. * * * 1.FC Nürnberg 1 (Mustapha Bundu 68) TSV 1860 München 0 - - - Not quite there. Nürnberg deserved to win this game overall, although they happened to score when we were playing our best of the evening, so it hurts a bit. This might be the first time in the whole season we lose two consecutive games, actually... Not good, although with so many key injuries it was kinda coming. Young Kabadayi was our best attacking player today, and that's saying something. Goden picks his fifth yellow, which worsens our selection problems at full back for our next match.

Jan 17th 2023 Goden makes the Team of the Week. Jan 19th 2023 Two pieces of good news for our attack today. One, Bär is back in full training after his hip injury, having missed only two competitive games in the end. Two, we got another loan! Coming all the way from Boca Juniors is Argentinian 24yo Tomás Fernández, a mostly right-footed winger who can play on both sides of the attack and also as a striker or attacking midfielder if needed. The loan agreement specifies right winger as his prefered position, but we'll probably juggle him around a bit since that side is well covered by Bär (if healthy) and Sané. He's a great player in any case, great technique and dribbling, pretty good finishing and crossing, and enough flair and pace to be a threat no matter what role he's used as. He'll be very useful in what remains of this season, and with him and Kabadayi our attacking options are now complete. Best of all? He costs us only 30% of his wages for a total of €1.1k per week, pittance for his quality. And his contract with Boca expires in next December, so we might actually sign him later on if we like what we see. Win-win! Here comes Moll to bring an end to the happy times: he wants to start more games. True, he's only had five starts in the league so far, but there was a twisted ankle back in August which kinda messed with his playing time. Still, fair, and considering we're mostly playing 4-2-3-1 now we don't really need him as much as we did before, and even if we go back to 4-3-3 we have Wein playing really well this season. And he's 32 already after all, so if we're gonna transfer him now's the moment. Let's see if we can get something out of him. Jan 20th 2023 Well, we can, and apparently Moll has a pretty decent market in Poland of all places. Rakow Czestochowa, Lechia Gdansk, Zaglebie Lubin, and Heracles Armelo come with a variety of offers around his market value, all of which we accept gladly. Jan 21st 2023 Now I'm glad we picked up Fernández: Sané will miss 2 to 3 weeks with a pulled hamstring sustained in training today. With Bär still short on fitness, we'll need the new guy on the right for at least a couple of fixtures. Another veteran on the decline who's unhappy with playing so little and wants a loan out. In Salger's case he's a bit more problematic to let go since an injury to either Sidler or Steinhart could leave us very short on left backs, but I guess his concerns are fair, too, so we'll let him go. With Moll most likely leaving we'll have wage space and cash to try and sign a replacement, ideally a permanent one. Salger's destination will most likely be Erfurt, who offer to pay 60% of his wages. Jan 22nd 2023 TSV 1860 München (5th) vs. Hamburger SV (7th) (2.Bundesliga, 19/34) It still feels weird to be ahead of HSV on the table, to be honest. I think our season really started taking off with that 0-1 win at their stadium, but it also kinda sank theirs, too, since a seventh place for the second favorites for the title is nothing short of a huge disappointment. They're still very, very good, though, and we should do well to keep at least some points at Grünwalder Stadion today. * * * 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-2-3-1): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Kevin Goden (DR), Niklas Lang (DCr), Gastón Hernández (DCl), Phillipp Steinhart (DL); Daniel Wein (MCr), Dennis Dressel (MCl); Tomás Fernández (AMR), Erik Tallig (AMC), Bruno Arce (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) HSV (3-2-2-1-2): Daniel Heuer Fernandes (GK); Stephan Kofi Ambrosius (DCr), Sebastian Scholau (DC), Moritz Heyer (DCl; Josha Vagnoman (WBR), Micky van de Ven (WBL); Ludovit Reis (MCr), Ron Schallenberg (MCl); Güven Yalçin (AMC); Steffen Tigges (STr), Afimico Pululu (STl) * * * Fernández isn't exactly in the best physical state either, so it's likely he and Bär will play one half each today. Today is our first serious test of the 4-2-3-1 formation against a three center-backs formation, and at the start it looks like HSV are on the offensive, although the first to get close to scoring is Steinhart in a direct free kick Fernandes tips wide. In the end the early game becomes a midfield battle with no clear winner, and both keepers spend a long while just watching the show. It looks like the first half is gonna end without goals just like that, but in the very last minute Schallenberg sends a ball towards Pululu, who nudges his way past Lang and places a perfect little shot into the back of the net to give Hamburg the lead. A pretty poor first half ends shortly afterwards. HALF TIME - 0-1 Bär enters the pitch as expected, and we try and see if we can find a way back into this game. At first we still struggle, and after twelve minutes the only action on either goal is a flat shot from distance by Pululu that Kretzschmar catches on his second attempt. We can't seem to find a solution, and HSV look very comfortable on the pitch. On the 74th a run on the right by Vagnoman that Steinhart is unable to stop becomes a cross for Pululu's tap-in, making it 0-2 and locking us out of the game almost for good. There's still time for Kretzschmar to prevent a third by Yalçin with a great flipping save, but he can't do anything to stop the same Yalçin's placed shot on the 83rd, following a nice passing play between obvious man of the match Pululu and Tigges. To make matters worse Bär misses the consolation goal in injury time, an absolute sitter after a great through ball from Lovera. A high header by Lohkamper, too little to late, marks the end of a nightmare of a match. * * * TSV 1860 München 0 Hamburger SV 3 (Afimico Pululu 45 74, Güven Yalçin 83) - - - Note to self: if three at the back, don't play 4-2-3-1. This was a disaster, both tactically and individually, and the least said about it the better. Pululu destroyed us with his mobility and Tigges created superiority in midfield by dropping deep and assisting Yalçin to create attacks, and we had no way to counter that with this formation. Lessons learned, I hope.

Dec 29th 2022 Six months left in most contracts all over the world, including our own. Thankfully this year should be simpler than the last for us, since the only first team members on expiring deals are Bär and Neudecker. Neither of them is exactly a top priority for an urgent extension right now, particularly Neudecker since he's been even worse this year than last and we might actually let him walk in the summer. The rest are young prospects and loaned-out players who most likely will have to wait until the end of the season to see what happens. There's a couple of exceptions, namely Cameron Harper and Yusuf Kabadayi, who might be offered a new deal before then, but otherwise we can afford to mostly ignore this issue for now, assuming no other teams come offering contracts in the meantime. Jan 1st 2023 Happy new year! Transfer window reopens, and we have a few things to deal with. First and most pressing of all is trying to find a loan for Lex, which might be hard to do considering his age. Then, if he does leave, we'll need another player for the left wing in his place. If all else fails, recalling Kabadayi from Berliner AK is always a possibility. Also, if we're playing 4-2-3-1 often from now on, we might need to find another forward, since Lovera will be busy playing as attacking midfielder and Arce would become our only left winger. On the other hand, if we *do* end up playing 4-2-3-1 often, we have too many midfielders, particularly defensive ones. There doesn't seem to be much interest in our players right now, with the exception of Heracles trailing Neudecker. Oh, and Molumby's contract expires in the summer, so we might want to try and sign him, even though he hasn't played much with us so far due to injuries. Also, we're officially in red numbers. Of course it's a temporary state of affairs until the end of the season prize money comes to us, but it's still a somewhat worrying sight. Might explain why the board haven't called me to change the season expectations in exchange for extra budgets this time, hm... Jan 5th 2023 Good news: Lovera doesn't mind being played in whatever position I please anymore. Just when I actually started playing him in the center like he wanted, great timing... Jan 8th 2023 TSV 1860 München vs. FC Slovan Liberec (Friendly) Winter friendly against Slovan, one of the classic Czech teams (have won three leagues since the split with Slovakia) who are currently 8th in their league. They do quite well at keeping the ball away from us, even if at a cost of never really doing anything remotely dangerous with it, and it takes us until a penalty on Arce near the half hour for Lohkemper to give us the lead. One minute later a nod by the striker towards Sané allows the winger to score the second with an easy placed finish. The second half sees Slovan finally trying a couple of shots, but a left-footed 20-yarder by Harper kills their hopes of a comeback. Not much else afterwards other than an offside goal by Ouro-Tagba, and the game ends in an easy win for us. TSV 1860 München 3 (Felix Lohkemper 29p, Sidi Sané 30, Cameron Harper 57) FC Slovan Liberec 0 - - - After the game we make a decision about our forwards situation: Lex is about to leave on loan to the lower tiers, Garching to be precise, literally the only team interested in him at the moment. Problem is, they won't pay a dime of his wages, so if we want to replace him we have to do so with our current wage space, which is... very limited. Due to lack of available opportunities in the market under those restrictions, we decide to pull the trigger and bring Kabadayi back from Berliner AK. We also offer him a new contract to keep him for at least another year, and will be using him as a general purpose backup player for our attack from now on, since he can play in all three positions with equal ease. Jan 11th 2023 Well, one that got away. Loaned out youngster Mannhardt has received a contract offer from Holstein Kiel and is quite likely he'll sign with them on a free at the end of this season. We tried making a counteroffer since he still has good potential, despite his below average performances this season for Mannheim, but he asked for too much. Lex also leaves today for Garching. Not a fan of paying €6k per week for a player who's not even with us, but alas, the only alternative was keeping him while unhappy. We even tried to transfer him, but no one made a bid. And he has another year in his contract... Looking back, offering him two years was a bad idea, but I didn't expect him to drop off this fast. Jan 12th 2023 'tis the season of colds and flus, and Sané got hit the first. He's been sent home for 3-4 days, meaning he's a serious doubt for the upcoming match against Sandhausen. Kabadayi might get a surprise start sooner than expected... Jan 15th 2023 SV Sandhausen (18th) vs. TSV 1860 München (5th) (2.Bundesliga, 18/34) Back when we started the 2.Bundeliga with a 4-2 win against them I could already tell that Sandhausen would struggle, but I didn't imagine it'd be this badly. Seven points after half a season is terrible no matter how you look at it, and with Ingolstadt starting to pick up wins here and there they're about to be left alone at the bottom of the well. We should profit from their misery, not quickstart their recovery. * * * SANDHAUSEN (4-4-1-1): Alexander Meyer (GK); Philipp Treu (DR), Immanuel Höhn (DCr), Sören Gonther (DCl), Chima Okoroji (DL); Cebio Soukou (MR), Janik Bachmann (MCr), Tom Trybull (MCl), Erich Berko (ML); Alen Halilovic (AMC); Malik Tillman (ST) 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-2-3-1): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Kevin Goden (DR), Niklas Lang (DCr), Christoph Kobald (DCl), Silvan Sidler (DL); Jayson Molumby (MCr), Dennis Dressel (MCl); Yusuf Kabadayi (AMR), Maximiliano Lovera (AMC), Bruno Arce (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) * * * As expected, Sané didn't make it in time, so Kabadayi starts on the right. Otherwise we play the same eleven that destroyed Dynamo Dresden not too long ago with the exception of Kobald in Hernández's place, while Sandhausen actually have a completely different formation from our first meeting, most likely due to them changing managers midseason. Rain pours on a mostly empty stadium as we get a very early chance in a corner kick, headed by Arce into Meyer's hands. Sandhausen actually do better than us with possession in the early game, though, although not threatening us much if at all, and the second chance also falls to our side, a cross by Sidler that Lohkemper can't strike with precision and ends up being easy for the keeper. On the 17th Lovera tears apart the defense with a ball through the center towards the left side of the box for Arce to cut in, control, and shoot at the near post to score the 0-1. The game slows down dramatically after the goal, and while Sandhausen still have a bit more possession than us they don't get anywhere near Kretzschmar. Our attack also remains quiet until the 36th minute, when Arce suddenly speeds up past his pair to enter the box, looks up, and finds Lohkemper in the center for a trivial touch to score the 0-2. The Colombian almost does it again with a pass into space for Kabadayi's run into the box, but the youngster can't get the ball past Meyer. The first half ends 0-2, and it's looked almost too easy so far. HALF TIME - 0-2 The second half looks like nothing has changed, and quickly enough Lovera finds Sidler with space on the left and the wing back hits the net with his finish, only the wrong side of it. A narrowly wide header by Dressler and another by Arce, this one on target but saved by Meyer, follow while Sandhausen look helpless. Still, we take the foot off the gas soon after, settling into a more controlling shape while we let time do its job. Sandhausen only get a shot with a direct free kick by Treu, and it's wide and high and no danger at all. In injury time a quick run through the center allows Wein to leave Tallig on the run with nothing but space and Meyer ahead of him, and the attacking midfielder finishes with aplomb and style to round up our win. * * * SV Sandhausen 0 TSV 1860 München 3 (Billy Arce 17, Felix Lohkemper 36, Erik Tallig 90+1) - - - Easy. Almost too easy, actually. Kretzschmar had zero work to do all afternoon, and we did a professional job at both taking the lead first and securing it later. A no contest, really. Kabadayi had a pretty decent performance for an emergency starter, despite missing an easy goal in the first half.

Dec 10th 2022 World Cup report part the second: the first knockout round brought one more shock when Mexico defeated Belgium 2-0, but for the most part it was either even matchups (England over the Netherlands, Spain over Portugal) or very one-sided ties (Argentina over Jamaica). We're now in the quarterfinals, and Qatar's dream run has just ended in a 0-2 defeat against Germany, while Spain fell in a narrow 1-2 defeat to England. Brazil-France and Argentina-Mexico are the other ties, and whoever wins the semifinals look promising already. Dec 16th 2022 France and Mexico(!) won their ties, and the semifinals put them against each other, while Germany faced England in the other match. Both games ended in narrow 2-1 wins, and as a result France and Germany will face in the final, to be played simultaneously with our league game against Dresden. ...Wait a second, why the hell did we have this break if we can just play while the World Cup is still ongoing?! Dec 18th 2022 SG Dynamo Dresden (8th) vs. TSV 1860 München (5th) (2.Bundesliga, 17/34) Back to the league after a long break, and we reach the halfway point of the season with a trip to Dresden. Dynamo have been roughly where expected so far, midtable and without making much noise in one direction or another. That said, with how tight the league is right now both them and us could end up either top or bottom half with just a single win or loss. A pretty even game with uncertain result. * * * DYNAMO (4-2-3-1): Kevin Broll (GK); Erlend Dahl Reitan (DR), Kevin Ehlers (DCr), Tim Knipping (DCl), Chris Löwe (DL); Yannick Stark (MCr), Niklas Hauptmann (MCl); Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer (AMR), Julius Kade (AMC), Oliver Batista Meier (AML), Christoph Daferner (ST) 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-2-3-1): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Kevin Goden (DR), Niklas Lang (DCr), Gastón Hernández (DCl), Silvan Sidler (DL); Jayson Molumby (MCr), Dennis Dressel (MCl); Sidi Sané (AMR), Maximiliano Lovera (AMC), Bruno Arce (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) * * * I have this sudden urge to sign Dresden's left back for some reason... Anyway, mirror match for our new-ish 4-2-3-1 formation, let's see how it holds up. Dynamo seem to have the upper hand in the early game, soon testing Kretzschmar with a direct free kick by Batista Meier that the keeper pushes wide, then following it up with a high header by Königsdörffer in the resulting corner kick. Another header by Daferner after a quick break goes wide, and it's obvious we're struggling to get past their high lines of pressure. After a while we finally start finding ways through, and on the 18th Lohkemper can finally get a shot in after a cross by Goden, still an easy catch for Broll. It's a mirage, though, and a set piece four minutes later ends with Königsdörffer shooting, Kretzschmar saving, and Stark gathering the rebound in a dubious (but legal according to VAR) position and scoring the 1-0. Immediately after restarting, however, we mount a beautiful passing play that ends with Dressel crossing low from the left into the heart of the box so Lovera can place a shot into the net and pull level instantly. His first official goal for 1860, by the way. Took him long enough. Momentum shifts slightly after the draw, and we start controlling the ball more and getting into good shooting positions. Lovera has another chance to beat Broll with a placed shot, but this time the keeper dives well and gathers the ball. Dynamo are still dangerous, though, and a quick break through the center by Kade almost becomes the 2-1, but Kretzschmar performs one of his lately forgotten miracle saves to keep the game tied. Two more saves by the keeper to an easy header from Daferner and to a dangerous shot by Kade mark the end of the first half. HALF TIME - 1-1 We make a few tactical tweaks in half time to try and have better control of the ball and to improve our transition into midfield, and apparently they work a treat: seven minutes in we pass the ball around with impunity for a long minute before finding Sidler on the left so the wing back can cross low towards Lohkemper for an easy tap-in. Königsdörffer has the answer for Dynamo after a short through ball from Daferner, but Kretzschmar dives low to close the near post gap and save again. We move things around by bringing in Tallig and Lex, moving Lovera to the right and placing Tallig in the center behind Lohkemper. Once again, it works fantastically and immediately: Tallig receives, turns around, and lobs a beautiful high pass towards Lohkemper's run so the striker can hit it as it drops and score the 1-3. With our lead secured we move back to our usual 4-3-3 formation, now with substitute Neudecker as our unorthodox anchor. Dynamo keep trying, mostly through headers that Kretzschmar catches without issue, while we try to keep the ball and let time do its job, still having a fantastic chance for a fourth in a set piece that Lang heads into the post. The fourth does come eventually, though, after yet another long passing play that Goden ends by assisting Tallig inside the box, allowing the midfielder a curling placed shot to grab his goal and completing a fine performance off the bench. With the game already almost over, a long ball by Lex into nowhere turns into a perfect assist so Lohkemper can run at Broll and complete his second hattrick of the season, rounding up a fantastic team performance in our most comprehensive win so far. * * * SG Dynamo Dresden 1 (Yannick Stark 22) TSV 1860 München 5 (Maximiliano Lovera 23, Felix Lohkemper 52 66 90+4, Erik Tallig 87) - - - Now this? This was divine. Exquisite. A perfect way to round up the year and the first half of the season for sure, and proof that yes, our forwards can score, too. The tactic worked after a few tweaks giving us better ways out of the defense without resorting to long balls against high pressing lines like Dresden's, and from then on what had been an even game with a slight edge to Dynamo turned into a slaughterfest. Lovera did fine in the hole, and has earned staying until the end of the season. Kretzschmar is also finally back, his first half was impeccable. Still riding the high, the players go on holiday for the Christmas season and all are expected back in training on the 3rd of January. Meanwhile, in Qatar, the 2022 World Cup ends with France winning their second consecutive trophy after a 3-2 extra time win over Germany in the final, with none other than Paul Pogba grabbing the deciding goal in the 103rd minute. England got the consolation prize of finishing third after defeating Mexico on penalties after a goalless draw in the playoff. Players-wise the big name of the tournament was, surprisingly, Mexico's striker Raúl Jiménez, who fell only two goals short of beating Just Fontaine's impossible record of thirteen goals in one World Cup. The Golden Ball went to Mbappé ahead of Kimmich and Adeyemi, Neuer won the Yashin Award as the best goalkeeper of the tournament, and Adeyemi was picked as the best young player. * * * | Pos | Inf | Team | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | GD | Pts | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Fortuna Düsseldorf | 17 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 41 | 14 | 27 | 43 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Greuther Fürth | 17 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 29 | 18 | 11 | 36 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Arminia Bielefeld | 17 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 30 | 13 | 17 | 34 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Schalke 04 | 17 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 28 | 13 | 15 | 32 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | 1860 München | 17 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 27 | 17 | 10 | 28 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Nürnberg | 17 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 27 | 21 | 6 | 28 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Werder Bremen | 17 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 26 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | SC Paderborn | 17 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 25 | 22 | 3 | 25 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Jahn Regensburg | 17 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 24 | 21 | 3 | 25 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Hamburg | 17 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 25 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Dynamo Dresden | 17 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 20 | 21 | -1 | 25 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Darmstadt | 17 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 22 | 23 | -1 | 24 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Hannover 96 | 17 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 19 | 24 | -5 | 21 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Holstein Kiel | 17 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 24 | 41 | -17 | 13 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Duisburg | 17 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 17 | 34 | -17 | 12 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | St. Pauli | 17 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 15 | 33 | -18 | 11 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Ingolstadt | 17 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 12 | 36 | -24 | 9 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Sandhausen | 17 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 14 | 32 | -18 | 7 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| If I could get a wish granted right now, I'd ask for the season to end with the league table exactly like this. A fifth place in our first season in the 2.Bundesliga would be absolutely fantastic, and also a much more realistic outcome than us promoting straight up to the Bundesliga. Not to mention less potentially painful in the long term... We've had some lows in the last eight matches, but this last match against Dresden gives me hope of actually sticking around the top half until the end and, who knows, maybe push for the playoffs if the results go the right way. In any case, 28 points at the halfway point is an outstanding haul, and we only need a couple more wins to reach the 35 which more often than not mean you will not relegate from this league. Almost there. As for the rest, Fortuna Düsseldorf are still the clear stand-out team, even more solid leaders than we were in the 3.Liga just one year ago. Fürth, Bielefeld, and Schalke might have a chance of catching up, but it's likely they'll be left to fight for scraps. Then there's a huge pack of teams within 4 points of each other, currently led by none other than TSV, and any one of these teams could end up as a promotion challenger if they manage a good streak of results. Hannover are left hanging a bit behind, and then there's the five relegation candidates, with Ingolstadt and Sandhausen still at the bottom but not looking much worse than their other three companions right now. A league in three sections, so to speak. PLAYER STATS ============ Average rating (min. 6 games played): Felix Lohkemper 7.40 (15(1) apps) Daniel Wein 7.34 (11(1) apps) Gastón Hernández 7.30 (16 apps) Dennis Dressel 7.11 (14(4) apps) Kevin Goden 7.08 (11(3) apps) Goals: Felix Lohkemper 12 goals Dennis Dressel 3 Billy Arce 3 Marcel Bär 3 Sidi Sané 2 Assists: Sidi Sané 3 assists Erik Tallig 3 Dennis Dressel 3 Marcel Bär 3 4 players 2 ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD Bundesliga: a surprisingly even league so far. Yes, Bayern are leading, but they're actually tied on points with RB Leipzig, and BVB are four points behind but with *two* games in hand, while Leverkusen have one and trail the leaders by only five points. The rest of the league are far behind the leading pack, though, with Wolfsburg and Stuttgart slightly ahead in the remaining European places. The fight to avoid relegation is also extremely close, with teams placed 13th to 17th within only four points of each other. Bochum is dead last with only 2 points so far, though, and look as good as gone. Premier League: still four games to go until the halfway point, but things are also quite tightly contested in England. Chelsea have a small four-point lead at the top, but City, Arsenal, and United are tied on points right behind, and Liverpool, Newcastle, and Leicester aren't much farther behind. The big shock this year so far have been Conference League champions Spurs, who sit on a very uncomfortable 14th place, although safe from relegation just due to the fact that the bottom three have been absolutely terrible so far. Fulham are the least bad with 9 points, so imagine how well Stoke and Palace have been doing... LaLiga: the dead are walking the Earth! Or at least Spain! Everyone thought Barcelona would be in for a long dry spell due to their money problems and somewhat limited squad, yet here they are leading the table with four points over Real Madrid and *thirteen* over third-placed Atlético. Back to times of splendor indeed. Ansu Fati and ter Stegen seem to be carrying them hard, but so far it's enough. Celta are the surprising fourth Champions League team right now, with Villarreal and Valencia behind and Sevilla outside of Europe, but all four of them plus Atlético are within just two points, so anything goes there. Just promoted Sporting look ready to go straight down with only five points so far, while the other relegation spots are wide open, with Cádiz and Málaga occupying them currently. Serie A: unexpected leaders in Italy, too, with Lazio looking pretty on top and two points ahead of both Juventus and Milan, with Inter, Sampdoria, Roma, Sassuolo, and Atalanta in a tight pack a bit farther away. Again, disappointing start by mid-table Napoli, but we said the same last year and they made it to the Europa League in the end, so who knows. Lecce and Monza are having a tough time at the bottom, although not as bad as the worst teams in other leagues, and Salernitana are the third team in the red zone but with a reasonable shot at making it out soon. Ligue 1: no surprises in France, though, because PSG would need more than a few miracles to be dislodged from the top, even after Mbappé left for Real Madrid. Led by Messi, who's already announced he'll retire at the end of the season, they have a healthy seven-point lead over a resurrected OL, who lead a very tight pack of chasers ahead of Nice, Monaco, Nantes (!) and Montpellier, with Marseille, Saint-Étienne, Clermont, and Rennes just behind outside the European places. The hopeless team in Ligue 1 seems to be last-placed Nimes, with only six points, although nine-point Lorient aren't far behind in terribleness. Nancy and Reims still have a good chance of making it out alive.

Nov 14th 2022 We line up a few friendly games for the World Cup break, just to keep our players active and to give some playing time to a few of our promising reserves. Also as a final test for Lovera, who against Paderborn had one of his usual no-shows. Then again so did all of our attackers, so it might not be just on him this time. It's also a good time to discuss issues with the players. First one to my door is Lex, who hasn't been playing much if at all lately and wants to go out on loan. Perfectly fair, and considering his level keeps dropping as he grows older and right now our staff consider him barely good enough for the 3.Liga, it's very unlikely he'll get any regular play time here, even if Lovera ends up leaving. So request granted, although he'll have to wait until January to leave, assuming there are teams interested. Nov 18th 2022 And a good time for injuries, it seems. Bär suffers a hip injury in training and will miss two to three months of training. Between the World Cup and the winter break it shouldn't amount to many actual matches, but still hurts. Nov 20th 2022 Still more increases to transfer revenue from the board, now up to 75% for the first €30M we earn, then 40% afterwards. Surprising given our funds are creeping closer to the red zone by the month, although I imagine the board consider the prize money we'll receive at the end of the season, something the 3.Liga didn't have and which I'll welcome very, very much when it happens. * * * Stuttgarter Kickers vs. TSV 1860 München (Friendly) First of four friendlies we've prepared for the break, three of them away to lower division German teams and then a home match against Hajduk to test ourselves against a regular in European competitions. We start with our 4-2-3-1 formation and Lovera in his preferred position behind the striker, and he soon shows why he likes it with a good assist so Lohkemper can score the first. We're not exactly overwhelmingly better, though, and on the 21st a cross from the right allows Hoxha to pull level with a perfect downwards header. The goal wakes us up and we go to create many chances, although our accuracy is terrible for a change (not). Finally it's a header from Sané after a cross from Arce that bends the keeper's hands and becomes the 2-1. Early in the second hand Tallig assists Lex for the third with a nice through ball, and from then we go on to dominate effortlessly and secure a solid win. First test passed with good grades. Stuttgarter Kickers 1 (Lirim Hoxha 21) TSV 1860 München 3 (Felix Lohkemper 10, Sidi Sané 40, Stefan Lex 48) Nov 21st 2022 Remember when we signed those two youngsters for the reserves a couple of months ago? Well, one of them, center back Phil Zimmermann, just broke his foot in a bad fall in training and will be out for 4-5 months. There goes any hope of loaning him out, or of him developing at all during this season, I guess. Oh well, nothing lost, if we still think we can get something out of him come the end of the season we might extend his contract then. Nov 27th 2022 Türkgücü München vs. TSV 1860 München (Friendly) Our second friendly brings us almost literally across the street to the Olympiastadion to play our neighbors Türkgücü, who're currently 10th but only three points over the relegation zone in an extremely tight 3.Liga (8 points between 7th and 18th!). A penalty on Lang in a corner kick gives us the chance to take the lead early, and Lohkemper doesn't miss. The striker grabs the second later in the first half with a great run through the center, following many other chances. Reserve forward Ouro-Tagba scores our third already in the second half, heading in a corner kick, then Dressel makes it for with a powerful header. Türpitz grabs two consolation goals for Türkgücü in the final minutes when we relax a bit too much, but our victory is never in question. Türkgücü München 2 (Philip Türpitz 80 89) TSV 1860 München 4 (Felix Lohkemper 15p 29, Mansour Ouro-Tagba 49, Dennis Dressel 65) Dec 4th 2022 FC Ismaning vs. TSV 1860 München (Friendly) A more relaxed fixture today against minnows Ismaning. Or that was the plan at least, but our terrible finishing means it takes us a while to take the lead. Thirty-one minutes exactly, and only thanks to a steal plus cross by Sané into Lohkemper's finish. The second has to wait until the second half so reserve winger Harper can half-volley in a cross from the left, and then he goes to assist Dressel for the third, scored with a screamer from distance. We even allow Ismaning to get one back in the final minutes, another long shot by Press that Müller can't even dream of stopping. All in all, a somewhat disappointing performance. FC Ismaning 1 (Erich Press 88) TSV 1860 München 3 (Felix Lohkemper 31, Cameron Harper 55, Dennis Dressel 75) Dec 5th 2022 The World Cup is already in its first knockout round, with some surprises having taken place in the group stage. The United States and Nigeria were beaten to the second place of their group by South Korea, Qatar topped their group ahead of Croatia, Colombia, and Serbia, then Jamaica shocked group G by finishing second behind Spain and ahead of both Algeria and Denmark. So far the second round has seen Qatar flexing their home field advantage (so to speak) with a 2-0 win over South Korea, Germany defeating Italy on penalties, and Brazil and France having very narrow wins over Croatia and Uruguay. Dec 7th 2022 A first glance at the next batch of youngsters to come from the academy looks quite promising, with top-grade prospects in five different positions. These things always turn out very differently when they happen for real, though, so let's wait until March and see what we get this time. Dec 9th 2022 TSV 1860 München vs. HNK Hajduk Split (Friendly) Last match of the break, facing a serious rival in Hajduk to see if our 4-2-3-1 works when your opposition is actually strong. The start of the game looks more than fine, and after a couple of chances Lovera opens the score early with a nifty little chip over the keeper, well assisted by Lohkemper. The striker then makes it two immediately after thanks to a bad decision by the keeper in a deep free kick, and next it's Arce who finishes from close a cross by Goden, scoring the 3-0 with less than twenty minutes played. After such a blowout start we slow things down and maintain our lead until half time. In the second half Hajduk seem to try to get back into the game with an early goal, but their attempts are few and misguided, and we just let the clock tick until the game ends. TSV 1860 München 3 (Maximiliano Lovera 9, Felix Lohkemper 12, Billy Arce 19) HNK Hajduk Split 0 - - - Not a bad show, this one. The 4-2-3-1 seems to be working fine for the most part, and with versatile midfield players like Tallig or Dressel we should be able to switch between our two main tactics on the fly without issue. It also gives us the chance to use Lovera in his natural position, which is a plus. We'll give it a try in our next league match and see if it's worth using regularly.

Nov 8th 2022 The World Cup is almost here, and the participating nations are naming their squads today. There are no 1860 players involved, but a few ex-players will be in Qatar, including Kevin Volland (Germany, currently in Monaco), Julian Wiegl (also Germany, currently in Benfica), Marin Pongracic (Croatia, now in Wolfsburg), Julian Baumgartlinger (Austria, now in Fiorentina), and Milos Degenec (Australia, now in Columbus Crew). Nov 13th 2022 TSV 1860 München (6th) vs. SC Paderborn 07 (7th) (2.Bundesliga, 16/34) Last match before the World Cup break, and it's another doozy. Like most of this league for us, really. Paderborn have been yo-yoing all over the divisions in the last decade, including two short visits to the Bundesliga, but nowadays they're a midtable team just as the preseason predictions said. In fact we're tied on points and only ahead of them by a single goal, so this could be considered a direct duel for, I don't know, the right to stay in the top half? Or something? Still an important game, and one we'll have to turn up to if we want a result. * * * 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-3-3): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Kevin Goden (DR), Niklas Lang (DCr), Christoph Kobald (DCl), Silvan Sidler (DL); Daniel Wein (DM), Richard Neudecker (MCr), Dennis Dressel (MCl); Marcel Bär (AMR), Maximiliano Lovera (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) PADERBORN (4-1-4-1): Leopold Zingerle (GK); Bendegúz Bolla (DR), Uwe Hünemeier (DCr), Thomas Isherwood (DCl), Jamilu Collins (DL); Maximilian Thalhammer (DM); Kai Pröger (MR), Meritan Shabani (MCr), Marco Stiepermann (MCl), Michael John Lema (ML); Dennis Srbeny (ST) * * * Steinhart serves our first suspension of the season today, and Hernández rests for the first time in a while at the back while Lovera gets a second consecutive start. Paderborn are known for being a very counterattack-focused team, so we'll have to be careful today. Our first attempt is a direct free kick by Wein that Zingerle deflects wide with some trouble, and our second is exactly the same, only five minutes later. We don't create much from normal attacking play, though, and that's concerning. We try to switch the focus of our attacks to the wings, hoping to find more space there, and after a while without success Sidler at least manages to find Bär with a cross from the left, although the raumdeuter's header is easy for Zingerle. That's still the closest to an actual chance we get in the first half, though. Meanwhile Paderborn are more than happy to just defend, and that means no goals. HALF TIME - 0-0 It takes only five minutes of the second half to make sure that our current wing players aren't working, and Sané and Arce take their places hoping for more production. The effect isn't immediately obvious, although we start looking a bit more sharp in attack and Dressel gets a decent try with a left-footed shot that goes wide by half a foot or so. Our wings start working then, with Goden and Sané connecting on the right so the winger can shoot, although the position is not ideal and Zingerle saves without trouble. We don't get any further than that, though, and once again we hit a wall and time starts running out really fast for us. We try to turn the pace up a notch further in the final ten minutes, but there's no result other than a few offsides. In the end Paderborn get what they wanted: a goalless snorefest. * * * TSV 1860 München 0 SC Paderborn 07 0 - - - Not the best note on which to go on a one-month break, I guess. A point is a point, but we really looked toothless today. Defensive teams always give us trouble, particularly if they play with three at the back or with an anchor in front of their defense, or god forbid with both. Maybe we should rescue the 4-2-3-1 for these games, I'd shelved it as too risky for the 2.Bundesliga but it might be worth a try. In any case, we gain one place and climb up to the fifth position, six points away from the promotion playoff and fourteen over the relegation playoff. Not a bad place to be by any means. Sané suffered a twisted knee in the final minutes of the game, nothing serious and it should heal within a few days.

Nov 1st 2022 Steinhart and Hernández earn themselves a place in the Team of the Week. The center-back has been a regular fixture there so far. Good loan, this one. Nov 7th 2022 Fortuna Düsseldorf 1895 (1st) vs. TSV 1860 München (5th) (2.Bundesliga, 15/34) Now this is a tough one. Fortuna have been on a tear almost since the very first match of this season, and looked likely to run away with the title until last week, when they suddenly saw their winning run snapped by none other than Werder Bremen. So not the best moment to face them but not the worst either, I suppose? Any points will be welcome, yadda yadda, you know the drill by now. * * * DÜSSELDORF (4-2-3-1): Florian Kastenmeier (GK); Matthias Jürgen Zimmerman (DR), Christoph Klarer (DCr), André Hoffmann (DCl), Kostas Stafylidis (DL); Isaac Twum (MCr), Ilay Elmkies (MCl); Khaled Narey (AMR), Shinta Appelkamp (AMC), Kristoffer Paul Peterson (AML); Dawid Kownacki (ST) 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-3-3): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Kevin Goden (DR), Christoph Kobald (DCr), Gastón Hernández (DCl), Phillipp Steinhart (DL); Quirin Moll (DM), Erik Tallig (MCr), Jayson Molumby (MCl); Sidi Sané (AMR), Maximiliano Lovera (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) * * * One last chance for Lovera to show he's fit for this team, while another loanee, Molumby, returns to the lineup after his injury. The start of the game isn't exactly promising, as a bad clearance by Hernández almost gifts a goal to Kownacki, who thankfully scoops the ball over. We soon calm down and start doing our thing with possession, trying to deny Düsseldorf's attack by just not giving them the ball. Of course when they do get the ball things get hairy, and a run into space by Kownacki gives us a serious scare on the 14th minute, but thankfully the striker finishes wide under pressure by Hernández. A corner kick gives Fortuna their next chance, and this time it's a high header by Peterson. Then, on an apparently innocent throw in play, Moll barges Kownacki on the back inside the box and, after an intervention from VAR, a penalty is awarded and scored by Kownacki himself. The striker has another great chance later on, outpacing his marker and shooting into the root of the post and clear. On the 27th a very similar play started by Appelkamp with a great through ball ends much worse for us, as Kownacki sidesteps to avoid Kreztschmar's rush and scores with ease. 2-0 and feeling like a truck just ran us over. It gets worse: four minutes later Appelkamp drops to the left and crosses into the small box, Kobald loses sight of both the ball and his man, and Kownacki scores the 3-0 with ease to complete a ten-minute hattrick. Our first chance doesn't come until the 44th, but it's a great one: pass into space by Lovera to Sané, who rounds Kastenmeier and looks certain to score, but hits the post, gets the rebound, then sends it into the post again from a very tight angle. Best we can say is that at least we don't concede any more goals until half time. HALF TIME - 3-0 There's a different attitude in our players' faces after the break, probably as a result of my screaming. Thirty seconds in and Lovera finds Lohkemper behind the defense with a good assist so the striker can finally break his dud and bring us back into the game with the 3-1. Kretzschmar finally saves a shot two minutes later, an easy one from, who else, Kownacki, and it looks like things might start turning a bit better-looking for us now. Sané continues our recovery with a one-on-one created by Lohkemper, but this time Kastenmeier won't be beat and the ball goes wide for a corner kick. We bring Bär and Sidler into the game to see if we can keep increasing the pressure, and soon Molumby has a dangerous volley inside the box parried by the keeper after a cross by Lovera, who for once is looking pretty good. Kastenmeier has more work to do after Lohkemper sneaks his way into the box and shoots from close, only to find the keeper's gloves on the way. Then Lovera heads the corner kick high and wide, and it looks like Düsseldorf could crack at any moment. That's when they say enough is enough, start defending with the ball, and our attacks suddenly dry out. With our momentum gone we see time pass us by while we struggle to get close to Düsseldorf's goal again, and only a wide shot by Lohkemper in injury time gives us anything resembling hope of a comeback. The game ends in our defeat, as it was clear it'd do since halfway through the first half. * * * Fortuna Düsseldorf 1895 3 (Dawid Kownacki 21p 27 31) TSV 1860 München 1 (Felix Lohkemper 46) - - - Haven't felt this outclassed in a match since that one DFB Pokal tie against Bayern. The first half was just embarrassing, and I'm not sure if we reacted in the second half because we suddenly started playing well or because Fortuna just relaxed a bit too much. Leaning towards the second option, as shown by the fact that as soon as they wanted to stop us, they did. Still, that second half performance was enough to turn my rage into something a bit more mellow, and I actually commended the players on their effort. Lovera earns himself a second chance after a decent showing today. We'll see how he does against Paderborn next week... Kownacki is on 15 goals in 14 appearances so far this season, by the way.

Oct 25th 2022 Sidler and Dressel make the Team of the Week, our first appearances in a while. Oct 28th 2022 TSV 1860 München (6th) vs. FC Schalke 04 (3rd) (2.Bundesliga, 14/34) Getting closer to the World Cup break, and the tough matches start piling up. Schalke are still today the top favorites for winning the league and promotion, and they probably would be closer to that position if they hadn't had a bit of a difficult start and, well, if Fortuna wasn't currently running away with the title. We don't really have anything to lose here, other than our recently regained morale. * * * 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-3-3): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Silvan Sidler (DR), Niklas Lang (DCr), Gastón Hernández (DCl), Phillipp Steinhart (DL); Daniel Wein (DM), Richard Neudecker (MCr), Dennis Dressel (MCl); Marcel Bär (AMR), Billy Arce (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) SCHALKE 04 (4-3-3): Ralf Fährmann (GK); Reinhold Ranftl (DR), Marius Lode (DCr), Malick Thiaw (DCl), Pietro Beruatto (DL); Adrian Fein (DM), Victor Pálsson (MCr), Michal Sadílek (MCl); Nahuel Bustos (AMR), Amine Harit (AML), Simon Terodde (ST) * * * A mirror match today, although Schalke's lineup is certainly scary in names alone. No wonder Sané had to leave on loan if he has to compete with Nahuel friggin' Bustos for a place... The game looks very even at first glance, with a slight edge possession wise for us while Schalke seem more willing to try and shoot from distance in the early game. A wide header by Terodde is the first real chance of the game, but it takes eighteen minutes for it to come. It takes eight more for us to get one, and it's only thanks to a bad tackle by Schalke's defense that leaves the ball all for Lohkemper with miles of space, although in the end the defense puts him under pressure and he shoots wide. The rest of the first half wastes away with little worth reporting. No goals at half time, of course. HALF TIME - 0-0 The second half starts about as slow as the first ended, with only a high header by Pálsson in a set piece breaking the monotony. If anything Schalke look a bit more active in attack, although not overwhelmingly so. Before we even realize a whole half hour has passed and practically nothing has happened. We only have a very wide direct free kick by Steinhart to our name, while Schalke try from distance from time to time with about the same luck. We try to be a bit more offensive in the final third, while Schalke decide to switch to a flat 4-4-2 in the last ten minutes. This gives us a bit more space in midfield, and soon Sané has a decent run from the right that ends in a blocked shot, still our best chance in the whole half so far. Also the last of the game. Yep, not a match that will be remembered as thrilling, that's for sure. * * * TSV 1860 München 0 FC Schalke 04 0 - - - Yawn. Oh well, I'll take the point, all things being normal Schalke should walk all over us with ease, so a point against them is a very welcome booty. Both teams annulled each other, and no one really deserved the win. Nothing more to say, really, this was a huge pile of nothingness with void nuggets on top.

Oct 23rd 2022 TSV 1860 München (7th) vs. SV Werder Bremen (12th) (2.Bundesliga, 13/34) Another of my favorite teams (and one of my favorite cities) in Germany, and somehow, also in their worst moment in recent times. Their relegation from the Bundesliga at the end of the 20/21 season was seen as a bit of a disaster, although they'd been a bottom half team for the best part of a decade by then. Finishing 10th in the 2.Bundesliga the next season and now being even lower than that is just unacceptable for a team of Werder's stature. They'll climb up eventually, I just wish they don't start doing so today. * * * 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-3-3): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Kevin Goden (DR), Niklas Lang (DCr), Gastón Hernández (DCl), Silvan Sidler (DL); Quirin Moll (DM), Erik Tallig (MCr), Dennis Dressel (MCl); Sidi Sané (AMR), Billy Arce (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) WERDER BREMEN (4-2-3-1): Jiri Pavlenka (GK); Felix Agu (DR), Lukas Mai (DCr), Ömer Toprak (DCl), Niklas Beste (DL); Felix Nmecha (MCr), Oscar (MCl); Leonardo Bittencourt (AMR), Romano Schmid (AMC), Luc Ihorst (AML); Niclas Füllkrug (ST) * * * Been a while since we played against a 4-2-3-1, probably around the time we stopped winning. Not sure if coincidence... Anyway, Lang is back in the lineup today, we'll see for how long this time. There's a lot of back-and-forth in the first minutes of the game, neither team quite dominating not creating real danger, but still threatening the opposing defense in turns. The first real chance to come from those attacks falls to Arce, who dribbles his way into the box from the left flank but ends up shooting over the bar. Much closer is Sané one minute later, receiving from Arce himself and running into space, only to send his finish into the crossbar. We're doing better than Werder now, but we still never quite dominate the game completely, and there's always the threat of them finding space to send a counterattack through. Their static plays don't really create much, though, with a centered header by Füllkrug straight into Kretzschmar's arms the closest they get. Meanwhile we keep almost striking gold, but not quite: Lohkemper sends another great chance very narrowly wide following a nice assist from Dressel. Finally, on the 35th minute, a long pass towards the center by Tallig finds Dressel in the middle of one of his runs into space, and the midfielder shows everyone how it's done with his typical power shot to grab the opener. We hold Werder at bay for the rest of the first half. HALF TIME - 1-0 Not much changes in the second half at first, and after a bit of controlling football Sané sends a ball into the box for Lohkember to volley it wide as our first warning shot. The two players trade roles next, with Lohkemper assisting and Sané finishing, although this one's easy for Pavlenka. Third should've been the charm when Arce hits the net from close, but VAR decides the Colombian is offside by inches and we have to save the celebrations for later. The siege continues with a narrowly wide header by Dressel that Pavlenka could only watch fly past. The midfielder tries again with another of his trademark missiles from just inside the box, but the keeper manages to cover the gap and deflect the ball with his body. Third try's not the charm either, as Dressel's header in the following corner kick goes over the bar. The goal should be coming at any moment now, and Werder haven't scared us since the second hand began. Famous last words? Nope. Sané is the next one to try, leaving Beste seated on the grass with a nutmeg then running the flank to cross for Arce's header, well held by Pavlenka. And that's basically the last action of the game on either goal, other than a few blocked finishes that don't go anywhere relevant. A header by Mai in a corner kick already in injury time is Werder's only real chance of the game, and it's an easy catch for Kretzschmar. The game ends soon afterwards. Finally, a win. * * * TSV 1860 München 1 (Dennis Dressel 35) SV Werder Bremen 0 - - - Theeere we go. Had me suffering until the last second even though Werder didn't really do much to threaten our lead, but we should've won this by three goals or more, seriously. Lohkemper seems to have forgotten how to finish in the last month or so, I swear, reminds me a lot of Lex one year ago. Good thing Dressel's still here to carry us and give us our first win in six matches, about time. Good team performance, glad to see Lang playing a good amount of minutes without issue, and... Lovera is now complaining about not being played in his position. He should probably shut up before he ends up not being played at all or, even more likely, back in Greece. I'd rather not pay €4.7k each week for nothing.

Oct 14th, 2022 SpVgg Greuther Fürth (2nd) vs. TSV 1860 München (4th) (2.Bundesliga, 12/34) Another supposed rival of ours for which our fans don't really care much at all, huh. Fürth have been doing quite well lately, climbing all the way to the promotion places after a so-so start and in the middle of their best stretch of form of the season so far. So, our polar opposites. We'll need to be at our best if we're to get something out of here. * * * FÜRTH (3-2-2-1-2): Sascha Burchert (GK); Bruno Rodrigues (DCr), Nick Viergever (DC), Gideon Jung (DCl); Simon Asta (WBr), Gil Dias (WBl); Sebastian Grisbeck (MCr), Tobias Raschl (MCl); Mijat Gacinovic (AMC); Dickson Abiama (STr), Branimir Hrgota (STl) 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-3-3): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Kevin Goden (DR), Gastón Hernández (DCr), Stephan Sadler (DCl), Phillipp Steinhart (DL); Daniel Wein (DM), Richard Neudecker (MCr), Dennis Dressel (MCl); Marcel Bär (AMR), Billy Arce (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) * * * Still no Lang, who should be available to start for our next fixture. Kobald gets benched after one too many bad performances, and Kretzschmar should start worrying about the same if he doesn't improve soon. Hrgota starts the game with a weak header that Kretzschmar picks up without problem, then follows it up with a good right-footed finish that the keeper dives well to tip wide. Looks like Kretzschmar is in the right state of mind today. Even better: on our first attack a cross from the right by Bär eludes the defense's attempt at clearing and reaches Arce, who shoots first time to score the 0-1. Not complaining one bit. Of course it doesn't last, and it's Hrgota once again who provokes the draw with a cross from the left that hits Salger in the chest and escapes his control, rolling into our own net. We try to strike back through the left, with Steinhart sending a nice ball ahead of Arce so the forward can finish from a difficult angle, easy for Burchert to block. We seem to slowly be taking the game back, though, and soon a wide header by Lohkemper gives Fürth another scare. Another chance for Arce is next, this time well assisted by Neudecker, but once again stopped by Burchert. On the other goal a missed header by Hernández allows Hrgota an unexpected chance, but Kretzschmar happens to be in the right place and saves. A very even first half ends with a fair draw. HALF TIME - 1-1 The draw survives all of two minutes into the second half: set piece taken from the right wing by Gacinovic and Bruno Rodrigues heads it in completely unmarked, making it 2-1 for Fürth. We need a bit to digest it, but soon enough we're looking for the draw through Arce, who this time tries a long range chip but sends it over the bar, if only just. Then Hrgota runs towards the left flank, dragging the defense with him, and sends a ball towards Gacinovic, who runs through the channel created by the striker to shoot and score the 3-1. Could've even been 4-1 if Hrgota, again, had hit the target with his header one minute later, but thankfully he went wide this time. Again we try to rally back, and again we miss on our next attack, this time with Lohkemper shooting wide from the edge of the box. Hrgota hits us back on the counter but once again sends an apparently easy finish wide, his lack of accuracy marring what should've been an absolute stormer of a game. Time passes and another chance falls to Lohkemper near full time, but he squanders it with a badly-timed miskick and the ball rolls harmlessly into Burchert's hands. We don't get another, and we slump to our second defeat of the season in the league. * * * SpVgg Greuther Fürth 3 (Stephan Salger 19og, Bruno Rodrigues 47, Mijat Gacinovic 60) TSV 1860 München 1 (Billy Arce 14) - - - Welcome to reality, I guess. The fairytale is officially over now, and this kind of match is what we should start expecting from now on. I can't even blame any individual performances today, except for Salger's unlucky own goal, and even that just sped up the inevitable. Funny thing is, looking at the possession numbers and goalscoring opportunities of both teams this was a very, very even game, but we never looked like we'd be getting anything out of it after going behind early in the second half. Oh well, let's hope we adapt to this new reality soon, otherwise we're gonna struggle. Down to 7th after the rest of this week's games are played.

Oct 5th 2022 Our great start of the season comes with some benefits attached, namely that the board now are completely convinced that I'm the right man for the job and are willing to offer me a new contract three-year contract worth €11.5k per week, with promotion and relegation clauses added as usual. The agreements don't change either, so I accept it happily, knowing that I'll have the time to really build this team up and bring it to the Bundesliga. Oct 9th 2022 TSV 1860 München (3rd) vs. FC St. Pauli (14th) (2.Bundesliga, 11/34) A bit of a disappointing season for St. Pauli so far, considering they were expected exactly in the middle of the pack and are currently too close to the drop zone for comfort. Their form isn't exactly stellar either, with just one win in their last five games. Then again we're similar in that regard, so... Still, a good chance to finally return to our winning ways. * * * 1860 MÜNCHEN (4-3-3): Tom Kretzschmar (GK); Silvan Sidler (DR), Gastón Hernández (DCr), Christoph Kobald (DCl), Phillipp Steinhart (DL); Quirin Moll (DM), Erik Tallig (MCr), Dennis Dressel (MCl); Sidi Sané (AMR), Maximiliano Lovera (AML), Felix Lohkemper (ST) ST. PAULI (4-1-2-2-1 narrow): Nikola Vasalj (GK); Luca Zander (DR), Jakov Medic (DCr), James Lawrence (DCl), Leart Paqarada (DL); Christopher Salon Avevor (DM); Christopher Buchtmann (MCr), Julian Justvan (MCl); Marcel Hartel (AMCr), Lukas Daschner (AMCl); Guido Burgstaller (ST) * * * Lang returns to the bench today, although he's unlikely to play due to his lack of fitness. St. Pauli seem to be using an ultra-narrow tactic that overloads the center, so we decide to go with one open winger and a wider attacking shape to try and hit them where it hurts. The tweaks seem to work fine, as we go on to clearly dominate the early game, although without creating much danger in exchange. In fact this trend extends to the whole first half, and we only manage a couple shots from distance without any danger before it ends. St. Pauli don't even try to attack at all. HALF TIME - 0-0 Things look a bit better in the second half, and at least Sidler makes Vasalj work a bit with a powerful shot the keeper has to tip over. St. Pauli also finally decide to try and shoot, even if it's a wide 25-yarder by Paqarada with zero actual danger. Kretzschmar finally gets some work to do in a set piece that Medic finishes and the keeper parries. Then, finally, in the 59th minute a steal by Sané allows us to catch them out of position, and the ball soon finds its way through Lohkemper and to Arce, who shoots into the underside of the bar so the ball bounces just inside of the goal line. And then VAR disallows it due to offside. Drat. At least now we know we can do it, so it's time to buckle down and keep trying. Another chance to counterattack arrives in the 64th, Sané runs the right flank, assists Lohkepmer, the striker returns the ball to the winger, and Sané passes it low towards the center so Dressel can score unopposed. Great goal, and the barrier is finally torn. We go on to control the game in the following minutes while we look for a second, but what we found is a cross from the right wing by substitute Lee Dong-Jun into Burgstaller's perfectly placed header over Tallig, which becomes the 1-1 with fifteen minutes to play. We pour forward to try and fix things, and surprisingly it comes much easier than expected: a set piece is cleared by St. Pauli's defense back to Steinhart, and the wing back spots Sané unmarked on the far side of the box and sends a pinpoint cross so the winger can volley it in and score the 2-1. But again, it doesn't last: long pass from Hartel towards Burgstaller, who breaks the offside trap by inches and blasts it in to draw the game again just a couple of minutes later. Neither team can manage to steal the win in the final minutes, and it all ends in another draw. * * * TSV 1860 München 2 (Dennis Dressel 64, Sidi Sané 82) FC St. Pauli 2 (Guido Burgstaller 75 84) - - - What a frustrating game. A first half of nothing at all followed by a second half in which we clearly deserved the win but ended up giving up two leads. Sané was great attacking the weak flank, but on the other end our defense was uncharacteristically soft today. Kobald has had a few mediocre games in a row now, and Kretzschmar can't save a shot for his life lately. I'm really starting to worry. Also, yet another terrible game by Lovera, who can't seem to find any way to impact the game from the left. Seriously considering finishing his loan early come the winter window if he doesn't improve drastically.