The Norseman Season 9 Part 3

I really don’t want to make this a clickbaity styled post here by not showing the full league table or even the xG table but I do want to focus on the actual outcomes that we’ve produced from a nearly-completed first half of the season. In our sixteen games, we’ve won seven and only lost four, with only Heidenheim and Bayern boasting a less defeats than us, with three apiece. Along with Dortmund, we have the best defence in the league, allowing just eleven goals this season but, at the other end, have the fourth worst offence, only finding the net fourteen times. A look at the xG table will tell you that, whilst we’ve been a little wasteful in front of goal, the issue isn’t as exacerbated as previous years and it is, in fact, the other end where we have made the best gains. As I alluded to in the previous update, this cannot last forever – David Raya has been immense and we should’ve conceded more than double what we actually have. A celebration, yes, but also a huge cause for concern.

I’d collated our goalkeeping, defensive, transitional and attacking team stats as well as collated player stats for defenders, midfielders and forwards but I think that there is more to it than that and, for once, I’ll take a step back and look at the bigger picture.

We simply do not have the personnel to actually compete. All but three players are classed as ‘good enough for the 2.Bundesliga’ including ‘world class’ Leon Goretzka and Lucas Paqueta, with only Lawrence, Raya and Tchetchoua deemed to be actually good enough for the top tier. January will see one change within the squad:

 

Abalo’s attributes are strong and statistically he’s done ok in a side that, now in the second tier, have barely done any defending. However, Kodjo’s contract is one that will need looking at again; he’s signed for a lower wage than expected but his agent’s demands over a release clause, at an amount that – being honest – is a pittance for a player who could be great means that I will need to look again soon.

However, that may not be the case given an opportunity that has popped up meaning that this actual update has basically been shelved as my head has been more than just turned!

I was all about dynasty building here at Bochum but I think that I may have already reached my glass ceiling. We’re going to need significant input over a significant number of years to even think about competing with the best at this level, which, whilst I’m prepared to do, feels like I’ll be stagnating as a manager in that time. I’m firm favourite to be installed as their manager and their demands are certainly reasonable. I can’t help but think that, whilst this would be a move to a rival club, it’s the kind of move that needs to happen for me to reach the next step of my managerial development. I can still rely on the academy, which is actually stronger than here, rather than spend hundreds of millions of pounds but, at least, I can do it a club with a bigger fanbase, better infrastructure and a much higher ceiling…