London is Blue Dispatch #071

Editor’s (Sam) Note: This week’s dispatch is written by Thomas Linart, who is no stranger to LIBP after a cracking debut on the podcast with his scouting report on Belgian wonderkid Mike Penders, which you can find here. Please show his Heidenheim preview some love as he makes his dispatch debut!

Know Your Enemy

1.FC Heidenheim 1846, a Dorfklub (village club) in the South of Germany will welcome Chelsea in their Voith-Arena on Thursday, November 29th. FC Heidenheim has a rich history dating back to 1846 and their rise to the Bundesliga from the 5th tier has been nothing short of meteoric. 

Their manager, Frank Schmidt was born in Heidenheim, and his playing career peaked as a defender in the 2.Bundesliga. He joined Heidenheim in 2003 in the 6th division and after the 06/07 season, retired as a player after captaining the team and achieving top-five finishes in every season.

After becoming their manager in 2007, he orchestrated their sensational rise from the 5th tier to the Bundesliga. Last year, this achievement earned 50-year-old Schmidt the distinction of being the longest-serving manager at a single club in German football history, with his tenure now exceeding 15 years.

Heidenheim 24/25

After a promising debut campaign in which they finished 8th and qualified for the UECL, Heidenheim have not been able to replicate last season’s successes, where they managed impressive victories against Stuttgart and FC Bayern München, despite the latter’s annual wages being approximately 17.5 times higher (€267.7 million) than Heidenheim’s (€15.4 million.)

In this campaign, they have 3 wins, 1 draw, and 6 defeats in 10 games, with a goal difference of -2, scoring 13 and conceding 15. With 10 points from their first 10 games, they sit 2 points away from the relegation zone, despite having to face five of the top 8 teams in the Bundesliga.

This disappointing form has also been reflected in the DFB-Pokal, the German cup, where they were eliminated in the 2nd round by Hertha BSC, ranked 11th in the 2.Bundesliga.

UEFA Conference League

Just like Chelsea, Heidenheim have won all their matches - against Hacken, Olimpija, and Pafos. However, their match against Hearts was the only instance where they achieved a margin greater than one goal difference, resulting in an overall goal difference of +5.

The Team

Performance has been impacted greatly by the transfers of key players from last season, particularly Tim Kleindienst and Beste. This season only Marvin Pieringer has more than 2 goals and more than 1 assist in the Bundesliga so far (4 goals and 2 assists).

Pieringer has proved crucial up front, a physical presence in the box due to his 1.91m height, providing a significant impact in the team's offense despite his unrefined playing style.

Leo Scienza is a skilled Brazilian left winger who offers technical ability and playmaking skills. Although not the most efficient at times, he can be a challenging opponent for any defence when at his best.

Patrick Mainka stands out as the most consistent defender, leveraging his 1.94m height to provide a powerful presence in both boxes. While he may not be the most agile, he is a significant asset to the defence.

18-year-old Paul Wanner, a left-footed attacking midfielder on loan from Bayern, is a highly-rated talent with excellent future potential.

Tactics

Heidenheim often adopt a 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-4-1. In possession, their wingbacks tend to push forward, overlapping mostly on their right. 

Their overall philosophy is of a more compact, defensive nature, utilizing their technical and mobile wingers to launch counter-attacks. Their mobility up front has been effective, proving key particularly on penalty conversions – they have secured as many penalties as Bayern and Dortmund in the Bundesliga.

Heidenheim excel at distributing the ball to their strong striker, boasting the second-highest cross precision rate in the Bundesliga.

Pushing their wingbacks forward though can lead to opportunities for our wingers. Additionally, Heidenheim's defence has shown to be vulnerable when players pick pockets between their lines, creating uncertainty and confusion in their defensive structure.

When subjected to intense pressure, Heidenheim's defence can be fragile, often ceding space in between or behind their defensive unit. Quick, intelligent movers like Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix will relish this advantage.

End-Note

With the last international break out of the way until March, the Blues now head into a hectic run of festive fixtures that often makes-or-breaks the season’s fortunes. A win against Heidenheim to continue our flawless run in the UECL and continue building momentum for the knockouts.