Squad width of 1. FC Köln: New opportunities and old risks for players!

Squad width of 1. FC Köln: New opportunities and old risks for players!

1. FC Köln is in an exciting phase at the start of the season. With a broad squad composition, the team benefits not only from the quantity but also from the quality of the players. Coach Lukas Kwasniok has clear ideas about how he wants to use this diversity. After the first three competitive games, the changes and adjustments in the team structure can already be seen as the key to early success. Loud OneFootball The use of the Joker players in particular led to decisive goals.

Kwasniok attaches great importance to a flexible squad. There are currently 22 players available, of which 16 to 18 are used regularly. This squad width carries the risk of dissatisfaction among players who are less likely to get a chance, but it also ensures healthy competition. “There is no fixed starting eleven,” emphasizes Kwasniok. Rather, the starting eleven changes depending on the opponent and the course of the game. It remains to be seen how players like Linton Maina and Jusuf Gazibegovic, who have recently received less playing time, react to this situation. Acceptance of their roles could be a crucial factor in the club's success.

Kwasniok's change in the team

Kwasniok's approach is a clear difference from last season, in which Gerhard Struber was often criticized for his substitution strategy. Under Struber, the depth of the squad was perceived as a weakness, whereas now Kwasniok emphasizes it as a quality. A tactical example of this is the game in the Jahnstadion, where FC increased their pressure through targeted substitutions after falling behind. Players like Jan Thielmann and Kristoffer Lund were substituted to freshen up the tactics, which changed the game positively. Loud Come On FC The substitutions were able to make a decisive contribution to the successful outcome of the game.

The interpretation of the role of the substitutes was another building block in Kwasniok's concept. In contrast to the previous season, in which substitutes were only involved in a few goals, the first games under the new coach are already showing positive signs. FC Cologne plans much more strategically and specifically. Important players from last season who don't start regularly appear calm despite their role in the squad - a sign of good communication between coach and players.

How coaching changes improve performance

The impact of coaching changes in football is often a hotly debated topic. Scientific studies, such as those by Sebastian Zart at the TU Kaiserslautern, show that around half of all coaching changes have a positive influence on the team's performance. Especially in the first phase of a coaching change, improvements in performance can be demonstrated for up to 16 match days. Such results could be beneficial for Kwasniok and 1. FC Köln, as the dissatisfaction from the previous season could possibly be reduced by fresh impulses. The interaction of these factors could help FC gain stability and success under Kwasniok, while at the same time optimally positioning the team. The analysis results BR presented confirm this trend and show that teams can often benefit from a new coach.

In conclusion, it should be noted that under Kwasniok's leadership, FC Köln has the potential to benefit significantly from the breadth of the squad. The team could be on track for a successful start to the season if players adapt to their roles and the competition remains creative. It will be interesting to see how things develop in the coming weeks, because there is still a lot to come!