Enrico Pucci
Member
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2013
- Messages
- 2,187
- Reaction score
- 225
- Points
- 63
Welcome to our winter break edition of Rötliche und Teuflisch the podcast to discuss the first half of one Football Club Kaiserslautern’s season. This is episode 8.62. Please like and subscribe. I am your host Werner and I am joined by Jakob as always.
Jakob: Hi, how are you?
Werner: Really good. Really really good.
Jakob: Ja, its been a while since we have collectively felt this good.
Werner: Let’s start with the match, ja?
J: Ja, Eintracht Braunschweig are having a decent to good season so far and we kept them from getting a shot off until a bit into the second half.
W: As opposed to last week.
J: Exactly. As opposed to last week when we let a struggling Türkgücü München attack at will. Also, Braunschweig have a far better defensive record and were never going to be pushovers like Türkgücü.
W: So a goal from Ritter just before half time?
J: Ja, it seemed to go through everybody’s legs except his own.
W: Mainly because that isn’t even possible. Our players passing in tight spaces is really good, I must say. Neal Gibs and Osayamen Osawe interchanged really well with Marlon to set the stage for him to score.
J: And then Hikmet Çiftçi gets some rare minutes and even rarer goal. That really describes our season so far. When the attackers aren’t able to score, others step up. I’ll dig into that a bit more later. But everyone is stepping forward in the scoring department.
W: Enrico Pucci had to dig deep into the roster to find fit players for the bench.
J: Yet we’ve won the last two matches with our backup central defensive pairing. And today they never looked troubled by Braunschweig’s attack. These back ups have been stepping forward when necessary and doing what’s required.
W: Alright, lets talk about where today’s win puts us.
J: Ja, lets.
W: We are winter champions by ten points. We have won ten straight and have only lost one game all season. We have the best offense and best defense. I’ll just say it …
J: Are you sure you want to?
W: Ja, I’m going to. I expected Enrico Pucci to improve the club. To make us competitive. I will be honest and say that I didn’t expect this.
J: Are you so sure?
W: Huh? I don’t follow.
J: He ran away with Serie B in Italy when he was in charge of Bologna. He did the same in League Two with AFC Wimbledon, England’s fourth division.
W: You can’t use facts on me. They don’t work. Kaiserslautern is different. We’re worse off than either of those clubs or situation is far more dire.
J: Fine, I’ll grant you that. Those two clubs aren’t our club. I get it.
W: I do have one thing that worries me. I mean legitimately not just me being paranoid. Well, maybe a little paranoia.
J: And that is?
W: Injuries.
J: Yes, the medical room at Fritz-Walter is full to overflowing. Thankfully, its the winter break and the injured and sore have some time to heal. We’ll have Jean Zimmer and Kenny Redondo back by the restart. They both had to come off yesterday. Marius Kleinsorge and Boris Tomiak, too. Even long-term injury victims Hendrick Zuck and Lucas Röser are coming back soon. Röser hasn’t even been available yet this season as he’s been recovering from ACL surgery.
W: Okay, I’m less worried now.
J: Can we move on to the numbers?
W: Of course.
J: Muhammed Kiprit is tied for the lead in goals with thirteen. Marlon Ritter is tied for second in assists with seven, Osawe is tied for sixth with six. We lead 3.Liga in XG, shots taken, and shots on target. We’re third by a hair in shots on target with forty nine percent. We have three players in the top ten for average rating: Tomiak leads the league, Osayamen Osawe is fifth and Ritter is tenth.
W: Can we talk about Osawe?
J: Sure. How so?
W: He was pretty ineffective in his first stint with the club. We were not very happy with his signing.
J: Ja. Pucci is getting the most out of him. I’m surprised but maybe not so much. Tthe legendary Ulf Kirsten is on the staff and that has to have a positive impact. They are finishing more and more like he used to. Jörg Weber, Pucci’s assistant, and Lorenzo D’Anna coach the defense. Clearly, they are doing a good job. But Osawe is fast and athletic and Pucci has set up the team to exploit his pace.
W: What else have you got?
J: Kiprit is third in average minutes between goals at 106.46. He also hit the target with 63% of his shots. Osawe had 55% accuracy rate. Kiprit’s conversion rate was 25%. Kiprit took 3.38 shots per game and Osawe 2.95. Just to put that in perspective, the leader was Maximilian Breunig of Würzburger Kickers who had 5.55 per game and he’s leading the league by a lot.
J: Additionally, Neal Gibs leads the division in tackles per match with 4.07. Boris Tomiak is third in interceptions with 76 and second in clearances with 227.
W: Someone who doesn’t make the headlines but is crucial for us is Julian Niehues.
J: Ja. He’s fast, his positioning is impeccable and he’s always at the right place at the right time to stop any counter attacks and shield the back four.
W: He’s crucial for the club’s success so far. His passing is underrated as well. He always gives it quickly to someone else. I mean, he’s often just recirculating the ball, but he’s the fulcrum of our whole offense, wouldn’t you agree.
J: Clearly, Pucci saw something in him. He’s only been subbed once I think. He’s ever-present for this squad.
W: Shall we move on to questions?
J: Lets.
W: Alright, another question from your mother. @leo_kropp22 on Twitter asks ‘have we got the league and promotion wrapped up already?’
J: My Mom sure has a lot of Twitter accounts. Um, maybe? I mean I don’t want to curse us, but its looking good. Pucci said in the post match press availability more or less the same thing. He said some stuff about taking it one match at a time and that we’re really well positioned.
W: Your turn.
J: Right. Um, here’s one not from my Mom. @rabbensweiler_87 asks ‘Will we have any signings in the january transfer window?’ and my answer is probably not. We haven’t got any money and we’re going to get a lot healthier very soon. The only possibility would be a loan signing where we don’t pay them anything. But I think that’s unlikely as this current squad is doing the business.
W: Have a pleasant winter break.
J: Ja, and you too.