Patience required on the Brenz? 1. FC Heidenheim profiled

FC Bayern visit 1. FC Heidenheim on Sunday (17:30 CET) – and face opponents who have made notable progress lately. Following two heavy defeats, coach Frank Schmidt changed the formation to make his team more solid and compact. Since then, Heidenheim look more aggressive and clearer in their patterns again – and more awkward to play against. What that means for the upcoming encounter, what principles are behind Schmidt’s approach and what the priorities are for the Munich men are revealed in the opposition profile.

Heidenheim form guide: Stability thanks to back five

After the resounding defeats at Bayer 04 Leverkusen (6-0) and at home to Borussia Mönchengladbach (3-0), Schmidt reacted with a change of system, moving from a four-man to a five-man defence. The tricks seems to have worked. Goalkeeper Diant Ramaj has only picked the ball out of his net four times in the last three matches, because the players in front of him are achieving a better balance without the ball and performing more solidly overall. And it’s produced results straight away. The recent back-to-back 2-1 wins over Union Berlin and SC Freiburg earned Heidenheim six valuable points in the battle against relegation. 

They may have suffered a painful setback with the 2-1 defeat at direct rivals FC St. Pauli last weekend, but the upward trend has significantly lifted the mood around the Voith-Arena. “The effectiveness of the last two matches was lacking today for us to get a point,” said Schmidt after the match in Hamburg. The meeting with Union in particular highlighted the effectiveness that FCH have rediscovered in recent weeks: substitutes Stefan Schimmer and Jan Schöppner scored in the closing stages from 0.59 expected goals. Against Freiburg, too, the winner came in stoppage time.

How Heidenheim could line up

Heidenheim’s main strength lies less in spectacular attacking play than it does in their new-found solidity. In Thomas Keller, captain Patrick Mainka and Benedikt Gimber, a new back three has established itself, which Schmidt is likely to count on again for the visit of Bayern. Marnon Busch and Jonas Föhrenbach should start in the wide positions again, while Julian Niehues has started in the middle in the last three games. Depending on the setup – whether it’s two number 6s or two number 8s – Schöppner and former Munich man Niklas Dorsch are other options in midfield. Schmidt has also rotated more in attack lately, sometimes with a front of two of Mathias Honsak and Marvin Pieringer, sometimes with a three-pronged attack, in which Adrian Beck and Bayern loanee Arijon Ibrahimović can provide creativity and goal threat behind the centre-forward.

Fact check

However, there is room for improvement going forward. Heidenheim have threatened the opposition goal too infrequently so far this season. Thirteen goals after 14 matchdays is the lowest tally in the league, while only 1. FSV Mainz 05 have registered fewer than their 156 shots on goal. In contrast, Bayern lead this statistic with 265 attempts. That’s just one example of the clash of opposites that awaits the fans on Sunday, when you look at the statistics. Bayern, who have had a league-high average of 62 percent possession in the Bundesliga, can again expect to have plenty of the ball against Heidenheim (44%, 17th place), who tend to let their opponents have control. 

Tactics analysed: Man-to-man principle

The two teams do have a similar approach in one area, though: both Vincent Kompany and Frank Schmidt rely on clear man-to-man marking when defending. The distances are short, every defender orientates towards his direct opponent – and Heidenheim see their duels through, if necessary over long distances and also far from the back line. In the match against Borussia Dortmund, Mainka kept a constant eye on target man Serhou Guirassy and moved up from the back line when the Dortmund striker dropped back. Harry Kane is likely to experience something similar on Sunday. This sometimes looks deliberately messy, but it is highly functional: Heidenheim dispense with rigid formation lines in order to keep a handle on their opponents, thereby forcing them to play long balls time and again.

FCH are also variable in their pressing, adapting to the opponents’ setup. Players like Dorsch have a key role here: he shifts forward situationally in order to put pressure on the space in front of the opposition defence. If it works, it results in tackles and opportunities to counter. If it doesn’t, Heidenheim retreat into a compact shape – a 5-2-3 or 5-3-2 – and keep the spaces tight.

Width and depth: How Heidenheim want to attack

FCH don’t stick to rigid ideas. Individual attacking players operate as free space occupiers, showing up in the middle or between the linies and intentionally filling the gaps in the opponents’ formation. The way often leads via the left, with Föhrenbach pushing up high on the flank, which sees Heidenheim switch between four and three at the back. The purpose behind it is clear: create width, engage the opponent – and then get in behind with pace. Especially when the ball comes quickly from the left into the danger zone in the middle, opposition teams often have problems because Heidenheim think very directly in attack.

Above all, patience may be required from Joshua Kimmich and Co on Sunday. Heidenheim defend tightly, consistently put pressure on the ball with man-to-man marking and only reluctantly allow clear changes of rhythm. The key will be to break the lines with pace, running and quick switches – and at the same time be alert to losses of possession because FCH get the ball forward quickly in transition. 

The facts on the clash with Heidenheim: