I didn’t plan to write a blog post. I really didn’t. I planned to spend Sunday’s evening within the Redzone and with listening to the singing talents of Fabian Klos’ girlfriend at The Voice of Germany. (Really!). But the FCSP somehow put a spoke in my wheel. Every one of us does exactly
But first of all, I want to dedicate my dearest respect to those who fought the bloody rain and instead aimed to block a demonstration of some fucked-up Nazis. 800 counter-demonstrators vs. some 60 fruitloops is a great turn out. I am quite ashamed that I didn’t manage to join them, but I am extremely proud at the same time that there are still enough people to block Nazis regardless of the weather

Before the match, another smile was triggered in my face due to the stadium’s playlist which played “Working Class Hero“ by John Lennon. If intended or not, in my opinion, this was a nice gesture towards the suburbs, which recently aimed to mimic a working-class club (a club, hahaha). And as we are just focusing on all the other stuff: Everyone who did throw a beaker yesterday is sincerely invited to join our next episode of the
However, I wasn’t really in the mood for a joke before the match. I was rather worried that we were facing a really hard-to-crack nut with the SV Sandhausen. Th best
And nevertheless, it was just as usual for this season: The FCSP started with a nearly perfect match plan into the match. I do not know the internal arrangements and duties in detail, but I am pretty sure that there’s a relation between the topping-up of the department of match-analyses during the summer and the great turn out of the match plans. I would claim that except for the match against Kiel, the FCSP was the much better team during every first half of every single home match of the season. A fact that I clearly ascribe to the team of managers. Let it go on like this.
The FCSP started with Sobota instead of Conteh and Gyökeres instead of Diamantakos and Buballa substituted Lawrence as a central defender. Almost similar to the derby, the FCSP played a sort of a 5-3-2 formation against the ball, in which the wingers focused the opponent’s fullbacks. And it was also a sort of a 5-3-2 as Diekmeier was highly positioned when the SVS was in ball possession so that Sobota was forced to join the last line of four. Gyökeres was often joined by Mats in the first pressing line. If the situation allowed it, it was also Knoll sometimes who instead of Mats formed the first line.
Most of the time, the SVS did not take a lot of risks and tried to play long balls to their striker Behrens, who was for a long time the only player of the SVS in the front.

Behrens was mostly well guarded by Östigard of whose way to solve duels I was highly impressed. The performance of this guy was simply phenomenal yesterday. And while I was particularly praising the performance of Daniel Buballa during the derby, it was this time Leo Östigard who went to the front and whose performance acted as a role model for the team. Hence, the SVS could not really make use of their ball possession for most of the time. With the substitution of Bouhaddouz, the pressure when long balls were played could be slightly raised during the second half, however, I would rather name it a ‘crowbar method’ than a well-thought-through system, when the SVS was in ball possession. And thus, my description of the offensive attempts of the opponent is coming to a premature end.

So let’s finally get to the things which simply enrich my life: brilliant football. The FCSP acted with a nice-to-watch rotation in the

The real party was then happening behind the attacking line: When in ball possession, Waldemar Sobota was dropping into the
Additionally, the FCSP presented themselves enormously improved in their combination play with very short moments of holding the ball and a great triangle play, especially on the right side (hey, Ryo, you’re doing great!) Freude schöner Fussballzauber (*Wordplay of Beethovens Ode to Joy, would translate to something like “simply enjoying football magic”), this is our FC St. Pauli.

And so, the only thing the FCSP could be blamed for is that they did not aim for an early match decision. Some system adjustments were made for the second half in which Mats moved to the left flank where he waited for the ball. This was probably no order of the managers but rather his deep affection for the Gegengerade which made him chose this side. Yes, we love you too, Mats! Especially, if you’re capable to conjure such a football on the turf. Well, an expected goals-value of 3.3 (1.7 for the SVS) definitely speaks volumes. But as the SV Sandhausen and its crowbar-method were also able to elicit some promising chances it could have turned critical at some stage. But it didn’t. We keep the points because we can. Fantastic, guys!
The longed-for test of character, on an early Sunday afternoon under challenging weather conditions against an (I am very sorry!) opponent who is not really capable to raise my pulse noticeably, was impressively won by our team. The base for this is work, honest work. Just real Working Class Heroes. And so the FCSP is nothing less but the team of the moment. And we will ride that wave now. Yes, but up to where actually?
//Tim (translated by @Parneq)
Beautiful pictures as usual by Stefan Groenveld: A sovereign win
All the other stuff including some more information on the choreography before the second half can, as usual, be found better and with more detail at the communist’s propaganda medium of the FCSP: The fourteen who were washing up the dishes (Unfortunately, in German only).
More information on missing derby stickers and further enlightenment about derby curses can be found at Beebleblox: Almost a series…
p.s. A few more words about the SV Sandhausen: After a good start into the season with an absolute stable
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