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In the first of our 18 tactical previews to be released here on Get German Football News, it’s time to take a trip to the capital city’s Köpenick quarter! How fares the famed East German club of Wolf Biermann and Nina Hagen? Er…well. Let’s just say that training camp has Bundesliga watchers fearing more of the same. Urs Fischer once led Union Berlin to three consecutive years of European football, culminating in the Champions League berth at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

Something newer fans of the Bundesliga may not be aware of concerns the fact that none of those Fischer squads really had a lot of pop to them. None of the 2020/21, 2021/22, or 2022/23 teams scored more than 51 league goals. These were extremely defensive-minded teams that squeezed goals out of the likes of Max Kruse, Joel Pohjanpalo, and Kevin Behrens. The ill-fated “Champions Lease” side of 2023/24 – which did have to cope with the losses of Taiwo Awoniyi and Sheraldo Becker – started some long overdue unraveling. 

After Two consecutive years of battling relegation, a wretched preseason during which Steffen Baumgart’s Union failed to score a goal in their last four friendlies leaves one concerned. Honestly, none of the other two trainers who followed Fischer (Nenad Bjelica and Bo Svensson) really did much to alter Fischer’s tired and flawed system. As we shall go into greater depth about below, Baumgart has been trying out loads of different stuff in camp. Not much happens to be working, however, and a coach likely to be on the hot-seat looks increasing desperate.

1. FC Union Berlin

One feels comfortable releasing Union’s tactical section first as the formation Baumgart deployed in the final friendly yesterday is probably what will see against Gütersloh on Friday. The FCU trainer needs to keep things as compact and safe as possible. In terms of the XI, Baumgart’s selection following this camp remains fairly straightforward. Anyone and everyone scouting this team does at this point.

Major summer personnel shifts, Union Berlin

Estimated Summer Transfer Balance = +4.8 million

Having lost leading goal-scorer Benedict Hollerbach to FSV Mainz 05, the FCU administrative team reacted by singing Lille’s Andrej Ilic to a permanent deal and bringing in SC Paderborn 07’s Ilyas Ansah. Famed Werder Bremen “super sub striker” Oliver Burke also joined die Eisernen on a free. January attacking transfer flop Marin Ljubicic was tapped to receive another shot leading the line. On the defensive front, Union rolled the dice with Hoffenheim flop Stanley Nsoki.

One fully expects additional departures in the central defensive corps with both Danilho Doekhi and Diogo Leite still being courted by other larger clubs. Midfielder Alex Kral has also been linked with a move away. Baumgart’s pre-season tactical deployments seem to suggest that he’s not planning with Leite. In goal, the FCU gaffer opted to open up competition at the keeper position by bringing in his former Hamburger SV man Matheo Raab.

Notes from camp, Union Berlin

Matters got off to a decent enough start in the first test fixture. Ilic scored four goals in a 9-1 victory over fifth-tier side Brandenburger SC Süd. Youngsters Andrik Markgraf and Suheib Elias Ali also got their names on the scoresheet. The two prospects made their presence felt with more contributions in the second friendly against sixth-tier SV Grün-Weiß Ahrensfelde. Ljubicic also scored in both matches and Burke added a goal in the second.

The Köpenickers then proceeded to head south to Austria for a pair of friendlies against LASK Linz and Rapid Wien. Against stronger competition, one began to see Union struggle with creative forward play. Long verticals no longer sufficed to slice open the defense. Ansah and Lucas Toursart helped Union complete a 2-0 win over Linz. Tim Skarke then scored what would prove the final FCU goal of the pre-season in a 1-1 draw with Vienna.

Union wrapped up their test fixture slate with four consecutive losses against SpVgg Greuther Fürth, Schweinfurt 05, Espanyol Barcelona, and Olympiakos. Alarmingly, Baumgart’s charges failed to score a goal or produce much danger in all four 0-1 defeats. A 3-3-2-2 formation against Fürth clearly aimed to enhance lateral play. Baumgart even deployed the left-footed Robert Skov on the right and the right-footed Josip Juranovic on the left to try and mix things up.

This yielded nothing.

Baumgart tested out 5-4-1s and 3-4-3s in the subsequent two exhibitions to no real avail. The attack remained lackluster and inspired throughout. A 5-3-2 against Olympiakos left one throwing up one’s hands and lamenting that “typical Union football” was simply the order of the day. No ideas going forward. A totally craven attitude on the ball. Sloppy midfield passing. All of the lousiness remains all too familiar.

Not to suggest that Union are boring every match, but it’s best if one brings a copy of one’s “football apologists’ handbook” whenever heading to the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. Take in the atmosphere in the stands instead of worrying what transpires on the pitch. Of course, every time one says that something like that ridiculous 4-4 draw against Stuttgart ensues. 

Winners from camp, Union Berlin

Andrik Markgraf, LWB

The 19-year-old – signed to a professional contract this summer – absolutely isn’t ready for prime-time just yet, but certainly made quite the statement in the early friendlies. Baumgart gave him a solid 45 minutes of action in the first four tune-ups, starting him in half of the matches. As the tests grew more serious, Markgraf faded into the background. That’s where he’ll remain for the foreseeable future. One looks forward to the day when the Berlin-native gets his first real chance.

Christopher Trimmel, RWB

Quite a bit of life left in the “old dog”. Union signed the 38-year-old to a contract extension last April and, just recently, confirmed that he will continue to serve as squad captain. Trimmel actually provided some of the only offensive impetus in the late woeful exhibitions and certainly doesn’t look his age at all. As is the case with most players his age, the plan was for Trimmel to work on his coaching license while shouldering a light work load. After this camp, however, one begins to wonder if the Austrian might serve as a regular starter.

Janik Haberer, CM

Union’s famous “distance king” peeled off one of his trademark gems in the second test fixture. The popular former German youth international easily served as Baumgart’s most consistent midfield actor in the friendliest. Granted, his competition wasn’t exactly fierce. The 31-year-old didn’t exactly have to dazzle to beat the likes of Kral, Lazslo Benes, and the (still being integrated slowly) Woo-Yeong Jeong. One still sees him maintaining a starting place as the season gets rolling.

Losers from camp

Marin Ljubicic, CF

So much for second chances. The marquee January addition looked clumsy and out-of-sorts in the friendly against his old club Linz and failed to make anything of an impact against Schweinfurt. Baumgart has hardly used the Croatian since. Perhaps the only thing speaking for the 23-year-old at this point is that competing strikers Ansah and Ilic have turned in their fair share of poor performances as well. One could also add that Baumgart has breathed new life into an FCU flop before. With this corps, Ljubicic might get a third, fourth, or fifth chance.

Tom Rothe, LB

Leite’s impending departure leaves Rothe occupying the left-slant center back position in Baumgart’s back-three. To the former Dortmund academy man’s credit, he has made great strides in this role after looking highly uncomfortable in the first few matches. By the time the final three exhibitions arrived, the 20-year-old made solid contributions to Union’s compact defense. One nevertheless still hates seeing Rothe deployed so far back. It genuinely seems like a waste of his natural talent.

Alex Kral, CM

Another player forced to work in Baumgart’s makeshift back-three has looked highly uncomfortable whenever deployed there. The Czech international has managed to make a few marks offensively when deployed father upfield, but it probably won’t be enough to give him a future with the club. It looks increasingly likely that the 27-year-old will be headed to PAOK Thessaloniki in Greece. Baumgart simply hasn’t figured out how to work the returning loanee into his plans.

Tactical Scout, Union Berlin

The 5-3-2 from the Olympiakos friendly looks to remain in place, albeit with a few tweaks against a four-tier opponent. Baumgart still can’t afford to take FC Gütersloh lightly. The East Westphalians have scored a combined 16 goals in their first two league and opening round Landespokal fixtures. Gütersloh – participating in its first Pokal in two years – are planning on cramming the bleachers to allow some 10,300 fans to attend in what’s considered a 8,400 capacity stadium.

Lineup—Union Berlin (Final Friendly)

Baumgart might feel comfortable give Raab a run-out in goal. Haberer might flip over to the right whilst Andras Schäfer makes way for Skarke, or Khedira could simply push up to make the second axis more level and forceful. Skov had to break off training recently, meaning that Juranovic might start again on the left. Rothe probably can’t move up just yet as Nsoki isn’t quite fit enough to take his place yet. Perhaps a debut for Markgraf?

We shall see. 

GGFN | Peter Weis