LASK: How have they evolved under Thalhammer?

After a run of bad results and a decline of performances after restart, the club decided that the coach had to go. Although the rumours of Valerien Ismael being sacrified in order for the club board did not completely silence, the appointment of Dominik Thalhammer made sense in sporting terms. He had led the Austrian Women's national team to unprecedented heights, reaching the semifinals of the 2017 Euros. Given that the squad was predominantely kept together, he was able to build and develop it further.

By looking at some stylistic metrics, we can compare the type of football the new head coach (who at the same time is also the sporting director) has implemented with the previous regime. I use the popular radar graphs for this purpose, which report twelve different indicators. These are broadly grouped into three subcategories: 

With the ball:

• Possession
• Pass success
• High possession (passes in the final third)
• Long balls (as a percentage of all passes played)
• Crosses (per 100 passes played)

Against the ball and transition

• Pressing frequency (number of interceptions and clearances per game)
• Pressing intensity (interceptions and clearances per minute out of possession)
• Opponent pass success
  
• Transition speed (number of passes played per shot)

Performances

• Total Shot Ratio (TSR)
  
• Shot on Target Ratio (STR)
• xG-Difference

 

Comparing last year's and current season's radar, we can actually see some remarkable differences, especially concerning they game with the ball. Average possession went up from 56% to 61% and their pass success rate from 69% to 75%. The number of passes in the opponent third is basically unchanged, indicating that they keep the ball a bit more in deeper positions. This is further underlined by the percentage of long balls, which fell from 19% under Ismael to 14% under Thalhammer. Conversely, they play more crosses: from five crosses per 100 passes last year to six during the current season. 

Their approach towards the opposition goal is also a little less direct; meanwhile they played on average 3.6 passes before each shot in 2019/20, now they shoot after 3.7. Not a huge difference, but still in line with a slightly more patient game.

Concerning their game without the ball, we observe a little paradox. They are pressing less, both in absolute and in proportional terms, but still they are able to interrupt their opponents' play: meanwhile last year 39% of their opponents' passes were unsuccessful, this year they are intercepting 41%. Closing passing lanes and forcing their opponents into bad decision instead of a more direct approach in pressing seems to be the new lemma.

In terms of performances, their game has improved even more from an already high level. They are scoring one expected goal per game more than they concede. A healthy figure, although they are beaten in this regard by champions RB Salzburg and maybe title-challengers SK Rapid.

Can they themselves challenge for the title win? Their numbers are, in spite of the changes in style, largely at the same level as they were last year during the regular season, which they finished in first position, leading by six points. If it had not been for their training scandal and the subsequent point deduction, they could have at least finished better than they ultimately did (in fourth place). Their challenge will therefore be to not experience a similar drop in performances after another excellent regular season and to maintain their level in the Play-Offs.