We asked Thorsten Bogner to pen a preview in August for Stuttgart, the club of his heart, and back again he is with a review of the 2017-18 season.
A lot has changed in Stuttgart in their first season back in the top flight of Germany. Many ups and down with both ugly wins and losses.
At the end of the 34 match season the Swabians earned a 7th place finish on the final match day with a victory over crowned champions Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.
It was indeed a roller coaster type of season for Stuttgart to say the least. The team only earned one point away from home in the first half of the season. On the upside Stuttgart’s fans, with an average attendance of 56, 045 at the Marceder Benz Arena, was a factor for the team posting the fourth best home record in the Bundesliga.
One point from eight away matches in the first half of the season was a key reason for the club being in 14th places at the winter break, two points from the relegation places. It was during the winter break transfer window that the team announced the return of Mario Gomez. In addition previous seasons top scorer Simon Terrode was moved to to be relegated Koln.
As things didn’t start well at the beginning of the Ruckrunde Stuttgart and coach Hannes Wolf went their separate ways. The firing of Wolf didn’t sit well with fans as some even placed lit candles on the front office doorstep along side condolence cards.
At Tayfun Korkut hiring, a Stuttgart native and 2011/12 U17 coach, came as a surprise to many since he had been fired in the past two seasons by three different clubs. Many, including myself said Stuttgart is going to get relegated against after the announcement of the new coach.
On Korkut’s debut, an away match to Wolfsburg, Stuttgart surprised everyone by securing their second away point of the season. The new coach made several personnel and tactical changes. Stuttgart was now playing with a 4-4-2 formation with Gomez and Daniel Ginczek up top. And things started to work as the team went on a nine game unbeaten streak, in not the most attractive style but an effective one.
Match day 31 and Bundesliga security for the next season was secured with a 2-0 win at home against Werder Bremen. No more worrying about other results the team would play worry free, and that what they did. Wins at champions Bayern at fifth place Leverkusen against third place Hoffenheim meant a move into seventh an nearly playing in Europe for 18-19.
Credit to Tayfun Korkut on turning around Stuttgart’s 2017-18 season. The team lost one match under the new coach, earning 31 points from a possible 42 points. A successful season for VfB in their return to the Bundesliga.
