Killer instinct needed in Würzburg

Opposition scouting report

Whilst Würzburg have the leakiest defence in the division with 44 conceded in 21, Trares has certainly tidied them up at the back and made them harder to beat, ‘keeper Hendrik Bonmann having to fetch the ball out of the net twelve times in the last eight games. FWK are on a difficult run of fixtures, facing all of the top four one after another, the two most recent games perhaps indicative of their plight. They were much the better team against Greuther Fürth but were drawing 1-1 at half-time; let down by individual errors, poor finishing and some dodgy refereeing decisions in the second half to go down 4-1. Last Friday’s loss to Kiel was similar, battling hard for 90 minutes but undone by a very questionable VAR penalty decision and losing 1-0 at the Holstein-Stadion. Despite their lowly position, Würzburg will be no pushovers on Sunday.

Having brought in 26 players and seen 22 leave over the course of the summer and winter transfer windows, it is maybe unsurprising that Würzburg have struggled, but one of the reasons for the slight upturn in results has been consistency in the starting eleven. Trares has settled on a 4-3-1-2, being narrow and compact without the ball to force their opponents wide, and has named the same eleven for the past three games. Veteran striker Ridge Munsy is also on a good run of form having scored four in his last four, including both against Fortuna Düsseldorf on Matchday 19 to give FWK a surprise victory. The Red and Whites will be hoping to spring a similar shock at the Stadion am Dallenberg on Sunday.

Daniel Thioune on Würzburg: "Since our first meeting with them, a lot has changed. In the last few weeks against promotion candidates they were well in the game and were compact when defending. It could be an interesting encounter."