Oliver Glasner’s Wolfsburg: A Deep Dive into Their 2020-21 Tactics
VFL Wolfsburg’s resurgence in the Bundesliga owes much to the strategic acumen of Austrian manager Oliver Glasner. In his second season at the helm, Glasner has transformed the club into serious top-four contenders, sparking interest from leading teams across Germany. After enjoying strong results with LASK Linz, Glasner arrived at Wolfsburg in 2019, steering them to a solid seventh-place finish. However, it’s the remarkable progress in his sophomore campaign—bringing the Volkswagen-backed club to the brink of their best league finish in years—that is capturing attention. This analysis unpacks the tactical blueprint powering Wolfsburg’s 2020-21 Bundesliga success.
A Consistent 4-2-3-1: Wolfsburg’s Tactical Foundation
During Glasner’s debut season, he frequently tweaked formations—oscillating between setups such as 3-4-3 and 4-3-3—to adapt to various opponents. The 2020-21 campaign, in contrast, has seen Wolfsburg settle into a stable 4-2-3-1 framework. This tactical consistency has yielded the Bundesliga’s second-best defensive record, only surpassed by RB Leipzig.
This stability also extends to the starting lineup. Nine players have featured in at least 25 of the team’s first 30 matches, fostering cohesion and clarity in roles. The defensive line, anchored by US center-back John Anthony Brooks, who has won over 70% of aerial duels, and his frequent partner, French talent Maxence Lacroix, sets a strong foundation. Goalkeeper Koen Casteels, with 13 clean sheets and just 29 goals conceded in as many appearances, has been a wall at the back.
Full-back positions have seen rotation, particularly on the left, where Jerome Roussillon and Paulo Otavio share duties. On the right, Ridle Baku—as both right-back and winger—has emerged as a dynamic presence, while Kevin Mbabu offers additional solidity and width.
In front of the defense, Xaver Schlager and Maximilian Arnold have become one of the Bundesliga’s standout midfield duos, combining for five goals and nine assists. Their workrate and tactical intelligence are crucial. The advanced midfield role, typically assigned to Yannick Gerhardt, prioritizes defensive responsibilities and ball recovery high up the field, while on the wings, Josip Brekalo frequently features alongside other flexible attackers like Maximilian Philipp and Renato Steffen.
The spearhead of the attack is Dutch striker Wout Weghorst. Not only has he played every league match, but his tally of 20 goals and 7 assists in 30 games underscores his centrality to Glasner’s system.
Direct Vertical Play and Attacking Transitions
Under Glasner, Wolfsburg’s offensive strategy is unmistakable: play is direct and vertical, with rapid transitions defining attacking phases. The attacking midfielders operate narrowly in close support of Weghorst, facilitating quick, decisive moves through the middle of the pitch. Arnold and Schlager are both encouraged to push forward, often joining the attack simultaneously or drifting into wide areas if a winger inverts.
The wide players, typically smooth dribblers, tend to cut inside and combine with Weghorst rather than stretching the play. This orchestrated movement creates a compact, interchanging front that prioritizes short, vertical passes and quick progression over languid build-up.
Wolfsburg ranks among the league’s most vertical sides, matching Eintracht Frankfurt and trailing only RB Leipzig and Borussia Mönchengladbach in this approach. Where Frankfurt and Leipzig often exploit the left flank, and Mönchengladbach utilizes line-breaking central runs, Wolfsburg prefers early passes into their central striker and short, incisive balls through the core.
This directness is evident in the team’s statistics:
– 66 long passes per game (7th most in Bundesliga)
– Over 400 short passes per match
– Top of the league for duels won, sprints, and “intensive runs”
The pace and workrate of Weghorst and Baku, leading these categories, highlight the squad’s energetic style—a reflection of their coach’s demand for relentless forward momentum.
Purposeful Possession and Progressive Build-Up
Wolfsburg’s build-up phase is marked by intent rather than possession for its own sake. Center-backs Brooks and Lacroix, along with Arnold, often initiate play, using a mix of direct balls and combinations with full-backs or midfielders. The team’s narrow shape allows Weghorst to act as a pivotal target, bringing others into play through knockdowns and quick link-ups.
Often, the build-up bypasses central midfield altogether—direct passes target the attacking trio or Weghorst to accelerate progression and catch opposition midfielders off guard. Still, Wolfsburg’s ability to recognize moments to slow play and retain possession keeps them in the top ten for short passes and possession percentage, demonstrating a balance between directness and control when needed.
Flexibility and Rotational Movement
Player versatility underpins much of Wolfsburg’s tactical success. Glasner consistently rotates his attacking and wide options, deploying wingers as full-backs and shifting roles between matches. This adaptability fosters seamless positional rotations and makes Wolfsburg unpredictable in attack.
Ridle Baku embodies this flexibility, alternating between right-back and right wing. When attacking from wide, he often moves central to link with midfielders and the striker, while others fill the vacated space. Kevin Mbabu’s regular forward runs create right-side width, balancing the team’s otherwise central overload. On the opposite flank, Otavio or Roussillon may tuck in as an extra center-back to support defensive solidity.
Yannick Gerhardt is another asset, switching between left-back, central midfield, and a pressing-focused advanced role. His high-energy pressing from the front sets the tone for Wolfsburg’s attempts to win the ball back and launch immediate attacks.
Defensive Organization: Narrow, Disciplined, and Energetic
Defensively, Wolfsburg maintains its narrow 4-2-3-1 shape, resisting the temptation to morph into a 4-4-2 as some teams do. The central striker and attacking midfielder both lead the press, emphasizing energy and mobility over pure creativity in the number 10 role.
Wolfsburg’s pressing isn’t always consistent across the entire pitch; instead, they often target specific threats, seeking to disrupt dangerous individuals during buildup. The compactness through the middle makes breaking through the heart of the team especially difficult for opponents.
The system, though robust, has a vulnerability: wide overloads. Teams able to exploit the wings—such as Eintracht Frankfurt or Bayern Munich—have occasionally punctured Wolfsburg’s defense by isolating full-backs and switching play. Nonetheless, the effectiveness of Glasner’s approach is clear:
– Most tackles per game in the Bundesliga (17.5)
– Second-most interceptions (14.2 per game)
– Thirteen clean sheets and just 30 goals conceded in 30 matches
– Twelve players averaging over two tackles plus interceptions per game
This blend of discipline and aggression has been a vital bulwark for Wolfsburg’s Champions League ambitions.
Conclusion: Wolfsburg’s Tactical Evolution Under Glasner
Oliver Glasner’s influence at Wolfsburg is undeniable. The club has consolidated itself as a defensive powerhouse, using a stable and narrow 4-2-3-1 formation, swift vertical play, and positional flexibility to great effect. Key figures such as Wout Weghorst, Ridle Baku, and Maximilian Arnold have flourished under his system, while the entire squad demonstrates tactical intelligence and fitness.
Finishing in the Bundesliga’s top four would mark a significant achievement for Wolfsburg and elevate Glasner’s standing among Europe’s most sought-after coaches. As the season draws to a close, the club’s balance of structure, energy, and adaptability serves as a model for success in Germany’s top flight.
