TSG 1899 Hoffenheim were one of the most exciting teams to watch in the Bundesliga last year, not just because of their creative attack, but because of their dismal defending.
Their games always brought goals because they were not only prolific going forward, but exposed at the back as a result and, whilst this provided an entertainment factor, it did not help their cause as their 55 goals conceded proved to be their downfall as they missed out on European football with an eighth placed finish.
This season, the team will be looking to go one further and clinch a top seven finish, and their activity in the transfer window shows this intent.
Summer business
The big story of the summer in Hoffenheim has been Roberto Firmino's departure, the creative forward, who registered 10 assists and scored seven goals last season, leaving to join Liverpool in a deal worth £29 million.
Sejad Salihovic's move to Chinese side Guizhou Renhe is another big loss, not only because of the Bosnian's ability to score goals and deliver telling set pieces into the area, but because of his experienced and well-respected personality that earned him the captain's armband at the Wirsol Rhein-Neckar-Arena during his nine years with Hoffenheim.
However, Die Kraichgauer have recruited well during the transfer window to try and replace these key players. The arrival of Mark Uth from Dutch side SC Heerenveen is a fantastic signing, the German looking to prove himself in his homeland after leaving 1. FC Köln as a 20-year-old having failed to make an impact on their first team. Since then though, he has proved prolific in the Netherlands, scoring 15 goals in 32 games for Heerenveen last season and 17 in all competitions.
The big attacking import is certainly that of Kevin Kuranyi, however. The 33-year-old returns to Germany after five years in Russia, during which he scored 50 goals in 123 league games for Dynamo Moscow. Kuranyi first made a name for himself in the Bundesliga with VfB Stuttgart, scoring 40 goals in 99 league games for them, before accomplishing similarly prolific feats with Schalke 04 with 71 goals in 162 games.
His experience in the league and natural goal-scoring ability will help fill the void left by Firmino, especially when combined with Uth's combinations, even if these two are far different players to the departed Brazilian. Keeping hold of Kevin Volland has been as good as signing any of these players too, the German international striker signing a new deal despite being a target for many big clubs this summer.
At the back, the team are certainly starting afresh too, with David Abraham moving to Eintracht Frankfurt and Andreas Beck joining Besiktas after seven years with Hoffenheim, both of whom were regular starters last term.
Defenders Benedikt Gimber and Nicolai Rapp have been promoted from the youth team as well, whilst Fabian Schar has joined the club from FC Basel in one of the transfers of the summer. The highly-rated Swiss international was reportedly being pursued by the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal, amongst others, but instead chose to join Hoffenheim in a deal believed to be worth €5 million.
Czech Republic international right-back Pavel Kaderabek has also made the switch to Die Kraichgauer from Sparta Prague, whilst youngsters Kim Jin-su and Jeremy Toljan will see this season as a chance to get more first team football as the side look for players to step up at the back.
Pre-season campaign
Hoffenheim have had a strong albeit easy pre-season campaign. Hitting double figures past Bairetal, Zuzenhausen and Weinheim, scoring 45 goals with just one reply in total, hardly taught them much, whilst a 1-1 draw against Norweigian side Lillestrom perhaps had more lessons to be learned, as did a 2-1 win over English second tier side Leeds United and a goalless draw with new Premier League outfit AFC Bournemouth.
They went unbeaten in their preparations for the new season, also defeating Fredrikstad 4-1, and will look to keep up this momentum when they get their DFB-Pokal campaign underway against 1860 Munich on Saturday 8 August, the 2. Bundesliga side having started their new league season poorly with 1-0 defeats to 1. FC Heidenheim and SC Freiburg.
This cup match will be key in giving Hoffenheim a well-needed step up as they ready themselves for the Bundesliga's big kick off next weekend, with them having prepared against low quality opponents thus far, and so they must treat it with respect.
Important fixtures
Die Kraichgauer start the season with a tough trip to face Bayer Leverkusen, who finished fourth last season, defeating Hoffenheim twice in the process. They then follow this up by welcoming reigning champions Bayern Munich to the Wirsol Rhein-Neckar-Arena.
It is imperative that they get points from these opening two games in order to avoid playing catch-up with the rest of the league. Also, if they want to be in those European places, they are going to have to compete with teams like Leverkusen and Bayern to secure a top seven finish.
In general though, Hoffenheim will be pleased with their fixtures for the new season as they are well spread out with no tough or easy games bunched together in their schedule. Still, the quality of their return from the winter break will go a long way in defining their season as they face Leverkusen and Bayern in quick succession again, before hosting Borussia Dortmund only a few games later.
It is important that they hit the ground running after Christmas as a slow start to the second half of the season could cost them a place in Europe.
Key players
For Hoffenheim to accomplish their goals for the season, they will need their key players to step up and perform, especially with there being a couple of high profile departures from the team this summer.
Sebastian Rudy is one of these important players. The 25-year-old is naturally a central midfielder but found himself in a right-back position far too often last season. However, the arrival of Kaderabek suggests that he will move into the centre this season, which will be beneficial for both him and his team.
Rudy likes to get forward with the ball, and this left Hoffenheim exploited a lot down their right hand side last year, but this season he is likely to have a more positive impact from the middle of the park, providing the attack with some well-needed fuel, as well as tracking back to help his defence out.
Another key performer this season will be Volland. The 23-year-old will be well aware that, with Firmino gone, he needs to step up another level this year. Eight goals and five assists was a decent return last season by the forward, but manager Markus Gisdol will be expecting nothing less than double figures from him this year, as well as for him to maintain his creative contributions.
Volland will be supported by Kuranyi this season and will be looking to form a deadly partnership with the veteran, whose experience and composure in front of goal will be essential if Hoffenheim are to mount a successful push for a European place. These two, along with Uth, can only help relieve the pressure each will feel from the goal-scoring burden by helping each other out, this by creating chances for one another and putting these away clinically.
At the back, new signing Schar will be an important figure for Die Kraichgauer, needing to settle in quickly in the Bundesliga if his talent is to improve Hoffenheim's back line. He may be young, but he is capable of adapting to the step up presented by the German top flight and Gisdol will hope his cool-headed personality but effective style rubs off on his defensive teammates.
Potential worries
The obvious problem that Hoffenheim could encounter is if their changes at the back do not have the positive effect desired. With experience making way for youth, there is certainly a risk factor in there, but they will hope that their gamble pays off and the young back line can prove to be a stern one that lays a strong foundation for a successful team.
Something else that will concern Die Kraichgauer is replacing Firmino's contributions. They will again be relying on new signings to settle, namely Uth and Kuranyi, to ensure this can be done, whilst Volland steps up and other players also raise their game from midfield and out wide to ensure they are not lacking creativity or goals because of the Brazilian's departure.
Prediction
There are plenty of reasons for Hoffenheim to be positive going into the new season. Their summer business means they have lots of attacking options now which, when combined with the fact that they didn't get European football last season, means they can rotate their front line frequently to ensure their attackers are always fresh-legged and seeing enough minutes to have an impact.
They may not be boasting an attack as frightening as last year's, but their defence looks set to improve with the new signings, and the additions made elsewhere on the park are sure to help too.
Whilst fifth-placed finishers FC Augsburg ponder over how to ensure their 2014-15 campaign was more than just a one-off and Schalke 04 continued to fall apart slowly but surely, Hoffenheim will be ready to pounce this year and have what it takes to clinch a spot in the top seven.