Who will shut down the lion defense?

Conceded three goals in Osnabrück, two weeks in a bad mood.

Against Duisburg should be zero again.

We are looking for the people next to the sedentary Salger.

One out, two, three new ones in?

After the second conceded three-pack of the season (1: 3 in Osnabrück, previously 0: 3 at FCK), the back four of TSV 1860 is facing a change.

We show which options coach Michael Köllner is examining to get the Löwen defense against Duisburg (Saturday, 2 p.m.) back tight.

We are looking for the neighbors of the sedate Stephan Salger, 31.

Left back:

For Köllner, Phillipp Steinhart is “not just any player in the squad”. His muscle injury, sustained in the cup coup against Schalke (1-0), was deeply regretted by the coach ("absolute baseman, actually indispensable"). In the easy 6: 0 against Freiburg II Steinhart's absence was not of great importance, it was different in the difficult away game in Osnabrück. His representative does not have to be blamed for a lack of zeal, but point one: Fabian Greilinger, 21, lacks eight years of experience. Point two: He's a trained striker, but not yet a hybrid player like the top dog. It is only thanks to Steinhart's versatility that 1860 can afford an asymmetrical, left-leaning game system. Good for Köllner: The 29-year-old has healed his injury. Trend: Mr. Indispensable returns to the starting line-up after a two-game break."Looks good with Phillipp," says the trainer.

Central defense right:

With impressive serenity, the young Niki Lang, 19, established himself as a partner of veteran Salger. The nimble Starnberg ironed out many a deficit deficit in the defensive network, never seemed nervous (not even against Schalke), but concentrated, stable and willing to learn, also in the build-up of the game. Bitter for Lang that his meniscus is now forcing him to take a break. Semi Belkahia took over in Osnabrück from the 75th minute - and should also be placed in the next games. "Semi has been training really well for a few weeks now," said Köllner, praising the shooting star of the second half of the 2020/21 season (22 appearances from the 15th match day, three goals). "His only problem was that Niki Lang, with extremely good performances, no longer voluntarily vacated the place." Quirin Moll has outsider chances,who has not yet found his form this season, but continues to get probation opportunities from Köllner.

Right back:

Retraining Yannick Deichmann is undisputedly one of the bright spots of this so far disappointing lion season.

But it is also clear that the trained striker will only keep the place on the right back warm until Marius Willsch is "a 100 percent starting eleven" again, as Köllner says.

It has an impact: Willsch still has room for improvement when it comes to form and fitness, the pubic bone inflammation, which was contracted in May, continues to have an effect.

Conclusion after the impressions of the international break: Steinhart and Belkahia return, Deichmann stays in the team, Willsch on hold.

But: The task of getting the defense back down is aimed at the collective anyway.

Köllner meant the entry rather than the line-up when he said: "The strongest team has to be on the pitch against Duisburg."