Cottbus before the Second Division start: Where the promoted team urgently needs to catch up

In the center of midfield, Energie Cottbus appears comparatively stable ahead of the start of the 2. Bundesliga. But it is precisely this axis that makes it all the more visible how great the need for improvement still is in other parts of the team – and how much transfer work must succeed in a short time to turn a promoted squad into a second division squad.

The summer already has a clear direction

The summer already has a clear direction:

• Tolcay Ciğerci has extended his contract.
• Lukas Michelbrink stays on loan.
• Dominik Pelivan is tied down.
• Jannis Boziaris is tied down.
• Christian Kinsombi as a new signing (in the 3rd division involved in seven goals in 725 minutes).

This results in a structure in the center that can be built upon. At the same time, the squad is still thinly staffed in crucial areas – especially in goal, central defense, and on the right side.

The center is set, behind it the construction sites begin

Cottbus has more continuity in central midfield than many promoted teams. This is valuable in sporting terms, because rhythm, game control, and the connection to the attack are created there. A well-rehearsed center also helps when not every personnel decision is settled during preparation.

But it is precisely this stability that increases the pressure on the other parts of the team: When the center is set, weaknesses in the adjacent positions are punished more quickly – especially since in the 2. Bundesliga the error rate must decrease and the workload over 34 matchdays is significantly higher.

The minimum internal need remains correspondingly high:

• two goalkeepers
• two central defenders
• two right-backs
• a right winger
• a center forward

This is not fine-tuning, but a major squad construction site.

Goal and central defense are the main priorities

The situation in goal is the clearest. Currently, only Max Böhnke, the number three, is firmly planned. For a season in the 2. Bundesliga, where goalkeepers must not only make saves but also play out cleanly under pressure, this is too narrow a basis. Cottbus will probably have to act twice here: a clear first-choice keeper and a reliable challenger are practically mandatory if the start of the season is not to become an improvisation project.

The situation in central defense is similarly urgent. Fousseny Doumbia comes on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt II, but that does not cover the need. The departure of Nyamekye Awortwie-Grant to SC Paderborn has further thinned out the defensive center. In addition, there is an unresolved personnel issue: With King Manu, the situation remains unclear after his contract expired with the relegation of his parent club Fortuna Düsseldorf; no agreement is in sight so far.

Especially for a promoted team, the defensive center is more than just a position group: It is the foundation for phases where you have to "win ugly." If several spots are open at the same time, the pressure to adapt during preparation increases – coordination on set pieces, depth coverage, and interplay with the goalkeeper cannot be trained on the side. At least two more central defenders therefore seem essential, ideally including one who already knows the pace and decision-making density of the 2. Bundesliga.

Depth is also lacking on the right and up front

Another core problem is on the right side. Nominally, Cottbus currently has no right-back under contract. For a league in which many teams generate pace, deep runs, and a high frequency of crosses on the flanks, this is a structural risk. Moreover, it's not just about "one" player: In practice, at least three professionals are needed for the right flank – two at the back (due to workload management and suspensions) and one up front. Only then can playing models with clear width, counter-pressing, and solid cover be implemented seriously.

Offensively, the situation is somewhat less acute, but also incomplete. On the right wing, only Moritz Hannemann is currently available. In attack, after the previous squad moves, an additional center forward is a logical step: a competitor is sought for Erik Engelhardt, who has scored ten goals in 32 second division matches. This tally shows that Cottbus has a reference point in attack – but in the 2. Bundesliga, a reliable striker is rarely enough when form slumps, injuries, or tactical adjustments occur. A second number nine with starting potential would not only provide depth, but also increase training quality and tactical variability.

What now determines competitiveness

The squad structure of Energie Cottbus presents a clear picture before the start of the second division: The foundation is laid in central midfield, but not yet in several other parts of the team. What matters is not so much the sheer number of new signings as their suitability – especially in positions where mistakes are most quickly translated into goals conceded and lost points: goalkeeper, central defense, and the right side.

If Cottbus closes these axes quickly, the existing stability in the center can carry the team. If the construction sites remain open into the early matchdays, there is a risk of a season start in which results and development are simultaneously under pressure.