By Tobias Escher. It’s been a long time since Werder Bremen played their last Bundesliga game. When the team of head coach Florian Kohfeldt receives Bayer 04 Leverkusen for the re-start next Monday, their previous appearance, that 2-2 at Hertha BSC in early March, is a proud 72 days ago.
Soccer tactic is therefore worth a quick look back at the question of how Werder Bremen could get into desperation – and on the other hand an analysis of the things that Florian Kohfeldt now has to improve to keep the class with Werder in the end.
The formula “what happened last” is actually known from television programs. With a little look back, viewers who missed the previous episode are brought up to date. Werder fans can also ask the question after a ten-week break: at what point was it Bundesliga actually stopped before the Coronavirus pandemic sent her on a break? So here are the facts.
Werder Bremen: weak in the front, weak in the back
Werder is one penultimate place in the table with one game less than the competition. The residue on Fortuna Dusseldorf, which occupies relegation rank 16, is four, the gap to 15th place is eight. Bremen still have nine regular game days to close this gap, plus the catch-up game against Eintracht Frankfurt, which will take place between the 29th and 30th matchday on Wednesday, June 3rd. No question about it Werder Bremen can still prevent the relegation, a clear increase in football is needed, because the Bremen are by no means at the bottom of the table by chance.
With 55 goals the team is the worst defense in the league, with 27 goals scored also the worst storm together with Düsseldorf. Bremen’s previous performances have been disastrous, especially at home in the Weser Stadium: Werder occupies last place with a meager five points in the home table.
The team was plagued by two weak points before the forced break in the season. The first: Again and again the Bremen failed in standard situations. Regardless of whether they defended corners and free kicks with a space, man cover or an intermediate variant – it was almost always dangerous. No team allowed more goals after dormant balls (14). The second weak point: the condition. Werder never managed to turn a half-time deficit. The eleven missed a total of ten points, even though they led at half-time or held a draw.
The last game before the corona crisis ended 2-2 against Hertha BSC. Werder Bremen once again conceded a goal after a standard situation.
© Gumz
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The two-month break gave Werder Bremen plenty of time to work on the problems. Team training has only recently been possible – and with it the learning of automatisms on the offensive and defensive – but at least in terms of fitness, the Bremen team could do a lot. And those responsible should also have come up with something for the standard versions. The two big problems of the season so far – so they seem to be solvable. The exciting question is: could trainers Florian Kohfeldt tackle the many small construction sites during the forced break?
These start on the holey defensive. The defense chain did not always defend compactly and at the same height, whether in a chain of four or five. Opponents were invited to easy hits, especially after high balls. Werder must have trained this behavior intensively, after all, moving around in the room can also be practiced in small groups and with sufficient distance. It is similar with attack patterns. Werder lacked coordinated moves on the offensive to open the game from their own defense. Too often the building game froze in cross passes. There was a particular lack of presence in the offensive midfield and in the storm. No player could hold and forward balls there. Kohfeldt must have worked intensively at this point too. Last season, in particular, rehearsed moves were one of his team’s strengths.
Werder Bremen: What does the squad have to offer?
The good news: The injury worries that Werder Bremen long plagued seem to be over. Kohfeldt can draw on almost anything. Davy Klaassen, for example, who was banned against Leverkusen at the restart, can optionally choose a six Philipp Bargfrede or Nuri Sahin replaced – or with a more offensive player type like Yuya Osako. Kohfeldt did not have such a selection this season.
And yet a big question mark hovers over the squad: are the players finally able to tap the undoubtedly existing potential on the pitch? For example, Osako has so far failed to prove that he can be the anchor point for his own attacks in the attacking midfield. Also Maximilian Eggestein and Klaassen showed far less presence in their runs in the depth than in the previous season. This game could be continued for numerous positions. Werder’s actors were fickle. Kohfeldt has rarely been able to send the same team to the field two weeks in a row. Will that change in the coming weeks? The tight schedule challenges the players. Werder has to play six games in three weeks in late May and early June; a real test for the physiotherapists and the medical department of the club.
Florian Kohfeldt: More tactical options
This is why the trainer’s ability to clock flexibly is required. That Florian Kohfeldt his starting eleven and thus his tactical formation like to change is well known. This season he sometimes lacked a knack for it, the changes between 5-3-2, 3-4-3 or diamond formation did not always work out. Kohfeldt could now benefit from the new framework.
While playing, he likes to change his formation or give his players new tactical instructions – and it is easier for him to get through to them without an audience. In addition, the German Football League (DFL) should follow the Fifa directive and in future five instead of three Substitutions allow; this increases Kohfeldt’s tactical options.
The bottom line is that a serious forecast of how things will end for Werder can hardly be made. Because there are simply too many unknown variables for this. So must Werder Bremen for the first time in club history Ghost games hold. Does this diminish the performance of the players, or can they play more freely without an audience? In addition, there are many other imponderables Corona virus crisis. That one opponent because of several Covid 19 cases unable to compete, seems just as possible as a short-term postponement of entire match days. It will be an exceptional season in an exceptional time. But maybe this time is just the right time for miracles.
