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Twelve games, eleven points, the European Cup season goal far away: For some clubs, such a record is enough to separate themselves from their coach. Even if he worked in the club for around two decades. This was shown by Hertha BSC and Ante Covic in November.
At the Berlin table neighbors Werder Bremen, on the other hand, they have a different coaching discussion despite a similar sporty downhill run: will Florian Kohfeldt be able to hold?
The 37-year-old does not have to fear for his job: Although his team is only two points ahead of relegation place 16 and has only won one of the last ten games. "He told us that he wanted to help build something here," said sports director Frank Baumann recently in the "World" of his willingness to continue with Kohfeldt. "That will be the case in the coming years." It was, mind you, not about kicking out, but about possible attempts to recruit other clubs. In October the name Kohfeldt went through the media as a possible successor to Lucien Favres at Borussia Dortmund.
Accrued credit
Much of this appreciation goes back to Kohfeldt's premier season: Eighth in the league, plus a run in the cup, which only ended in the semi-final against Bayern Munich. Before the new duel with the record champions on Saturday (3.30 p.m. / live ticker SPIEGEL, TV: Sky), Kohfeldt is still one of the trump cards of the Bremen team.
Under him, Werder has undergone a change of style: the wild counter football of earlier years has given way to more careful positional play. Werder nicely combines up to the last third. It's the kind of football that you could easily imagine with a Champions League contender. Kohfeldt let this style play on the budget of a midfield club - and missed the premier class by just five points last season.
In addition, Kohfeldt is considered someone who can develop players. He moved Maximilian Eggestein, one of his protégés when he was young, from the sixth to the eighth position. A year later, Eggestein was in the German national team. Milot Rashica was hired by the wing in 2018 as a preparer. Kohfeldt formed Rashica into a dangerous forward striker who scored six times in ten league games this season and scored three goals.
Martin Rose / Getty Images
Played for Bayern a total of nine years: Claudio Pizarro
In this season, however, football in Bremen has reached its limits. Around the opposing penalty area, you had to rely on exceptional players Max Kruse and Claudio Pizarro to make the difference. Kruse, however, moved to Fenerbahçe on a free transfer in the summer. Pizarro celebrated his 41st birthday in October, most recently the Peruvian clearly noticed his age.
Kohfeldt had actually come up with a plan for these new circumstances: access Niclas Füllkrug should occupy the opposing central defenders in Pizarro's place, Yuya Osako make himself playable as a new ten between the lines and Nuri Sahin from the six-position from Kruse's role as game designer.
At the beginning of the season, it looked as if the new idea could work: Füllkrug and Osako each collected three goals in the first four games, Sahin led the league in the prepared opportunities. Then Osako injured himself on the thigh, filling jar tore the cruciate ligament. Werder's offensive had to be reorganized - and, despite Osako's return in early November, is looking for a plan B.
Ball possession and standards problems
But the Bremen game is not only sick in the attack third - it looks similar in midfield and defense. Injuries also play a role here: Ludwig Augustinsson, Niklas Moisander and Ömer Toprak each missed at least ten games this season. All of them are nominally the best chain of four in Bremen. Augustinsson and Moisander in particular, most recently on the pitch for the first time of the season in the 0-1 loss against SC Paderborn on Sunday, are also considered to be irreplaceable for the game structure.
To strengthen the defensive, Kohfeldt recently put his trust in the two-man Bargfrede in midfield - and put playmaker Sahin on the bench. However, Werder gives the impression that the Kruse era requires more than less technology and clarity. Against Paderborn, Augustinsson got the ball on the wing almost exclusively in the back instead of in the barrel, around the penalty area Werder played out his attacks reluctantly.
Carmen Jaspersen / dpa
Kohfeldt with Leonardo Bittencourt
There are a number of details about the basic deficits. Achievers like goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka too often stay below their possibilities. Counterpressing and free-running movements do not always take place with the conviction of more successful days. And after corners and free kicks, Werder already conceded ten goals. They are most of the league - and more than in the entire pre-season, although Ilia Gruev, a specialist coach for standards, moved into the coaching staff in the summer.
Bremen is convinced that all of these problems can be dealt with over the winter. Only after the first half of the season could it make sense to "adjust the goal", said Baumann before the game against FC Bayern. Werder is still targeting European competition as in summer. The gap to sixth place is now eleven points.
