Form: Back on track after slow start
Werder kicked the new Bundesliga season off in the worst possible way with a 4-1 defeat at home to Hertha Berlin. Since then, they have picked up points from every match and have worked their way up to seventh in the table. Last term’s battle against relegation and the stress of going through the play-offs to avoid the drop meant that it was all the more crucial for Bremen to get this season off to a positive start.
| SV Werder Bremen 2020/21 | |
|---|---|
| Stats | 2 wins, 2 draws, 1 defeat, 7:7 goal difference, 8 points, 7th in the table |
| Form | L-W-W-D-D |
| Goalscorers | Füllkrug (4), Bittencourt (1), M. Eggestein (1), Selke (1) |
Tactics: Predictably unpredictable
New season, new playing style – Werder are focusing less on possession and more on getting the ball up the pitch as quickly as possible. While this has led to a reduced pass efficiency rating in the opposition half, they have taken 80 per cent of the chances that have come their way – almost twice as good as last term (43 per cent). Coach Florian Kohfeldt has shown himself more than willing to change things up in the early part of this season and happy to shift between 4-2-3-1, 3-1-4-2 and 4-3-3. He also fielded a 3-4-2-1 formation in the 1-1 draw against Hoffenheim last week.
One to watch: Maximilian Eggestein
In each of the past three seasons, Maximilian Eggestein has featured in at least 32 league matches. The 23-year-old joined the club back in 2011, working his way through the youth levels and up to the first team. This season, the midfielder has played every minute so far and last Sunday gave his team the lead against Hoffenheim.
Eggestein’s strengths are his distribution in the middle of the park, which compensates for his relative lack of pace. And while he may not be the quickest, he is certainly willing to put in a shift, covering on average 11.57 kilometres per match.
