The performance in Frankfurt left most of those involved on the Leverkusen side perplexed. 2:5 despite leading 2:0. On top of that, a list of shortcomings as long as the eye can see. Coach Gerardo Seoane is not the only one who sees a need for more discussion.
It was a disaster, the cause of which is difficult to explain at first glance, because there were so many reasons for the defeat: a sudden weakness in tackling with the two-goal lead, sometimes amateurishly defended standard situations, unusually sloppy passing, and a team that defensively didn’t even begin to deserve the term unity.
A long list of shortcomings that cries out for a straight talk. Consequently, coach Gerado Seoane announced ahead of Wednesday’s game against pursuers 1899 Hoffenheim: “For sure we will work through this in the next two days. That requires a thorough analysis with the involvement of the players as to why it has come to this. “
The professionals were ruthless in their criticism of the game immediately after the victory. Goalkeeper Lukas Hadecky spoke of “two crap goals” after standards, criticised “catastrophic balls” in the passing game, a lack of mutual help and a lack of bite in the duel, as well as a lack of fight after half-time.
After the 2-0 lead, “it became too casual for me,” complained the captain, who was particularly annoyed by another point: “It starts the same way in the second half. Which disappoints me because we discussed in the dressing room that we should start as aggressively as in the opening phase. That was far too little. “
When you defend that badly, whether it’s in front or behind, you just don’t get anything
A bulging suitcase full of problems, into which Robert Andrich (“The second half was absolutely desolate”) stuffed another. “When you defend so badly, whether it’s up front or at the back, you just don’t get anything,” complained the six-pointer, whose criticism clearly included the offensive department.
After the break, for example, right-winger Moussa Diaby did not support his backman Jeremie Frimpong nearly enough against Frankfurt’s cross machine Filip Kostic. The Werkself did not show the solidarity Seoane had prayed for on the pitch in Frankfurt.
Like the coach, Andrich also sees a need for more talk. “We have to honestly admit that it was shit. We have to talk about what wasn’t good, because a lot of things were bad “, demands the defensive midfielder, who also has his eye on the weak point of the opponent’s standards (“It’s not just this time that it’s too easy for us”). With these, too, Bayer lacked the absolute will to make the situation work for them.
We have the opportunity to change something in the personnel, we have the opportunity to change something in the system.
Seoane sees an evil in the nucleus of the game, the duels: “It’s about winning duels. That requires cleverness, physicality and speed. That’s an important point, especially with the younger players who don’t have that robustness yet. And that was visibly the difference. That was the deciding factor.”
The Swiss will have his professionals explain to him why Frankfurt could have suffered such a setback after three wins in a row in the league, why the slackness suddenly set in. Afterwards, he will rethink his consequences.
The decisive change must take place in the minds
“We have a broad squad. We have the possibility to change something in the personnel, we have the possibility to change something in the system,” he announced, “we have to look for solutions these two days to show a different face on Wednesday. “
The decisive change, however, will have to take place in the minds of his players. So that the second defeat with five goals conceded this season, after the 1:5 against Bayern Munich, does not represent access to the same trough that Bayer went through in October after the defeat against the record champions.
