Ingolstadt / Bremen – He had not scored a goal, neither prepared one or spectacularly prevented it at the very last moment – in short: Anthony Jung had to leave the place in the center of attention to others after Werder Bremen’s 3-0 win at FC Ingolstadt. In the end, however, the 29-year-old’s personal statistics also showed two values that were more than remarkable.
Jung’s pass rate was a strong 90 percent, his duel rate even reached the maximum of 100 percent. In other words: As a left-back with a strong defensive mind, the summer newcomer had a really good game – and in his own way provided further evidence of the following statement: The new players are doing Werder Bremen really good.
“Especially after the last two years, which were very difficult, it was very important that fresh blood came into the team, that there were some changes,” said coach Markus Anfang in the catacombs of the Ingolstadt stadium. A statement that his team had confirmed in advance during the previous 90 minutes. After all, the two Bremen goalscorers were – Mitchell Weiser (42.) and Marvin Ducksch (49.) – Neither did Werder work in the past year Niklas Schmidtwho had both the opening goal – an own goal by Ingolstadt Nico Antonitsch (24th) – and the Ducksch goal on the way.
Werder Bremen: Newcomers bring “this dynamic” into the team – Mitchell Weiser fits in “seamlessly”
Overall has Werder Bremen scored eleven goals in the first six match days, six of which are due to newcomers who, it seems at the moment, contribute to the recent good results with a certain lightheartedness. In the course of preparation, the beginning had repeatedly pointed out that newcomers to the team after relegation could not only help with all sporting qualities but also by not having had this negative experience and still lugging around with them. So far this plan is working. In Ingolstadt there were seven players in the starting line-up on Saturday who had only joined the squad in the summer. On the previous day against Rostock (3-0) there were six. Before that, during the 0-0 win at Karlsruher SC, at least five. Of course, professionals who have been around for a long time, such as Romano Schmid, Ömer Toprak or Christian Groß also played a major role at the beginning. “It’s not like everything is bad that isn’t new,” the coach clarified – but then again emphasized “this dynamic” that the new players would have brought into the team.
Most recent example: Mitchell Weiser. The loan from Bayer 04 Leverkusen celebrated an impressive Werder debut in Ingolstadt, including a remarkable goal. “He integrated seamlessly into the team. I have the feeling that it goes well with him, ”said Anfang, who could basically have said this sentence about other Bremers as well. Nicolai Rapp for example, who convinced on Saturday with physical presence and clear actions in midfield. Or Marvin Ducksch, who was in two missions for Werder Bremen has already met three times. Or Lars Lukas Mai, who represented Toprak well after his early failure in Ingolstadt. In addition, there are those players whose public classification Frank Baumann had recently been very annoyed with.
Werder Bremen: Niklas Schmidt the driver in midfield – young squad will probably still experience setbacks
During his speech at the general meeting, the sports director criticized that actors like Michael Zetterer, Niklas Schmidt, Abdenego Nankishi or Eren Dinkci would often be missing from the media list of newcomers. Oh well. Loan returnees or advancing youth players have a different weight in the public assessment because they were already under contract with the club and their names are generally less hopeful than with external reinforcements, which the club charges for a transfer. In formal terms, however, Baumann is right: Zetterer, Schmidt, Nankishi and Dinkci did not appear (or only sporadically) for the Bremen professionals last year and have suddenly been playing important or at least promising roles since the summer. Zetterer has only just won the duel between the posts, Schmidt, who was initially sorted out, has long since become the handlebars in midfield, and Dinkci and Nankishi have a lot of confidence in the beginning on the offensive flanks, as he has already emphasized several times.
The coach is aware, however, that with so many new players in a team, problems and coordination difficulties can arise, especially when many of the players are still very young. With an average age of 24.5 years Werder Bremen after Hamburger SV (24.2) the second youngest squad in the league. “Setbacks are also part of it,” warns Anfang, who, together with the team and coaching team, will do everything to “make everything go smoothly”, but cannot guarantee that: “Setbacks can come. Then you have to survive. ”And in turn the new players would be of great importance:“ In moments like this, it is good if there are players who are unencumbered and free. ”(Dco)
