90. + 2. Old People Score Unexpectedly! And Late! Again! Chapter II.
Mainz 05 vs SV Werder Bremen / Matchday 21
Line up:
------------------Mielitz
Pasanen - Merte - Prödl - Silvestre
------------------Frings
------Fritz -------------------Barg
------------------Hunt --------
--------Marin -----------Pizarro
46. Arnautovic (Pasanen), 76. Trinks (Frings), Kroos (Hunt)
Mainz: Müller - Zbavnik, Bungert, Noveski, Fuchs - Caligiuri, Fathi, Ivanschitz, Holtby - Allagui, Schürrle
Referee: Markus Schmidt
Bestest things first: WB did not lose this time! Phew! Losing is for losers. Also. Mielitz pulled a Wiese! Not the usual Kung-Fu-type antics of Wiese. No no! The good kind!
When Pizarro scored, or rather, redeemed Bremen’s sorry-looking asses in the lastest possible of moments, Mielitz ran across pitch just like Wiese! Nice!
Here is Mielitz catching up with the lads...
But back to the sorry-looking part.
As became notable once more, WB currently radiates absolutely no - NO! - threat from set-pieces. WB were only producing toothless set-pieces. In fact, every single one presented an utter disgrace - eyesores, basically. If you would count wasted set-pieces alone, WB would lead the league easily. I thought they had practised them in training, no?
Mainz was by far the better side - though only playing averagely and they would have deserved to win. However, Bremen saw an unsuspected return of luck with a late last-second equalizer by Claudio Pizarro!
Also. WB were denied a penalty. Again!
Bremen, it seems, score - IF they score - only in the last minutes of a game with freakish shots. Such procrastinators! Be it as it may, the only really promising action of the day saw TS changing his midfield taking Frings out for Trinks, followed by Hunt for Kroos. At that point the whole game suddenly got interesting again. By twiddling the knobs, TS changed the parameters of the game decisively. Two notoriously weak players on those positions got replaced by slightly more hopeful players, who were given a chance to prove themselves. This in fact could be read as a pivotal sea change pointing at further remodelings of the team. Change was in the air!
Defensively, WB seemed not adequately equipped/prepared to deal with Mainz’s quick forwards. Schürrle in particular, posed a constant source of trouble to Bremen’s shape - Pasanen in particular had no grip on him. Neither did Per...
Positional play and marking was at odds, especially on WB’s right side (due to Marin not offering good protection) and invited the home side for easy attacks. Pasanen and Marin on the same side proves to be the most vulnerable right-back side possible. However, overall the defense was not Bremen’s weakest spot. In fact, where Bremen has been particularly vulnerable throughout this season is their attack. We had zero - let me spell that out for you: Z-E-R-O chances in the first half.
Our only game plan apparently was hitting hopeful long balls, preferbly by Frings or Silvestre, hoping to quickly skip the boring midfield section that gives WB so many troubles. A tactic of avoidance as much as a declaration of defeat: saying we don’t have the necessary tools/weapons to conduct a successful game in midfield to initiate lethal passes or let alone good finishes.
Compare that to, say, Dortmund, who beautifully demonstrate by creating (well, or sometimes wasting) enough promising chances in the dangerous zone to eventually score and win a game! That is, if your nemesis is not Neuer. Or the stupid post.
But still, they manage an average of 20 dangerous approaches into the box per game! They play - instead of being played. Not saying that quantity always outdoes quality - sure, one or two properly finished attacks can win a match, like counter-attacking Hannover currently shows in perfection. But not ever getting near the box won’t win you a match. Ever. Now that WB got their defense problems somewhat covered, their biggest discrepancy becomes ever more obvious: poor attack. In fact, this apparent deficit is cruelly diminuishing chances to ever advance on the table, for we never seem to be able to actively win a game by a creative, successful attacking play - or let alone coming back when trailing.
Formation-wise TS fielded a 4-4-2 -diamond shape - with no changes in personnel other than an enforced one, Mielitz got played for a suspended Kung-Fu Wiese.
But this was not to our disdavantage, in fact, Mielitz is way better at opening the game with his wide goal-kicks and punts. More so his mastery of the box has been better than Wiese’s lately.
TS played Fritz at offensive midfield again - with the hopes of attaining more creativity from that move. However, this decision came at the cost of playing Pasanen as rightback. In fact, it got really pricey, when Schürrle gave Mainz the lead early on after he escaped both Fritz and Pasanen. Merte lost a decisive aerial battle to some smaller Mainz player and things went form there.
It was pricey in more ways than one, because TS deliberately snubbed Schmidt following his recent somewhat unfortunate quarrels over a contract prolongation with KA. As it looks, we might lose Schmidt over this move, who seems willing to leave, unless KA decides to significantly increase his pay check. Yet, after seeing Pasanen not for the first time this season playing like a dilettante on that position (sure, I know, he is a centre back by default), Schmidt might have gathered more arguments for his contract poker now.
Despite diamond-shape, seeing Frings as holding midfielder, the formation was flexible and changed to a 4-3-3 whenever Mainz was on the attack. Frings got joined by Bargfrede and Fritz to outnumber Mainz’s quick-footed attack. It did not always help. Mainz went close a couple times.
We were not playing high up the pitch - owed to a heightened emphasis on defense - as a result little successful combination were played and - as ususal - Pizarro came deep to pick up the ball in midfield, leaving either Marin or Arnautovic somewhat isolated and lacking support.
The game saw the first promising chance for Bremen after 74. minutes, when Marin had his (dribbling) way through 05’s defense into the box to shoot on goal. Müller however made a superb stop from Marin’s shot.
Once TS subbed Frings and Hunt, the game picked up speed. TS injected the most possible drive into the attack now. Bargfrede as lonely holding midfielder was risky, yet neither Trinks nor Kroos lost their challenges, so at least WB did not get caught on the break, as ususally, when Hunt loses the ball and does not track back, or Frings loses yet another crucial challenge, like against Munich or Cologne.
So WB played the most attack minded formation 4-1-5 (at times 3-7) but still lacked punch. A lack of inspiration reigned in our flimsy midfield - despite so many offensive midfielders and forwards now, still, no promising shots on goal nor any promising breaks inside the box nowhere near. Things got a bit crazy - position holding and space division got neglected, the team was badly spaced over the pitch, easily losing shape when being under pressure as they were conducting one of their many clumsy attacks. A certain lack of cohesiveness as a whole as well as effective organisation of the attack and - resulting from that - not getting men forward into the box, were characteristic of Bremen’s mostly artless performance.
The transition from ball possession to attack looked uninspired - as usual - neither Frings nor Bargfrede are particularly good at ball distribution these days - compare that to, say, Dortmund’s sixer and you know the difference. Add on top a quality creative midfielder like Goetze - you can do the math. Now if both positions are currently being underwhelmingly played, you know a team is into deep.
How deep? Let’s
It began with a missplaced pass by Pasanen leading to a quick counter attack by Schürrle. Prödl cleared the ball. After a throw in by Fuchs, who is known for his clever and long throws, Miele saves the ball securely.
Another weakness of our formation was exposed when the game saw Bargfrede, not necessarily known for his stellar scoring abilites, attempting a shot on goal, after Hunt successfully defended the ball against the home side’s defense (5.)
Another odd moment occured when Merte - out of all people - committed a mean little foul against Schürrle, who already introduced himself in the first minutes of the game as a constant pain in Werder’s butt of a defense. Merte, a rude boy now?
There were lot’s of fouls and subsequently lot’s of set pieces to be taken. Bremen’s managed to look sad and non-threatening throughout the game. Whether they tried the „kurze Variante“ with Frings passing the ball to Hunt or vice versa or whether one of them tried to get the ball in the box. They all sucked.
After Marin got fouled by Fuchs (12.) following a successful combination with Hunt and break into the box, a penalty could have been whistled. Marin gets caught by Fuchs’ extended leg.
Instead the game suddenly saw Mainz - after a three-minute interruption caused by silly and equally dangerous Bremer flares - in the lead by Schürrle’s goal (18.).
Again an early lead! What a blow after a stable beginning! Mainz had another chance a few minutes before, when Allagui, unmarked, after a cross by Fuchs into the box, missed the goal by far.
Bremen played safe, lots of dull back passes by Prödl to Mielitz. And some more missplaced passes by Pasanen becoming dangerous immediately because they pull Merte from the back-four, upsetting the order in our defense whenever Pasanen lost a challenge (17./20.). To be clear, it should be either Marin doubling with Pasanen or Frings helping out Pasanen. The most vulnerable variant is always pulling a center-back out of the line.
A little later Hunt gets stuck in Mainz back defense or gives away the ball too easily.
Add to that two rather lacklustre clearings by Frings (26.) against Fuchs, who aims at the near post, luckily Miele read his mind.
Bargfrede, understandably, tried to avoid gross mistakes and instead opted for back passes - this chicken strategy, despite being forgivable, left Bremen somewhat impotent in the attack. They subsequently lost momentum and any surprise in their attacks. Timing was clearly at odds.
There was some distance shot by Pizarro, but other than that, WB never got dangerous.
There were two more sorry-looking free kicks, the first one after a foul by Zbavnik - following an attempt by dribbly Marin and Hunt. Frings free-kick landed somewhere in Neverland.
WB kept losing balls easily in midfield (Bargfrede 30./ Pizarro 33. ag. Zbavnik) or whenever Frings was desperately trying to keep up with Allagui. Another equally asymmetrical battle was Frings versus Holtby - Frings saw yellow (his fourth) for a desperate foul a little later.
Holtby dares to go where no one dares to go...
Frings showcased a collaborative corner with Hunt (30.) - risky, for if Mainz had only one man on the line, this would be considered offside, like it happened against Bayern. This one only found the side netting.
Another free kick taken this time by Hunt - too short (36.). And another one, missing the goal high and wide. (38.). Three chances by the home side in the last 15 minutes, the most promising one by Ivanschitz (31.), after a lethal pass by Holtby cutting through our defense, his shot just went wide of the far post and, well, none, nada, nix by Bremen. Little seemed rehearsed in Bremen’s attack - combinatory play, automatisms generally looked poor - only individual actions simulated “attack“. Everything seemed painfully slow - in execution - but also mentally. Mainz was always a step ahead. Sure, we won 57% of our challenges in the first half - but when you lose balls so easily, you tend to get caught up in challenges and ball possession rather than to get close to the goal and finish.
One reaction to Schürrle’s frequent piercing attacks was Fritz and Bargfrede changing position. Still, he proved a hazard though.
The 40th minute saw yet another pitiful free kick in the long line of pitiful free kicks and set pieces viewers had to endure so far - surprisingly, this was taken by Marin. Before half time Frings had a go at yet another (second) corner - too short - finding no one in the box. Another future burden for the upcoming games could become both Frings’ (43.) and Fritz’ 4th yellow card.
The second half saw the disappearance of Pasanen (he was not missed) instead Fritz took up his position, Arnautovic played as right winger. A subsequent change of formation to a 4-2-3-1 with Bargfrede and Frings as double six followed - but it was strangely played as a cross between 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2, at times with Marin as „tenner“ and both Arnautovic and Pizarro as forwards.
Again, Schürrle pulled Merte out of the back line (41.) and basically tore a gaping hole in our defense. On the one hand, this increases the pressure on Mainz’ attack - the downside being a dangerous vulnerability.
Mielitz showcased his skills when he ran out of the box to save a quick attack by Allagui, after a body fake by Holtby was leaving a duped Arnautovic behind (52.).
Meanwhile, our strikers were somewhat unemployed - our midfield a desaster zone and Mainz was closer to a 2-nil lead. Mainz gave away free kicks generally - unfortunately Bremen had no clue on how to cash in on that. Frings continued to act janus-faced, clearing one dangerous ball only to continue with a missplaced pass (55.). Hunt kept losing balls (I mean this literally) which gave Caligiuri the chance for a fast break.
His sharp distance shot gets denied by Mielitz, the rebound gets dangerous, Schürrle is lurking in the fiver - but Mielitz gets a hold of the ball.
Mielitz saving the fuck out of a ball!
The space between the left-back and Bargfrede was too big - leaving room for Caligiuri’s attacks. Generally Mainz tried some lobs and chips over our defense, Merte mostly took care of them. But how come Caligiuri managed to do them in the fist place? Obvious answer: he was badly marked (paging Frings!). Two more equally useless free kicks by Hunt (63./64.) - then Pizarro did some fouling twice, the second one (Noveski) resulting in free kick taken by Fuchs turned lethal, yet was denied by Mielitz (70.). Fritz looked not too good in this one either, enabling Fathi to cross to Bungert - who stood unmarked. A little earlier there was offside Arnautovic followed by offside Allagui (67./68.).
There was yet another harmless free kick by Frings after he got fouled by Fuchs. Müller caught the ball (74.). Resulting in a quick counter attack by Risse - Bargfrede staged an intervention in extremis and saw yellow. Exit Hunt & Frings. Enter Kroos & Trinks (it rhymes...). Suddenly Bargfrede got casted in the Frings role - as sole holding midfielder! A historic moment - Frings has never been subbed in league games - he was untouchable. Not naymore.
Fuchs took another of his excellent free kicks - with spin in the left upper corner. Mielitz was on guard!
Mainz begins to choke our defense - but miraculously Bremen managed to escape their ever tighter hands.
Along came Stopppage time. And miracles continued to happen - they might be owed to having signed Jesus - his divine powers surely showed effect, despite his non-presence on pitch. He was there - in spirit!
Want proof?
Here! He let's the divine light shine on KATS!
It was the second best thing to Jesus - Pizarro - acting as Jesus’ medium, duh! Saving WB’s forlorn souls at last, by scoring that lastest of all last possiblest lastest goals in Bremen’s long history of lucky last goals.
Heroic angelic Pizarro!
Note. Austroboy is a smoocher!
A little while ago Frings excelled in this rather unique discipline as Jesus stand-in, now it was Pizarros turn! Mielitz excellent long punt found Merte’s head, who quickly passed it on to Prödl (only 10 more seconds to go...) who headed it on to Pizarro (...only seven more seconds to go...). Thanks to his fantastic control of the ball - he took it volley - he last-second-netted that goal - thereby salvaging a draw! WB somehow (how?) managed to stay clear of the relegation zone. Eat this, Hannover! Seems like Via Dolorosa is OVER! Resurrection is NEAR! How about against 96? I will go now and read my Gospel of John - just to know what other possible miracles are awaiting us...
Lastest, coach Tuchel, devoted member of the temperance movement and a rather chaste fellow in general, summed up this draw pretty nicely. To him it felt like a defeat: „If I would drink alcohol, I would prolly get sloshed tonight.“ Judging from how Werder celebrated this lousy (but important) point on pitch, they were going to paint the town and get rat arsed.
Happy/Sad
Of the many awkward gestures Tuchel ususally displays at the byline, this one I quite like:
Annoyed!!!
Compare with happy TS...
Someone else is happy too!
More post-score cuddling.
Bonus Trinks!
Piz Fierce
Sessy Pizarro...
the game!
Line up:
------------------Mielitz
Pasanen - Merte - Prödl - Silvestre
------------------Frings
------Fritz -------------------Barg
------------------Hunt --------
--------Marin -----------Pizarro
46. Arnautovic (Pasanen), 76. Trinks (Frings), Kroos (Hunt)
Mainz: Müller - Zbavnik, Bungert, Noveski, Fuchs - Caligiuri, Fathi, Ivanschitz, Holtby - Allagui, Schürrle
Referee: Markus Schmidt
Bestest things first: WB did not lose this time! Phew! Losing is for losers. Also. Mielitz pulled a Wiese! Not the usual Kung-Fu-type antics of Wiese. No no! The good kind!
When Pizarro scored, or rather, redeemed Bremen’s sorry-looking asses in the lastest possible of moments, Mielitz ran across pitch just like Wiese! Nice!
Here is Mielitz catching up with the lads...
But back to the sorry-looking part.
As became notable once more, WB currently radiates absolutely no - NO! - threat from set-pieces. WB were only producing toothless set-pieces. In fact, every single one presented an utter disgrace - eyesores, basically. If you would count wasted set-pieces alone, WB would lead the league easily. I thought they had practised them in training, no?
Mainz was by far the better side - though only playing averagely and they would have deserved to win. However, Bremen saw an unsuspected return of luck with a late last-second equalizer by Claudio Pizarro!
Also. WB were denied a penalty. Again!
Bremen, it seems, score - IF they score - only in the last minutes of a game with freakish shots. Such procrastinators! Be it as it may, the only really promising action of the day saw TS changing his midfield taking Frings out for Trinks, followed by Hunt for Kroos. At that point the whole game suddenly got interesting again. By twiddling the knobs, TS changed the parameters of the game decisively. Two notoriously weak players on those positions got replaced by slightly more hopeful players, who were given a chance to prove themselves. This in fact could be read as a pivotal sea change pointing at further remodelings of the team. Change was in the air!
Defensively, WB seemed not adequately equipped/prepared to deal with Mainz’s quick forwards. Schürrle in particular, posed a constant source of trouble to Bremen’s shape - Pasanen in particular had no grip on him. Neither did Per...
Positional play and marking was at odds, especially on WB’s right side (due to Marin not offering good protection) and invited the home side for easy attacks. Pasanen and Marin on the same side proves to be the most vulnerable right-back side possible. However, overall the defense was not Bremen’s weakest spot. In fact, where Bremen has been particularly vulnerable throughout this season is their attack. We had zero - let me spell that out for you: Z-E-R-O chances in the first half.
Our only game plan apparently was hitting hopeful long balls, preferbly by Frings or Silvestre, hoping to quickly skip the boring midfield section that gives WB so many troubles. A tactic of avoidance as much as a declaration of defeat: saying we don’t have the necessary tools/weapons to conduct a successful game in midfield to initiate lethal passes or let alone good finishes.
Compare that to, say, Dortmund, who beautifully demonstrate by creating (well, or sometimes wasting) enough promising chances in the dangerous zone to eventually score and win a game! That is, if your nemesis is not Neuer. Or the stupid post.
But still, they manage an average of 20 dangerous approaches into the box per game! They play - instead of being played. Not saying that quantity always outdoes quality - sure, one or two properly finished attacks can win a match, like counter-attacking Hannover currently shows in perfection. But not ever getting near the box won’t win you a match. Ever. Now that WB got their defense problems somewhat covered, their biggest discrepancy becomes ever more obvious: poor attack. In fact, this apparent deficit is cruelly diminuishing chances to ever advance on the table, for we never seem to be able to actively win a game by a creative, successful attacking play - or let alone coming back when trailing.
Formation-wise TS fielded a 4-4-2 -diamond shape - with no changes in personnel other than an enforced one, Mielitz got played for a suspended Kung-Fu Wiese.
But this was not to our disdavantage, in fact, Mielitz is way better at opening the game with his wide goal-kicks and punts. More so his mastery of the box has been better than Wiese’s lately.
TS played Fritz at offensive midfield again - with the hopes of attaining more creativity from that move. However, this decision came at the cost of playing Pasanen as rightback. In fact, it got really pricey, when Schürrle gave Mainz the lead early on after he escaped both Fritz and Pasanen. Merte lost a decisive aerial battle to some smaller Mainz player and things went form there.
It was pricey in more ways than one, because TS deliberately snubbed Schmidt following his recent somewhat unfortunate quarrels over a contract prolongation with KA. As it looks, we might lose Schmidt over this move, who seems willing to leave, unless KA decides to significantly increase his pay check. Yet, after seeing Pasanen not for the first time this season playing like a dilettante on that position (sure, I know, he is a centre back by default), Schmidt might have gathered more arguments for his contract poker now.
Despite diamond-shape, seeing Frings as holding midfielder, the formation was flexible and changed to a 4-3-3 whenever Mainz was on the attack. Frings got joined by Bargfrede and Fritz to outnumber Mainz’s quick-footed attack. It did not always help. Mainz went close a couple times.
We were not playing high up the pitch - owed to a heightened emphasis on defense - as a result little successful combination were played and - as ususal - Pizarro came deep to pick up the ball in midfield, leaving either Marin or Arnautovic somewhat isolated and lacking support.
The game saw the first promising chance for Bremen after 74. minutes, when Marin had his (dribbling) way through 05’s defense into the box to shoot on goal. Müller however made a superb stop from Marin’s shot.
Once TS subbed Frings and Hunt, the game picked up speed. TS injected the most possible drive into the attack now. Bargfrede as lonely holding midfielder was risky, yet neither Trinks nor Kroos lost their challenges, so at least WB did not get caught on the break, as ususally, when Hunt loses the ball and does not track back, or Frings loses yet another crucial challenge, like against Munich or Cologne.
So WB played the most attack minded formation 4-1-5 (at times 3-7) but still lacked punch. A lack of inspiration reigned in our flimsy midfield - despite so many offensive midfielders and forwards now, still, no promising shots on goal nor any promising breaks inside the box nowhere near. Things got a bit crazy - position holding and space division got neglected, the team was badly spaced over the pitch, easily losing shape when being under pressure as they were conducting one of their many clumsy attacks. A certain lack of cohesiveness as a whole as well as effective organisation of the attack and - resulting from that - not getting men forward into the box, were characteristic of Bremen’s mostly artless performance.
The transition from ball possession to attack looked uninspired - as usual - neither Frings nor Bargfrede are particularly good at ball distribution these days - compare that to, say, Dortmund’s sixer and you know the difference. Add on top a quality creative midfielder like Goetze - you can do the math. Now if both positions are currently being underwhelmingly played, you know a team is into deep.
How deep? Let’s
It began with a missplaced pass by Pasanen leading to a quick counter attack by Schürrle. Prödl cleared the ball. After a throw in by Fuchs, who is known for his clever and long throws, Miele saves the ball securely.
Another weakness of our formation was exposed when the game saw Bargfrede, not necessarily known for his stellar scoring abilites, attempting a shot on goal, after Hunt successfully defended the ball against the home side’s defense (5.)
Another odd moment occured when Merte - out of all people - committed a mean little foul against Schürrle, who already introduced himself in the first minutes of the game as a constant pain in Werder’s butt of a defense. Merte, a rude boy now?
There were lot’s of fouls and subsequently lot’s of set pieces to be taken. Bremen’s managed to look sad and non-threatening throughout the game. Whether they tried the „kurze Variante“ with Frings passing the ball to Hunt or vice versa or whether one of them tried to get the ball in the box. They all sucked.
After Marin got fouled by Fuchs (12.) following a successful combination with Hunt and break into the box, a penalty could have been whistled. Marin gets caught by Fuchs’ extended leg.
Instead the game suddenly saw Mainz - after a three-minute interruption caused by silly and equally dangerous Bremer flares - in the lead by Schürrle’s goal (18.).
Again an early lead! What a blow after a stable beginning! Mainz had another chance a few minutes before, when Allagui, unmarked, after a cross by Fuchs into the box, missed the goal by far.
Bremen played safe, lots of dull back passes by Prödl to Mielitz. And some more missplaced passes by Pasanen becoming dangerous immediately because they pull Merte from the back-four, upsetting the order in our defense whenever Pasanen lost a challenge (17./20.). To be clear, it should be either Marin doubling with Pasanen or Frings helping out Pasanen. The most vulnerable variant is always pulling a center-back out of the line.
A little later Hunt gets stuck in Mainz back defense or gives away the ball too easily.
Add to that two rather lacklustre clearings by Frings (26.) against Fuchs, who aims at the near post, luckily Miele read his mind.
Bargfrede, understandably, tried to avoid gross mistakes and instead opted for back passes - this chicken strategy, despite being forgivable, left Bremen somewhat impotent in the attack. They subsequently lost momentum and any surprise in their attacks. Timing was clearly at odds.
There was some distance shot by Pizarro, but other than that, WB never got dangerous.
There were two more sorry-looking free kicks, the first one after a foul by Zbavnik - following an attempt by dribbly Marin and Hunt. Frings free-kick landed somewhere in Neverland.
WB kept losing balls easily in midfield (Bargfrede 30./ Pizarro 33. ag. Zbavnik) or whenever Frings was desperately trying to keep up with Allagui. Another equally asymmetrical battle was Frings versus Holtby - Frings saw yellow (his fourth) for a desperate foul a little later.
Holtby dares to go where no one dares to go...
Frings showcased a collaborative corner with Hunt (30.) - risky, for if Mainz had only one man on the line, this would be considered offside, like it happened against Bayern. This one only found the side netting.
Another free kick taken this time by Hunt - too short (36.). And another one, missing the goal high and wide. (38.). Three chances by the home side in the last 15 minutes, the most promising one by Ivanschitz (31.), after a lethal pass by Holtby cutting through our defense, his shot just went wide of the far post and, well, none, nada, nix by Bremen. Little seemed rehearsed in Bremen’s attack - combinatory play, automatisms generally looked poor - only individual actions simulated “attack“. Everything seemed painfully slow - in execution - but also mentally. Mainz was always a step ahead. Sure, we won 57% of our challenges in the first half - but when you lose balls so easily, you tend to get caught up in challenges and ball possession rather than to get close to the goal and finish.
One reaction to Schürrle’s frequent piercing attacks was Fritz and Bargfrede changing position. Still, he proved a hazard though.
The 40th minute saw yet another pitiful free kick in the long line of pitiful free kicks and set pieces viewers had to endure so far - surprisingly, this was taken by Marin. Before half time Frings had a go at yet another (second) corner - too short - finding no one in the box. Another future burden for the upcoming games could become both Frings’ (43.) and Fritz’ 4th yellow card.
The second half saw the disappearance of Pasanen (he was not missed) instead Fritz took up his position, Arnautovic played as right winger. A subsequent change of formation to a 4-2-3-1 with Bargfrede and Frings as double six followed - but it was strangely played as a cross between 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2, at times with Marin as „tenner“ and both Arnautovic and Pizarro as forwards.
Again, Schürrle pulled Merte out of the back line (41.) and basically tore a gaping hole in our defense. On the one hand, this increases the pressure on Mainz’ attack - the downside being a dangerous vulnerability.
Mielitz showcased his skills when he ran out of the box to save a quick attack by Allagui, after a body fake by Holtby was leaving a duped Arnautovic behind (52.).
Meanwhile, our strikers were somewhat unemployed - our midfield a desaster zone and Mainz was closer to a 2-nil lead. Mainz gave away free kicks generally - unfortunately Bremen had no clue on how to cash in on that. Frings continued to act janus-faced, clearing one dangerous ball only to continue with a missplaced pass (55.). Hunt kept losing balls (I mean this literally) which gave Caligiuri the chance for a fast break.
His sharp distance shot gets denied by Mielitz, the rebound gets dangerous, Schürrle is lurking in the fiver - but Mielitz gets a hold of the ball.
Mielitz saving the fuck out of a ball!
The space between the left-back and Bargfrede was too big - leaving room for Caligiuri’s attacks. Generally Mainz tried some lobs and chips over our defense, Merte mostly took care of them. But how come Caligiuri managed to do them in the fist place? Obvious answer: he was badly marked (paging Frings!). Two more equally useless free kicks by Hunt (63./64.) - then Pizarro did some fouling twice, the second one (Noveski) resulting in free kick taken by Fuchs turned lethal, yet was denied by Mielitz (70.). Fritz looked not too good in this one either, enabling Fathi to cross to Bungert - who stood unmarked. A little earlier there was offside Arnautovic followed by offside Allagui (67./68.).
There was yet another harmless free kick by Frings after he got fouled by Fuchs. Müller caught the ball (74.). Resulting in a quick counter attack by Risse - Bargfrede staged an intervention in extremis and saw yellow. Exit Hunt & Frings. Enter Kroos & Trinks (it rhymes...). Suddenly Bargfrede got casted in the Frings role - as sole holding midfielder! A historic moment - Frings has never been subbed in league games - he was untouchable. Not naymore.
Fuchs took another of his excellent free kicks - with spin in the left upper corner. Mielitz was on guard!
Mainz begins to choke our defense - but miraculously Bremen managed to escape their ever tighter hands.
Along came Stopppage time. And miracles continued to happen - they might be owed to having signed Jesus - his divine powers surely showed effect, despite his non-presence on pitch. He was there - in spirit!
Want proof?
Here! He let's the divine light shine on KATS!
It was the second best thing to Jesus - Pizarro - acting as Jesus’ medium, duh! Saving WB’s forlorn souls at last, by scoring that lastest of all last possiblest lastest goals in Bremen’s long history of lucky last goals.
Heroic angelic Pizarro!
Note. Austroboy is a smoocher!
A little while ago Frings excelled in this rather unique discipline as Jesus stand-in, now it was Pizarros turn! Mielitz excellent long punt found Merte’s head, who quickly passed it on to Prödl (only 10 more seconds to go...) who headed it on to Pizarro (...only seven more seconds to go...). Thanks to his fantastic control of the ball - he took it volley - he last-second-netted that goal - thereby salvaging a draw! WB somehow (how?) managed to stay clear of the relegation zone. Eat this, Hannover! Seems like Via Dolorosa is OVER! Resurrection is NEAR! How about against 96? I will go now and read my Gospel of John - just to know what other possible miracles are awaiting us...
Lastest, coach Tuchel, devoted member of the temperance movement and a rather chaste fellow in general, summed up this draw pretty nicely. To him it felt like a defeat: „If I would drink alcohol, I would prolly get sloshed tonight.“ Judging from how Werder celebrated this lousy (but important) point on pitch, they were going to paint the town and get rat arsed.
Happy/Sad
Of the many awkward gestures Tuchel ususally displays at the byline, this one I quite like:
Annoyed!!!
Compare with happy TS...
Someone else is happy too!
More post-score cuddling.
Bonus Trinks!
Piz Fierce
Sessy Pizarro...
the game!