Bayer Win 2–0 in Crete – But 33 Shots Should Produce More

Thirty-three shots, two goals. Apparently, Bayer 04 travelled all the way to Crete to discover that there is a considerable difference between dominating a football match and actually putting the ball in the net. Against an OFI Crete side that spent most of the evening simply trying to survive, our Werkself created enough chances for at least three matches and somehow turned what should have been a demolition job into a relatively modest 2–0 victory. Fortunately, Jonas Hofmann remembered what football is ultimately about. Two goals in three minutes, a third consecutive Europa League victory without conceding and now six competitive wins in a row. Not bad for a team that apparently still considers clinical finishing an optional extra.

The real twist of the evening came from a player who wasn't even supposed to feature in the Europa League this season. Jonas Hofmann, initially left out of the European squad and only registered following Martin Terrier's injury, became the decisive figure. In the 35th minute, he was exactly where an experienced attacking player needed to be when OFI goalkeeper Klidman Lilo spilled a shot from Afonso Moreira. Three minutes later, Hofmann added a superb strike from distance to make it 2–0. That effectively settled the contest. Sometimes football really does write the best stories.

I was particularly pleased for Hofmann. At 34, he has experienced plenty of ups and downs in Leverkusen and knows that playing time cannot be taken for granted. In an increasingly competitive squad, he could easily have faded into obscurity. Instead, he demonstrated the value of experience, intelligence and composure. His two goals did more than secure the victory. They also delivered a clear message to his coach: I'm still here, and I still have plenty to offer.

What impressed me just as much was how effortlessly the team coped with the changes to the starting eleven. Coach Carles Martínez made five alterations compared with the Freiburg match, including Janis Blaswich replacing Mark Flekken in goal. Yet our football never looked improvised. Bayer controlled possession, passed confidently and repeatedly found gaps in the Greeks' tightly organised defence. With 63 percent possession, a 92 percent passing accuracy and just six shots conceded, our superiority was undeniable. OFI goalkeeper Lilo certainly deserves credit for several excellent saves, but what mattered most to me was that even this reshuffled team displayed a clear and recognisable playing identity.

After the break, however, the match increasingly turned into a rather dull exercise in game management. With a two-goal advantage, Bayer shifted down several gears and seemed content to see out the result. Given the demanding fixture schedule, I can understand the approach. Hoffenheim are already waiting on Sunday, and there is little point in wasting energy unnecessarily. Nevertheless, our composure occasionally came dangerously close to complacency. OFI managed a few attempts of their own, and a single goal could quickly have turned a seemingly settled match into an uncomfortable affair. Against stronger opposition, we would be wise to avoid such lapses.

At least Blaswich had several opportunities to demonstrate his abilities on his Europa League debut. Making his first appearance in the competition at 35 and keeping a clean sheet is certainly a nice story. Three matches, three victories and not a single goal conceded: our European record speaks for itself. More importantly, it shows that Martínez can rotate even in key positions without compromising defensive stability.

In fact, the depth of our squad has become one of the most encouraging developments of recent weeks. This team no longer seems dependent on the same eleven players starting every match. Hofmann comes in and decides the game, Blaswich replaces Flekken and keeps a clean sheet, while others get their opportunities without disrupting the overall structure. After all the changes and uncertainties of recent months, that is anything but a given. It suggests that Martínez has built a functioning team in which even the supposed fringe players can make a meaningful contribution.

For all the excitement, though, we should keep things in perspective. OFI Crete may have surprisingly beaten Hoffenheim in their opening match, but they were hardly the kind of opposition against which we should measure our European title ambitions. The genuinely difficult challenges are still ahead. The Europa League has shown often enough how little an impressive league phase can mean when the decisive matches arrive. Nine points from three games provide an excellent foundation, but trophies are not handed out in October.

Next up are Hoffenheim, Nürnberg, Stuttgart and Marseille. Six consecutive victories give me plenty of reasons for optimism, but I know my Bayer: excitement is justified, overconfidence rarely ends well.

2-1 Against Freiburg: Maza Works His Magic, Schick Delivers!

There are Sundays when you just want to sit back, relax, and enjoy three comfortable points as a Bayer Leverkusen fan. And then there are Sundays when Bayer 04 actually play football. Heavy breathing, head-shaking, and dangerously high blood pressure apparently come free with the ticket. Still, a deserved 2-1 victory over SC Freiburg was the perfect follow-up to our impressive 4-0 win in Poznań. Slowly but surely, this Werkself is becoming fun to watch again!

Before the football even started, we were treated to an unexpected tennis tournament. Freiburg supporters threw tennis balls onto the pitch to protest restrictions on fan equipment. Even their own coach, Julian Schuster, wasn't amused. Fair enough, protest all you want, but perhaps next time choose a sport that's actually on the schedule.

Once the football finally began, Freiburg demonstrated why they had arrived unbeaten. Bayer struggled to find their rhythm, and after 14 minutes, Derry Scherhant put the visitors ahead. Of course! Why make life easy when you can make it complicated?

Fortunately, we have Ibrahim Maza. Just six minutes later, he equalised following excellent work from Patrik Schick. This young man continues to impress me with his technique, confidence, and creativity. While others are still deciding where to pass, Maza has already beaten three defenders.

The rest of the first half was hard work. Freiburg defended intelligently, while Bayer lacked the finishing touch. Schick at least struck the post. After the break, we gradually took control, but that decisive moment seemed frustratingly elusive.

Then came the 76th minute. Maza danced past three Freiburg defenders as if they'd only just discovered what football boots were for, before setting up Schick perfectly. 2-1! And what a historic goal it was. Schick has now scored in each of the opening six Bundesliga matches, a new club record! Perhaps we should simply award him a goal before kick-off from now on.

Naturally, Tella and Maza had opportunities to finish the game off. But why score a comfortable third when you can offer your supporters another near-heart attack in stoppage time? Thankfully, Höler's header went narrowly wide. These lapses in concentration need addressing. Against stronger opponents, they could prove costly.

Nevertheless, I'm increasingly encouraged by our progress under Carles Martínez. After that shaky start to the season, I certainly had my doubts. Now the pressing looks sharper, the combinations are improving, and the team is showing real character. We're far from perfect, but we're heading in the right direction.

Next up are trips to Crete and Hoffenheim. Two away games and two opportunities to build momentum. I'm certainly not planning a championship parade after six matchdays, but this Werkself is giving me reasons to believe again.

Three points, a Schick record, and a magnificent Maza. Not a bad Sunday at all! Now, if we could just start winning without putting our supporters through cardiac stress tests, I'd be completely satisfied.

4-0 Victory in Poznań – Four Goals, Two Penalties and a Sprinkler

It's a strange feeling when you're a Bayer Leverkusen fan and you finish a European night without immediately needing to book an appointment with your cardiologist. After the absolutely chaotic 4-3 win in Mainz, I was fully prepared for another one of those matches where our defence hands out gifts like it's Christmas and someone up front has to rescue the whole mess. Instead, Bayer simply went to Polish champions Lech Poznań and won 4-0. No drama, no collective nervous breakdown, and none of that classic Leverkusen speciality of turning a comfortable victory into an unnecessarily stressful affair. Almost offensively professional, really.

Of course, before we get carried away, let's acknowledge that Lech Poznań didn't exactly look like a team that keeps Europe's footballing elite awake at night. But still, four goals away from home in the Europa League are four goals away from home. And when the opposition needs its own sprinklers to interrupt your attacking rhythm because its defenders aren't doing a particularly convincing job, you know things are going reasonably well.

4–3 in Mainz – Three Points, Seven Goals, and Why Does Bayer Always Make It So Difficult?

Sometimes, as a Bayer Leverkusen fan, you really have to wonder why this team insists on making life so unnecessarily difficult. We're 2–0 up away at Mainz after just nine minutes, completely dominating the opposition, and everything points towards a comfortable Saturday afternoon. And what happens? It's 2–2 at half-time. We eventually win 4–3, but instead of celebrating a convincing away victory, we're left shaking our heads once again.

And it all started so beautifully. Robert Andrich, celebrating his 200th Bundesliga appearance, smashed an incredible volley into the net after just five minutes. Shortly afterwards, Patrik Schick doubled our lead, scoring for the fifth consecutive league match and equalling a club record. That's a remarkable achievement. Bayer were aggressive, direct and completely in control. Exactly the kind of football we want to see from this team.

But then came the part that drives you absolutely mad as a fan. Bayer didn't completely stop playing, but they noticeably dropped their intensity and tempo. Suddenly, Mainz were back in the game, finding space and creating opportunities. Anthony Caci scoring twice in nine minutes was no coincidence. Throwing away a 2–0 lead so carelessly simply shouldn't happen to a team with our ambitions.

At least the Werkself showed the right reaction after the break. Jarell Quansah restored our lead, although there was certainly room for debate about Schick's handball in the build-up. And then came Moussa Diaby. His wonderful curling effort to make it 4–2 wasn't just a fantastic goal, but also a special moment following his return to Leverkusen. These are exactly the kinds of moments we've missed from him.

Surely that should have settled the match. Surely. But apparently, Bayer wouldn't be Bayer these days without conceding another goal in stoppage time. The fact that Mainz managed 23 shots and actually finished well ahead on expected goals should give coach Carles Martínez plenty to think about. Scoring four goals away from home is excellent. Conceding three, however, is simply too much.

Of course, we shouldn't be overly negative. We've secured our first away win of the Bundesliga season, Schick keeps scoring, Diaby is finding his rhythm again, and going forward this team can be a joy to watch. We're also sitting fourth in the table after five matches, which is certainly encouraging considering our shaky start to the campaign.

But we shouldn't let the result disguise the problems. If Bayer genuinely want to compete near the top of the Bundesliga, they need to learn how to see out matches with much greater authority. Against Mainz, individual quality was enough to compensate for some alarming lapses in concentration. Against stronger opponents, we won't always get away with it.

And there is hardly any time to address these issues. Lech Poznań await in the Europa League on Thursday, followed by Freiburg in the Bundesliga on Sunday. The demanding run of midweek fixtures has only just begun. It would be rather nice if the Werkself could occasionally give us a victory where we can actually relax on the sofa for the final ten minutes instead of desperately watching the clock.

My verdict? Four goals scored, three points secured, job done? Not quite. Of course I'm delighted with the win. But this unnecessary drama has to stop. Bayer have more than enough quality to win matches like this comfortably. Now they just need to demonstrate it for the full 90 minutes.

2–0 Against Leipzig – Exactly the Stability We Have Been Missing

Some wins feel bigger than the scoreline. The 2–0 against RB Leipzig was one of those for me. Not because Bayer 04 played them off the park for 90 minutes – far from it. The first half in particular was hard work. But after the defensive wobbles of recent weeks, there was something much more important to see this time: organisation, discipline and the ability to win a match even when everything is not flowing perfectly.

The afternoon also began on a sad note. Bayer played in mourning bands in memory of Peter Hermann and the BayArena paid tribute to a man who shaped football in Leverkusen for decades. Once the game started, the Werkself were focused, even if Leipzig initially looked the more dangerous side. Mark Flekken had to deal with an early effort from Banzuzi, and for a long time it was a tactical, fairly cautious contest. Bayer had spells of control but too often lacked precision in the final third. Miguel Gutiérrez just missed a Quansah cross, Aleix Garcia fired over and Schick and Diaby failed to convert a double chance. I had more or less settled for 0–0 at half-time.

Then came Schick. Of course. Gutiérrez delivered a perfect cross and Schick met it first time just before the break. A superb finish, but also a goal at exactly the right moment. When a first half has been difficult and not much has worked cleanly, scoring seconds before the whistle is worth a great deal. Schick currently has that lovely striker’s simplicity again: no unnecessary touch, no second thoughts. Ball arrives, ball goes in.

Bayer were much better after the break. Maza, Diaby and Moreira brought more pace to the attacking play, the combinations became smoother and Leipzig gradually lost their grip on the match. The visitors certainly helped with the second goal, but Gutiérrez still had to punish the mistake – and he did, firing home his first competitive goal for Bayer. After also creating the opener, he was comfortably my man of the match.

More important than either goal, though, was what happened at the other end. That is where I have had my biggest concerns recently. Against Elversberg, Bayer were far too open. In Augsburg, a few minutes of defensive chaos nearly threw away a game that had been under control. Against Leipzig, things looked much more mature. Tapsoba and Medina won important duels, Quansah stayed disciplined and Gutiérrez worked just as hard defensively as he did going forward. Leipzig still had moments, but there was none of that sequence of huge spaces, missed assignments and avoidable panic that had been driving me mad.

It was not perfect. Bayer struggled badly in the duels before the break, and Leipzig even had the ball in the net before VAR ruled the goal out for offside. So there is no point pretending the first half was some sort of masterpiece. It was not. But that is exactly why I liked the performance. Bayer survived a difficult spell, did not lose their heads and improved as the game went on. That is what a stable side does. It does not always dominate; sometimes it simply refuses to fall apart.

Schick could even have added a third later on, but by then the result never really felt in danger. No frantic retreat, no needless drama, no late defensive gift. After the last few weeks, it is difficult to overstate how enjoyable that kind of boring can be.

There are signs now of what Carles Martínez wants this side to become. The home performances are looking increasingly convincing, and the Europa League campaign has started with a win as well. There is still plenty to improve, and the away displays remain a useful warning against getting carried away. But against Leipzig, Bayer finally showed exactly what I had been asking for: fewer defensive presents, more concentration and the ability to control a game without needing to produce attacking fireworks every five minutes.

Now comes the long international break, with Mainz waiting afterwards.

If we defend there with the same discipline we showed against Leipzig, I would be perfectly happy for another Bayer match to finish in pleasantly uneventful fashion.

2–0 Against Celje – Three Points, but No Reason for European Euphoria Yet

European nights at the BayArena can give me two things as far as I am concerned: a win and as little unnecessary stress as possible. Against NK Celje, Bayer 04 delivered both often enough. Three points are on the board, which is exactly what should have been expected against the Slovenian champions. In terms of performance, though, there was still plenty of room for improvement – and both Carles Martínez and Robert Andrich said as much afterwards. 

Martínez rotated heavily and made six changes from the draw in Augsburg. Martin Terrier started for the first time since March, Robert Andrich made his first start of the season, and Patrik Schick, Malik Tillman and Lucas Vázquez were among those brought back into the starting eleven. Bayer needed a few minutes to settle, but then increasingly took control. Terrier hit the post, Edmond Tapsoba forced the goalkeeper into a save, and eventually Aleix Garcia’s cross was deflected into the net by Svit Seslar. Not exactly one for the goal-of-the-season compilation, but in Europe I rarely ask too many questions about artistic merit. 

Garcia was the standout player for me. He dictated the tempo, kept appearing in dangerous areas and was directly involved in seven of Bayer’s twelve first-half attempts. That kind of presence is exactly what the team needs in midfield. Even so, Bayer should have made more of their superiority. Schick headed wide and Terrier missed when well placed. Against stronger opposition, those are the chances you cannot afford to keep wasting. 

There was also a warning sign at the other end. Despite Bayer’s control, Celje still created several very good chances, and Mark Flekken had to make a number of important saves in the first half. When your goalkeeper is one of the more noticeable players against opposition of this level, I do not find that especially reassuring. Defensive organisation had already bothered me in Augsburg, and there were moments here when the same issue appeared again. Celje did not punish the spaces they were given, but better teams will. Andrich himself pointed out afterwards that Bayer had allowed the visitors too much room. 

The second half became increasingly flat. Bayer still controlled possession, but for a long time there was not enough real threat. The introductions of Afonso Moreira and Christian Kofane finally brought more movement. Moreira hit the bar, and from the resulting corner Facundo Medina added the second. Medina is quietly developing into a rather unlikely BayArena goalscorer: two home appearances, two goals. For a defender, I will happily take that. 

There were other positives too. Terrier was back in the starting line-up and Eliesse Ben Seghir returned after injury. But my overall impression remains similar to the opening Bundesliga matches: this Bayer side has plenty of quality, but it is still too inconsistent. The good spells are becoming more frequent. What is still missing is the ability to sustain them for the full 90 minutes – more clinical finishing at one end and fewer unnecessary spaces at the other.

Three points, a clean sheet, job done.

That is not enough for European euphoria just yet.

But it was certainly enough for a successful night at the BayArena.

2–2 in Augsburg – 80 Good Minutes, Ten Minutes Asleep

There are matches after which you are not quite sure whether you have gained a point or thrown two away. The 2–2 draw at Augsburg belongs exactly in that category. Bayer 04 were the better side for long spells, deservedly took the lead, finished with 30 shots and 63 per cent possession – and still needed Patrik Schick in the 89th minute just to rescue something. Standard Bayer madness, really: do plenty right, then nearly ruin the entire afternoon with ten minutes of collective sleepwalking.

Carles Martínez made two changes from the 4–0 win over Union. Moussa Diaby started for the first time since his return, while Christian Kofane was preferred to Schick up front. That decision paid off. After a long ball from Edmond Tapsoba, Kofane controlled it brilliantly, beat his man and finished for 1–0. It was not just a lovely goal, but also a reminder that Bayer have more than one reliable option through the middle.

I liked the first half. Tapsoba and Facundo Medina largely kept Augsburg away from goal, Ibrahim Maza was a threat and Diaby added pace. The 1–0 lead was deserved and probably too narrow. That is why what happened after the break was so difficult to accept. Suddenly, almost all of the defensive order disappeared. For the equaliser, Augsburg came through far too easily before Gregoritsch finished through Flekken’s legs. Five minutes later, the same player was completely unmarked at the far post from a corner and headed in for 2–1. For me, that is more than just a brief lapse in concentration. In that sequence, it was simply poor defending.

The second goal in particular should never happen. From a corner, everyone knows the dangerous areas and who needs to be picked up. Yet Gregoritsch was standing there almost completely free. No pressure, no proper marking, apparently not enough communication either. He practically had time to recite his postcode before anyone in a Bayer shirt noticed that he was alone in the box. If we seriously want to compete near the top of the table, we cannot defend like that. It had nothing to do with bad luck. It was just not good enough.

And that is currently the sore point of this team for me. We talk a lot about the attacking quality – Schick, Kofane, Diaby, Maza and all the options going forward. But what is the point of having all that talent if the defensive structure can disappear within a few minutes? We already saw in Elversberg how quickly Bayer can lose control without the ball. Against Union, the response was excellent. In Augsburg, the same problem appeared again, even if only for a short spell. It cannot become a pattern.

At least Bayer did not collapse this time. Maza appeared to equalise, only for VAR to rule the goal out because of an earlier foul by Quansah. Martínez brought on Schick and Guéla Doué, and from then on it was almost one-way traffic. Augsburg dropped deep, Bayer crossed, shot and pushed – only to find another leg, another block or another bit of imprecision in the way. Thirty attempts sound dominant. They can also describe an awful lot of frustration.

Then came Schick. Of course he did. In the 89th minute, he redirected a mishit effort from Malik Tillman with his heel into the far corner. 2–2. Technically excellent, instinctive and exactly the sort of finish that makes him so valuable. Schick does not always need the perfect move. Sometimes half a second in the box is enough.

Overall, Bayer played a decent away game against the league leaders and deserved the point. Kofane scored, Schick scored, Diaby added pace and Doué got his first minutes. But I do not want those positives to hide the main problem. The attack is currently capable of repairing a lot of defensive mistakes. That is not a sustainable plan.

Four points from three matches are no disaster. But they also show that this Werkself are still a long way from being truly stable at the back. If we want to challenge near the top, it is not enough to score attractive goals. We also have to stop turning controlled matches into rescue missions because of two badly defended situations.

Maybe the lesson from Augsburg is actually very simple: Up front, we have enough quality to rescue almost any game. At the back, we really need to stop making them do it.