Negative series continues

And also against Freiburg, the Werkself did not manage to turn the tables and return to the positive path. The negative streak continues and at no point in the game did one have the feeling that the Werkself would leave the pitch with a three-pointer. It is simply inexplicable.

Next week, the team will also be setting itself up. Diaby comes back after his 5th yellow, but Bailey has a break. And with the new injuries to Fosu-Mensah and Frimbong today, it looked more likely that they would be out for longer.

From one who went out to win titles

Losing to a fourth-division team in the DFB Cup, losing in the Europa League against the Swiss champions in the last 16, that's not enough when you look at the quality of the team. Even though Niklas Lomb made another mistake, all in all that was not decisive for today's elimination, even though it certainly unsettled the team. As a top European team, we would have shaken that off, but we didn't.

Admittedly, I'm not a fan of coaching discussions, but the more than disappointing performances of the last few weeks make this discussion seem inevitable before even the last goal - which is already not really in reach - is wastepaper. Do I have any idea who could do better? No, but the sports press will certainly place one or two candidates in the next few days.

I won't be looking at the newspapers in the next few days, I need a break from the Bayer. But on Sunday at 6 p.m. I'll watch the home game against Freiburg on TV again. It can't get any worse.

Oh man

After the lucky 1:1 in the very last second, the Werkself can at least take a point with them from the city of dolls. But the crisis in results continues without any ifs and buts. It doesn't matter that Augsburg didn't manage to win against Bayer in the 20th attempt. 

I don't know what got into our midfield, because over the whole 90 minutes you had the feeling that there was no creativity at all. First always through the middle and then always through the outside and crosses, no matter whether there's someone there or not. 75% possession speaks for itself, but the Werkself didn't convert it into anything worthwhile.

It's always the same in football. If you win a few games, you have a run and get three points where you wouldn't have otherwise. If you lose a few times, your self-confidence is shattered and you're lacking in all areas.

On Thursday, it's back to business against Bern. After the 3:4 defeat, we need a win and I know that the boys can do that, because they showed that often enough in the first half of the season.

It could hardly be wilder

Even 24 hours later, I cannot understand how the Werkself can show two such different faces in one match and what influence the substitution of one player has on the whole construct.

It has to be stated so clearly that the Werkself was literally played against the wall in the first half of the 3:4 in Bern. When you are 3-0 down at half-time, that speaks volumes. All the more remarkable that the Bavarians quickly equalised in the second half and even missed numerous great chances. It's only fitting that we had the better and more numerous chances in the end.

All in all, we were able to pull ourselves out of trouble and with three away goals, everything is possible for us in the second leg.

Another setback

Leading 2:0 at home against second-last Mainz after 84 minutes and then only playing 2:2. This is another setback for the Werkself, even though Mainz recently beat Union and Leipzig at home and also took a point in Dortmund. 

Especially in the second half, our team completely lost the thread and is lucky that the equaliser didn't come earlier, because Mainz had more than one 100% chance. So it's a fair draw, but it's not enough. It doesn't help if the other teams on the way to Europe don't progress either. It would have been a chance to do better than the others on a matchday. The conditions were good, because they could train at home for a whole week and didn't have the stress of travelling.

All the lamenting is useless, we have to look ahead. And on Thursday, the Europa League continues in Bern, which is actually a doable draw. But what is actually going on these days?

Back on track?

Today's home win against VfB Stuttgart was extremely important, because otherwise the tree would have burned after the last games lost and the elimination in the cup at the four-league club RWE. And one more thing was important: after the Werkself had not scored a goal several times recently, they were allowed to score five today. It is possible. One must not forget that the promoted team from Stuttgart is one of the strongest away teams in the league so far, so a valuable three-goal win.

But the Werkself is not back on track after the last few weeks, too many points were lost in the fight for the Champions League places. But it was already a delicate new start. The next games are again Mainz at home and Augsburg away, where Bayer has never lost. And in between, it's off to Bern in the Europa League before the Swiss are then guests in the BayArena. All doable tasks to get back on track.