Steffen Demands Tactical Discipline After Werder’s Heavy Home Loss

Image: Coach Horst Steffen/ Boniface

Following an impressive 4-0 victory the previous week, Werder Bremen suffered a comprehensive 3-0 home defeat to SC Freiburg at the Weserstadion. The loss prompted a frank assessment from Werder coach Horst Steffen, who expressed significant dissatisfaction with his team’s tactical discipline, particularly in the attacking phases.

Steffen singled out the performance of on-loan striker Victor Boniface, who was introduced in the second half. The coach criticized the player’s movement, stating, “For me, it was too much ‘everywhere.’ He needs to stay more central. It was not how I wanted it.” However, Steffen emphasized that the issue was not isolated to one individual, revealing that several players neglected their positional responsibilities. He pointed out that deviating from assigned zones prevented the team from creating necessary numerical overloads in key areas, a tactical point he intends to address in training.

Captain Marco Friedl was equally forthright in his post-match comments, condemning the collective performance. He stated that the team fully deserved the loss, citing a profound lack of quality and intensity in every department. Friedl lamented that the three goals conceded were essentially self-inflicted errors, gifts that a disciplined opponent like Freiburg was all too ready to capitalize on.