New formula for success

Kohfeldt wants to enhance system around centre forward
Niclas Füllkurg has rejoined Werder Bremen from Hannover 96 (nordphoto).
First Team
Friday, 05.07.2019 / 08:00

Day two in Zillertal. Not long after their arrival in the Austrian Alps on Thursday, the Green-Whites took to the training ground, where head coach Florian Kohfeldt put emphasis on ball-work: An unchanged method from the previous year’s training camp, where the coaching team also focused on footballing aspects. In the coming days, alongside attacking combinations, training will focus on build-up play from the back and going into the final third, with particular emphasis on one position: Centre forward.  

With the departure of Max Kruse, who will be playing for Turkish top-flight side Fenerbahçe, Werder need to look for new alternatives in their attacking game. The return of Niclas Füllkrug has presented a new option already, but he is not a replacement for the former captain – Füllkrug is the kind of player who should enrich the attack. "At the training camp, we will focus on transition into the final third. We definitely need a player who can hold the ball up with his back to the defence and distribute it from there," explained Florian Kohfeldt ahead of the opening session in Zillertal.     

Three types of player, one position

Marco Bode scored 101 competitive goals for Werder (nordphoto).

Ailton, Marco Bode, Wynton Rufer, or current player Claudio Pizarro – SV Werder Bremen have boasted some exceptional strikers in the past, all of whom played a big part in the club’s success stories. But who will follow in their footsteps? "In Niclas Füllkrug, Yuya Osako and Martin Harnik, we have three players whose strengths lie in the centre-forward role," said the 36-year-old head coach, before adding: "So we will apply them accordingly." It is important to integrate these players into the Werder system and to be able to use them flexibly. Whether this should be achieved through a chip, a long ball, or combination play, Kohfeldt does not wish to disclose. 

However, in order to be successful, fitness levels and defensive work have to be right as well. The 49 goals Werder conceded last season were "a bit too much" for Kohfeldt’s liking. So the plan for the ten days in Zillertal is to work intensely on these aspects as well. Last but not least, as has been the case in the previous week of training, the coaches will run sessions with a view to build up the players’ athleticism. "We want to be sharper, both going forward and at the back," said the head coach, who has a clear plan: More time in the final third for more goals, introduce a proper striker into the system and be more compact in defence. Off to work! 

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