Bundesliga 2019/20: SC Paderborn vs Werder Bremen

In round 31 of the Bundesliga, the two teams in the relegation zone, SC Paderborn and Werder Bremen faced each other at the Benteler-Arena. Werder Bremen battle Fortuna Dusseldorf for a spot in the relegation playoff and before this fixture were three points behind. Paderborn, on the other hand, are set to compete in the 2. Bundesliga next season having only won four games in the German top tier.

Bremen had found themselves in murky waters after losing their previous two fixtures against Eintracht Frankfurt and Wolfsburg, and desperately needed three points in this away fixture before they met league leaders, Bayern Munich in the next game. Bremen head coach, Florian Kohfeldt’s tactics clicked finally as they managed to secure those crucial points in a decisive 1-5 win at Paderborn. In this tactical analysis, I shall examine the tactics of the two teams and how they played out.

Lineups

SC Paderborn: Zingerle Jans (Ritter 462), Rumpf, Strohdiek (c), Collins Evans (Sabiri 642), Gjasula (Pröger 642), Vasiliadis, Antwi-Adjei (Holtmann 722) Srbeny (Zolinski 462), Michel

Unused subs: Huth, Fridjonsson, Dräger, Jastrzembski

Coach: Steffen Baumgart

Weder Bremen: Pavlenka Gebre Selassie, Veljkovic, Moisander (c), Augustinsson (Friedl 762) M. Eggestein, Vogt, Klaassen (Groß 862) Osako (Füllkrug 762), Sargent (Selke 762), Rashica (Bargfrede 592)

Unused subs: Kapino, Bittencourt, Langkamp, Bartels

Coach: Florian Kohfeldt

Bundesliga 2019/20: SC Paderborn vs Werder Bremen - tactical analysis tactics — Lineups (source: wyscout)

Paderborn deployed a 4-2-2-2 system with Klaus Gjasula the architect from the back playing as the pivot, and Antony Evans and Christopher Antwi-Adjei, the inverted wide midfielders who had greater freedom to attack spaces behind a front two of Dennis Srbeny and Sven Michel.

Bremen played a 4-3-1-2 formation with a two-striker system as well, involving Yuri Osako and Josh Sargent pressing from the top. Milot Rashica had a free role on the wide left and could pick the moment to attack the defensive line or drift inside in between the lines, in the space in front of the Paderborn back four. Davy Klaassen played various positions throughout the game and had a big role in Bremen’s performance securing two goals and one assist. Kevin Vogt would always drop deeper to form a back three during buildup.