Werkself review #B04FCSP: Run continues efficiently

Summary: Learned from mistakes

The Werkself got off to a flying start: After seven minutes, Granit Xhaka picked out teammate Florian Wirtz and the Werkself number ten demonstrated his outstanding individual quality as he beat several players in an impressive solo run before skilfully tucking the ball in the net to make it 1-0. Jonathan Tah netted the second goal on 22 minutes: A corner from Aleix Garcia found the defender at the far post and he headed home to double the lead at 2-0. Just before half-time, Nathan Tella – again with an assist from Xhaka – appeared to make it 3-0 but referee Dr Matthias Jöllenbeck chalked off the goal due to an offside decision. The impressive Tella had two big chances in the second half (72', 83'). The Nigerian put the second away but referee Dr Jöllenbeck again ruled the strike out due to a foul in the build-up. FC St. Pauli pressed hard in the closing stages and were rewarded on 84 minutes with Morgan Guilavogui hitting a powerful shot into the roof of the net. The match ended in a 2-1 win for Bayer 04. HERE  is the match report. 

Reaction: "Defended lead better this time"

Xabi Alonso summed up the game at the post-match press conference as follows: "We were very stable in the first half, gave little away and were efficient in attack. We had a lot of chances after half-time to make it 3-0 but were unable to score the goal." The Spaniard added: "After the draw against Holstein Kiel we talked about how to better defend a lead like that and how to be smarter in handling it. We succeeded in doing that today. Nevertheless, we shouldn’t have conceded. If you play every three days then it's not easy to defend against everything. I congratulate my team for winning today's game. Now we can concentrate on Tuesday where we want to carry on against Inter Milan."

Goalscorer Tah said to Werkself TV: "Of course, I'm happy to score but the main thing is we won today. We did well for large stretches of the game and we can work on the narrow offside goals. But the recent wins have given us confidence – also for the next game against Inter Milan. It's important for us to be on a roll for top games like that.”

What the papers say: Wirtz' dribbling "inimitable"

The kicker headline reads: "Wirtz and Tah put minimalist champions on course for victory”. The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger takes a similar view: "Bayer 04 Leverkusen made it unnecessarily exciting against St. Pauli” and the Rheinische Post reports: "Leverkusen dither in home win against St. Pauli." The Bild Zeitung describes the win as follows: "Bayer Leverkusen beat FC St. Pauli 2-1 in a game with a hectic ending. Wirtz and Tah secured a comfortable lead. Too comfortable as was demonstrated in the second half." Nevertheless, the paper describes Wirtz’ dribbling as "inimitable!"

Personnel: Wirtz continues to shine

Wirtz has been directly involved in a goal in each of the last four Bundesliga matches (one goal, three assists). It is the second such run in the Bundesliga this season (as with the first four matchdays). The 21-year-old midfielder has now netted five league goals with only the currently injured Victor Boniface scoring more often this term (6).

Stats: Dangerous from corners

Bayer 04 had 62.5% possession. St. Pauli won 52.3% of all duels and had twelve shots on goal (Bayer 04: 6). The Werkself pass completion rate was 98% and it was 80.5% for the Hamburg side.

The headed goal from Tah was the fifth Leverkusen strike from corners in the current Bundesliga campaign. That is the highest number in the league alongside VfL Wolfsburg and Union Berlin.

Outlook: Home to Inter Milan then away to Augsburg

Bayer 04 are back in action in two days time on Tuesday, 10 December, when Inter Milan visit the BayArena on matchday six in the UEFA Champions League with the kick-off at 21.00 CET. The Werkself are then away to FC Augsburg on Saturday, 14 December, on Bundesliga matchday 14. The kick-off at the WWK Arena is at 15.30 CET.