season comes to an end
By: Ulf |
1 Comment
Werkself’s season came to disappoint end as they lost 1-0 to Bremen in the DFB Pokal final via a second half deflected shot from Mesut Özil.
With a large troupe of traveling supporters Werkself had good support in the capital and n the early stages of the match they had a lot to cheer about as they had the overall momentum. However play in the final third was insufficient and despite the advantage with ball possession, they were unable to make something of it. Bremen slowly started to get its footing with Diego being the cause of many of Werkself’s problem but still both sides were unable to get on the score-sheet before the break. The deadlock was broken just before the hour when Mesut Özil’s shot struck Manuel Friedrich and squeezed past René Adler for the 1-0 lead. Looking for the right touch Bruno Labbadia brought in Toni Kroos for Arturo Vidal and Angelos Charisteas late but they were unable to break through as the match ending in a 1-0 loss.
It has been a difficult year for Werkself but the club does possess the right quality of players next year could see them break into the top and European football.
Thank you everyone for a great year.
New blogger needed: If you’re interested in taking over Leverkusen Offside, give the application guidelines a read and then send an email to daryl[at]theoffside[dot]com
Category: Bayer Leverkusen Team News
bad ending to season
By: Ulf | Add Comments
Werkself ended the Bundesliga season in a disappointing 3-0 loss to Cottbus which was marred by some extremely sloppy defending by Bruno Labbadia’s side. With the DFB Pokal final this week, the performance was particularly disheartening as Bayer 04 was picked apart by Cottbus. The victory however pushed Bojan Prašnikar’s Lausitz side out of automatic relegation and now face Nuremberg in the playoff battle starting on Thursday.
After a scoreless opening half which ended with Arturo Vidal being sent off with his second yellow-card, Energie poured forward looking for the go ahead goal. Five minutes after the break Ervin Skela sent a long ball down the left channel that Emil Jula out muscled Karim Haggui before scoring. Four minutes past the hour Energie doubled its margin as Skela chased down a ball on the right flank beating Haggui and sent the ball to Stiven Rivić who scored from the edge of the six-yard box. The embarrassing defending countinued as five minutes later another long ball to Skela resulted in him maneuvering around Michal Kadlec with Karim Haggui in pursuit. As he stopped Haggui ran over René Adler just as Skela crossed the ball to Emil Jula for a close range finish.
Category: Bayer Leverkusen Team NewsDüsseldorf jinx ends!
By: Ulf | Add Comments
If Bruno Labbadia was looking for a reaction from Tuesday’s loss to Bayern he got it as Werkself pounded Gladbach into submission 5-0. However far beyond the victory the match was highlighted by the glorious return of veteran Bernd Schneider.
The derby against the Gladbachern started with the visitors looking strong but after a few failed attempts, a packed LTU Arena was on its feet as Stefan Kießling gave Bayer 04 the lead just past the half-hour. Accepting a ball on the right with a great deal of space, he stormed into the area and without a challenge from Roel Brouwers we sent the ball in off the far post. Knowing full-well that Borussia’s Tomáš Galásek and Dante create formidable defending interior, Werkself continued to try and create space with flanking assaults and just before the break it was 2-0 as Tony Kross absorbed collapsing Gladbach defenders before supplying Gonzalo Castro the ball on the wide open right flank. Moving into the area he sent a low cross that Patrick Helmes edged into the near post. As Gladbach’s efforts to get back to match started to slow, Werkself went into overdrive as Gonzalo Castro made it 3-0 eight minutes past the hour when he sent the ball in from a acute angle on the right. Entering for Toni Kross six minutes before Bernd Schneider created the fourth goal as his chip from the right was headed in by Michal Kadlec a few metres out. For the fifth goal, once again coming from the right Gonzalo Castro’s cross was sent in by Dante in a awkward own goal as he was under no pressure.
With the victory, Werkself has one remaining week in the Bundesliga season before the all-important DFB Pokal final and a chance for the Europa League
Category: Bayer Leverkusen Team NewsDüsseldorf jinx continues
By: Ulf | Add Comments
The Düsseldorf jinx continued as Werkself needed a late goal by Patrick Helmes to earn a 2-2 draw against Arminia Bielefeld. While Bayer 04’s focus of earning a spot in European football resides with a win in the Pokal, the result was a disappointment.
After a delayed start Bruno Labbadia’s side took the 1-0 lead twenty-one minutes in as Renato Augusto’s cross into the box was heading in by Stefan Kießling. The lead was short-lived as the schwarz-weiß-blauen pulled level when Manuel Friedrich inadvertently turned Vlad Munteanu’s free-kick into Bayer 04’s net. Six minutes before the half Robert Tesche gave Bielefeld the lead as he headed-in a Vlad Munteanu’s free-kick in what looked to be a offside position. After an uneven second half of half-hearted attempts Patrick Helmes squared the match after he got on the end of a loose ball and struck from fourteen metres. Attempts there after fell short as Werkself troublesome days in the Rückrunde continued. Although the team denied the performance was due to less than optimal motivation, it is hard not to think the club is looking towards the month end Pokal final.
Category: Bayer Leverkusen Team NewsWerkself get ready for Pokal with win
By: Ulf | Add Comments
Werkself won their third match since the start of the Rückrunde with a 2-1 victory over Schalke in Gelsenkirchen.
After last weeks loss against KSC Bruno Labbadia adjusted his starting eleven to include Toni Kroos, Gonzalo Castro and Michal Kadlec with Tranquillo Barnetta relegated to the bench. Asserting their intent from the opening whistle and took the lead at the ninth minute as Arturo Vidal long through-ball Gonzalo Castro on the right flank, was crossed from the bye-line into the box for Patrick Helmes to turn-in. In complete control of the match Werkself ran roughshod over the home side and four minutes prior to the half-hour as Renato Augusto out maneuvered Christian Pander and drove the ball in from an acute angle on the right to make it 2-0. For the balance of the match, Schalke was no match for Werkself and what chances did make it through were turned away by René Adler. With three minutes left Ivan Rakitić linked up with Kevin Kurányi and the striker brought one back for Schalke. However that was a close as it got as Werkself won 2-1.
Category: Bayer Leverkusen Team NewsWerkself falls 1-0 to KSC
By: Ulf | Add Comments
Werkself’s disappointing play since the start of the Rückrunde continued as they lost 1-0 to KSC in Düsseldorf on Saturday.
Clearly fatigued from the mid-week DFB Pokal win, Bayer 04 controlled the run of play but were unable to convert the final touch. To their credit, while facing relegation KSC wouldn’t play “safe” and went on the attack from the start. After early opportunities from Joshua Kennedy came up empty-handed it was Leverkusen who had the majority of chances but for the most part chances were low probability. At the half Bruno Labbadia substituted Gonzalo Castro and Angelos Charisteas for Arturo Vidal and Patrick Helmes but that failed to do the trick and with eighteen minutes left, the lose was sealed as René Adler allowed Sebastian Langkamp’s sliding clearance from forty metres to get behind him and into the net. Following the miscue Werkself came close for the leveler but it couldn’t be found and they lost 1-0.
Category: Bayer Leverkusen Team NewsPokal finals for Werkself!
By: Ulf | 8 Comments
Following a series of difficult losses in the Rückrunde, Werkself has reason to celebrate as they defeated Mainz 4-2 in extra-time to advance to the DFB Pokal final on 30 May at the Olmypiastadion.
After eightly-two minutes of scoreless play Angelos Charisteas broke the deadlock as he turned in a rebound from close-range. However Mainz leveled the match before regulation as Montenegro international Milorad Peković cross was headed-in by Aristide Bancé. Mainz was tiring quickly and only two minutes into extra-time Arturo Vidal gave Bayer 04 the lead as he sent in a rebound from close range. Werkself added to the lead as Simon Rolfes headed-in Angelos Charisteas’ corner to back of the net thirteen minutes into extra-time. Michal Kadlec made it 4-1 as he split the opposition defenders, rounded the ‘keeper to the right before scoring.
Category: Bayer Leverkusen Team Newsloss in Wolfsburg
By: Ulf | Add Comments
Bayer 04’s chances for European football ended they bitterly lost 2-1 to Wolfsburg.
Playing in Volkswagen Arena is difficult enough against a team unbeaten in the Rückrunde but as many will attest, Wolfsburg is beneficiary of many questionable calls at home. Midway of the half Werkself learned that as Grafite fell once he rounded Manuel Friedrich who was erroneously adjudged a penalty by referee Dr. Jochen Drees. Grafite scored to give Wolfsburg the lead but Bruno Labbadia’s side never backed-down. After quarantining the Wolfsburg attack the match was level six minutes before the hour Toni Kroos scored from the edge of the area via Stefan Kießling’s supply. Bayer 04 swirled with confidence as the feeling of an upset in the offing was very apparent. However after coming close on a number of occasions, Bosnian play-maker Zvjezdan Misimović played in Grafite who put the ball past René Adler to bring the match to a 2-1 score. Still more controversy remained as Jan Šimůnek should have been adjudged a penalty for a handball in the last moments of a match but it was ignored as Wolfsburg had its three points.
Category: Bayer Leverkusen Team NewsBayer 04 play Bremen to 1-1 draw
By: Ulf | Add Comments
After breaking the difficult slide against Köln, Werkself were hopeful to get their European efforts back in line against Bremen. However they were held 1-1 in Düsseldorf and are now ninth in the table and six points behind surging Stuttgart.
The only change from last weeks starting eleven was Toni Kroos in for Arturo Vidal and his inclusion paid off quickly. After a the early play was dominated by Bremen, Bayer 04 took the lead at the eleventh minute as a poor clearance came to Kroos, who passed the ball back to Swiss international Tranquillo Barnetta, who struck the ball in off the crossbar from eighteen metres. Following the goal the midfield had problems moving the ball, a constant complaint of the temporary surface in Düsseldorf and without much of an attack Bremen were a menacing force. After Hugo Almeida struck the post a few minutes after the half-hour mark, Claudio Pizzaro headed-in Aaron Hunt’s cross as he was left completely unmarked dead centre just above the six-yard box. After the match the Peruvian striker explained he only saw the ball at the last second but instinctly moved on the opportunity. Werkself came close to restoring its lead as Stefan Kießling made his way around Bremen ‘keeper Tim Weise but his shot from a tight angle hit the post. In the second half Bremen’s Clemens Fritz struck the post with twelve minutes remaining but for the major of the later stages it looked like Werkself was going to take away the three points. Toni Kroos, Patrick Helmes and Renato Augusto each were held by the Bremen ‘keeper and the match ended as a 1-1 draw.
Werkself turn their attention to first place Wolfsburg next Saturday.
Category: Bayer Leverkusen Team Newsvictory in Rheinische Derby!
By: Ulf | Add Comments
After a disappointing start to the new year, Leverkusen rebounded with a 2-0 victory over Köln in the “Rheinische” Derby. The result sets the course for the remaining eight matches as Bayer 04 is only four points out of a spot for European competition.
With nearly 50,000 in attendance the stage was set for a bitter match. Bruno Labbadia, wary of the oppositions counter-attack habit utilized a more compact approach in a 4-1-3-2 with Manuel Friedrich and Lukas Sinkiewicz keeping an eye on their key attacker Milivoje Novakovič. Realistic chances were at minimum, the first coming quarter of the hour via Henrique strike from twenty-five metres but it was handled well by Köln ‘keeper Faryd Mondragón. While there were a few prospective efforts, much of the action through the break was within the midfield.
Three minutes past the hour, Bruno Labbadia made a double substitution that changed the match. Calling on Toni Kroos and Renato Augusto for Tranquillo Barnetta and Arturo Vidal, Köln was stopped dead in their tracks. Three minutes later Simon Rolfes passed the ball off to Stefan Kießling, who sent the ball behind Mondragón for the 1-0 lead from seven metres. Ten minutes later Leverkusen had its insurance goal as Patrick Helmes connected from the spot after Stefan Kießling was brought down by Pedro Geromel in the area. Following the goal, Köln was unable to find a way back into the match and it ended with an important 2-0 victory for Leverkusen.
Category: Bayer Leverkusen Team News
Home 
