dpa
Berlin
Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso questioned whether his side is “defending too soft” and said they’re “lacking stability” after the Bundesliga champions led twice against Werder Bremen but were held to a 2-2 draw on Saturday.
“In the end, we can’t be satisfied after giving away the lead twice.
It’s not the first time this has happened to us this season,” Alonso said.
Just on Wednesday, the Bundesliga champions also had the lead and were held to a 1-1 draw at Brest in the Champions League. Earlier this month, they were up 2-0 against promoted Holstein Kiel, but ended the match with a 2-2 draw.
“At the moment, we’re lacking stability. If we can get that back, we will get better,” Alonso believes.
With 15 goals conceded so far this season, Leverkusen have now conceded as many goals as they did up until matchday 22 of the previous Bundesliga campaign.
Leverkusen will need to find solutions quickly as they will be desperate to avoid a setback against second-division side Elversberg in the second round of the German Cup on Tuesday.
“We don’t let a lot through, but the goals we concede are too simple and easy. That can’t happen at this leave,” midfielder Granit Xhala said.
Defender Jonathan Tah, meanwhile, stressed that “the whole team has to defend better, it starts with us at the back - and that’s where we have to take responsibility. That has to improve.”
Leverkusen’s schedule won’t get any easier after the Cup game, when they face last season’s runners-up VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga and then travel to Liverpool in the Champions League.
Tah sees the upcoming challenges as a chance to “prove ourselves again and silence all the people who are now starting to talk.”
