Training Camp Begins

July 3rd was the team's training camp day.

The first-team players arrived at the club one after another to report in. Since the team had undergone a major overhaul during the offseason, the returning veterans saw a lot of new faces.

Most of them reacted with calm indifference—neither liking nor disliking the newcomers, more like they just couldn't be bothered to engage.

But the team's veteran captain, 31-year-old Clemens Fritz, welcomed the young players. "Welcome to Werder Bremen. This is a great club—I'm sure you'll love it here!"

Aside from a few young players promoted from the youth team who were visibly excited, the other offseason transfers responded rather coldly, offering only perfunctory applause.

Seeing this, Lin Quan nudged De Bruyne, who was spacing out beside him, and said, "Come on, let's go say hi to the captain."

De Bruyne didn't know anyone on the team except Lin Quan. Naturally introverted, he would've normally stayed in a corner listening to music in a situation like this. But after hearing Lin Quan's words, he immediately put down his Walkman and obediently followed Lin Quan over to Fritz.

"Hello, Captain. I'm Lin Quan, and this is De Bruyne. We're both new to the team. We hope you'll look out for us!"

"Haha, nice to meet you. I've heard about you from the coach—he praised both your talents. Perform well this season; the team needs fresh blood like you!"

Fritz liked polite and sensible young men. Compared to another player on loan from Bayern Munich, Lin Quan and De Bruyne instantly left a much better impression on him.

Both were loan players from giant clubs, yet the guys from Barca and Chelsea were so polite and respectful to the team's veterans. Only that Bayern guy acted all high and mighty?

So after greeting them, he took them around to meet the other veteran players, introducing them to the team's old guard to help them settle in.

He also asked about their lives in Germany. Since neither was a local, they might struggle adjusting to a strange place. He offered to help with any trouble—he'd lived in Bremen for six or seven years and had some connections there.

After this interaction, Lin Quan got a good sense of the captain's character and demeanor. Just as Willian had said, Fritz was an easygoing, good-natured guy.

But maybe he was a bit too easygoing, lacking that iron-willed leader vibe. Lin Quan wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

The players chatted, swapping stories and anecdotes from their vacations.

A little while later, the head coach arrived at the training ground with his coaching staff and announced the day's training plan.

Since the offseason had just ended and most players were still shaking off their vacation mode, the first day's training wasn't intense—mostly recovery drills.

Watching the players on the field, Thomas Schaaf mulled over the team's formation and tactics for the new season.

Bremen was an attack-minded team, and their offensive firepower ranked among the best in the Bundesliga. In the 2005–2006 season, Werder Bremen had topped the league in both goals scored and goal difference.

That season, they scored 79 goals, averaging 2.3 per game, with a goal difference of +42. That was 12 goals and 7 more in goal difference than second-place Bayern Munich.

Bayern Munich's strength was undeniable. To snatch both top spots from a Bundesliga giant showed just how potent Bremen's attack was.

But Bremen had always had a big problem: they weren't good at defending. They scored a lot, but they conceded a lot too.

During their peak from 2004 to 2009, Bremen could mask their defensive frailties and high goals conceded with even more goals. But starting from the 2009–2010 season, the team's overall strength began to decline. Their attacking output dropped, but the goals they conceded didn't.

As a result, Werder Bremen's results plummeted, sliding into the relegation zone, and this season they were even tipped as a favorite for relegation.

A very real question faced head coach Thomas Schaaf: Should the new-look Werder Bremen still play their old attacking football?

Attacking football wins fans; defensive counterattacks win games.

A defensive counterattack seemed like the safer choice, but the problem was that Thomas Schaaf wasn't a coach who specialized in defense. He'd spent most of his time studying offensive tactics and formations, not defense, especially not efficient counterattacking. Expecting him to reach the level of a defensive counterattack master like Mourinho was impossible.

So he didn't dare make drastic changes to Werder Bremen's traditional tactics. If he did, it might not only fail to achieve the desired effect but could also leave the players confused and backfire.

The safest approach was to adjust the existing tactics, tweaking the details of attack and defense without overhauling the big picture.

Given the team's current characteristics—especially the abundance of young players with good stamina and drive—Thomas Schaaf tweaked the 4-3-3 formation Bremen had always used, evolving it into a 4-1-4-1.

The 4-3-3 formation is a classic attacking setup, while its evolved variant, the 4-1-4-1, retains the offensive strengths of the 4-3-3 while also making some defensive improvements.

The hallmark of this formation is pulling the wingers back into the wide midfield positions.

In defense, they join the midfield to form a powerful five-man interception line, stifling the opponent's attack.

In attack, the repositioned wingers push forward from deep, launching assaults from both flanks.

At that point, the wide midfielders revert to their winger roles, linking up with the striker, and the formation shifts back to a 4-3-3, with three forwards up front for more varied attacking options.

This formation isn't without its drawbacks, though. Losing two wingers reduces the number of players in the attacking third, making it impossible for the team to apply high-intensity pressing and interceptions in the opponent's half.

The single defensive midfielder also leaves the flanks of the midfield and defensive lines somewhat exposed, creating gaps the opponent can exploit.

Additionally, because the formation becomes a 4-1-4-1 with four distinct lines, maintaining proper spacing between them is critical. Poor spacing can easily lead to defensive holes.

In this formation, three positions are key: the defensive midfielder and the two wide midfielders.

The defensive midfielder is the midfield's free man, the linchpin of the team's backline. Once he's breached, the defense faces a direct threat.

The two wide midfielders, while shouldering some defensive duties, are also the team's primary weapons for breaking the deadlock and finishing attacks.

Compared to the target man striker, who merely serves as a focal point up front, the wide midfielders bear a heavier offensive burden.

If they can't break through, the team will find itself trapped in a passive, defensive position.

Fortunately, Schaaf's toolbox isn't limited to just this option. If the 4-1-4-1 tactic doesn't work, he can have the team switch to a 4-3-3 or 4-4-2.

Please recommend votes and monthly tickets.