Football Season Guide

Werder Bremen needed another good second half of the season to finish in a decent position in the Bundesliga table with Die Werderaners ending the campaign in a respectable 11th place after having flirted with relegation for most of the first half of the season. Florian Kohfeldt's appointment looked to be a bad move by Bremen at one point, but the interim coach ensured that results improved after the winter break and did enough to warrant his confirmation as a permanent replacement for Alexander Nouri. Kohfeldt will be looking to ensure history does not repeat itself, with Bremen having had to sack coaches midway through the campaign in each of the last three seasons. The Bremen coach has been busy in the transfer market as he looks to overhaul an attack that struggled to score goals on a consistent basis. With Max Kruse and Aron Johannsson having struggled for fitness and consistency last season, Bremen have brought in Yuya Osako and Martin Harnik, while also re-signing Claudio Pizarro on a free transfer, and the trio will be providing different options in the final third. Kohfeldt though has lost his most consistent player from last season with Thomas Delaney being sold to Borussia Dortmund, and Bremen will surely miss, not just the attacking threat by the midfielder, but also the solidity that he brought to the centre of the midfield. Davy Klaassen has been brought in as replacement for Delaney and represents their biggest outlay with the midfielder arriving from Everton. Bremen do appear to be a bit light in the centre of the midfield with Philipp Bargfrede the only player who can provide some steel in the defensive midfield position. Maximilian Eggestein has shown some promise but has not convinced fully, while Ole Kauper is another player who is one for the future, and that is one area where Bremen could look to strengthen as they look for a place in the top half of the table.