Cologne no longer scores goals. After the 0:2 against the former bottom of the table Bochum, coach Steffen Baumgart sees it as his duty to stop the doldrums.
Has some work to do: Cologne coach Steffen Baumgart.
IMAGO/Revierfoto
Before the game, the question arose again after the 699 goalless minutes: Cologne’s storm is calm – FC have not scored for 274 minutes, the attackers of the Domstädter even for 699 minutes.
Cologne coach Steffen Baumgart didn’t want to know anything about all these number games before kick-off against bottom club VfL Bochum: “Their glass is always half empty, for me it’s half full,” said the FC coach, because “we have in the four times in a row in the last few games, that’s never happened here under me,” the 51-year-old tried to change perspective, because “one negative outweighs the other positive”.
The Cologne view is downwards
When another 90 minutes were played and the Bochum players celebrated their second away win of the season with a 2-0 win in Cologne-Müngersdorf in a light snowstorm, Baumgart’s glass was “empty now”, as he himself said without beating around the bush. “If you lose against an opponent, it’s very annoying, but we have to get through that now,” said Baumgart, indicating a little that Cologne’s eyes should now be on the downside. FC has 27 points, just like Augsburg – and Friday night’s opponent is only five points behind.
We made a lot of mistakes, we made simple mistakes – in all areas.
“We made a lot of mistakes, we made simple mistakes – and in all areas,” Baumgart began his analysis and also said that “the boys have invested a lot, but something is still missing”. Ellyes Skhiri could have scored after 30 seconds, but “we shoot the goalkeeper. And with the first opponent’s action there is a penalty because the toe is on the line, that’s bitter,” Baumgart described the initial phase, in which Cologne missed the lead and fell decisively behind with Bochum’s first penalty of the season.
“Not every day shooting practice”
Baumgart didn’t want to blame his team for the pure numbers – 63 percent possession and 10:1 corners showed that “we were once in front”, but the solution for goals “we didn’t have one hundred percent today”. That’s why the Cologne coach now “doesn’t want to do goal-shooting training every day, because the processes worked”. Baumgart wants to look at everything else with his coaching team, what was good and then provide solutions again. Because: “I’m asked now and not to tell you what was bad.”
Clear claim for Dortmund: “Go there to win”
The next task leads FC to an opponent from the top shelf – Borussia Dortmund (next Saturday, 6.30 p.m., LIVE! on kicker). Baumgart’s claim is clear: “We’re going there to win. Quite simply, it’s the Bundesliga, and regardless of Bochum or Dortmund, we want to win games.” Even if it’s a bit difficult for the people of Cologne to win and score goals.
