After a false start against Hoffenheim: Leverkusen disillusionment at all levels

Bayer 04 Leverkusen's relaunch under coach Erik ten Hag has gone horribly wrong. The massive roster overhaul leaves them with a serious set of deficiencies against 1899 Hoffenheim.

Anyone who visited the BayArena on Saturday afternoon couldn't escape the season's motto. "A new chapter, the same fire," read the billboards throughout the city.

A great promise after Bayer 04 Leverkusen's two best season results in the club's history, winning the league title and finishing runner-up, and a personnel shake-up (15 departures so far) that probably no top team has ever had to endure in this form.

And those spectators who remembered the club's motto after the first 90 minutes of the season and the 1:2 defeat against 1899 Hoffenheim may have been a little irritated by the performance of new coach Erik ten Hag's team.

There was no sign of euphoria at the restart; quite the opposite: It was a sobering performance from Leverkusen, one that bore very little resemblance to the dominance, playful approach, and passion of ten Hag's predecessor, Xabi Alonso. "We still have a lot of work to do, but that's not unexpected," said the 55-year-old. "We need every day; we have to keep working very hard."

New Bayern goalkeeper Mark Flekken also relied on time. "A game in which not everything was bad, but definitely not much was good either," said the Dutchman. "The best thing is to be patient. But that's the way it is in this business: you don't always get the patience or the time."

Probably no Leverkusen fan expected a copy of Alonso's stylistic approach of recent years. However, the Werkself's lack of creativity against the Kraichgau side may have caused initial disillusionment in the stands. Few likely recognized a footballing idea. "We created very little, and we should do better," admitted ten Hag.

Leverkusen appeared aimless for long stretches, offering few footballing solutions. A total of three shots were fired at Hoffenheim's goal. Bayer striker Patrik Schick, for example, was far from posing a threat – partly because his teammates didn't even use him to his advantage. The 29-year-old striker's meager record: no shots on goal. The visitors, on the other hand, managed five attempts at the Leverkusen goal, scoring two goals.

In terms of effort, ten Hag's team is also far from reaching its limits. With 114.82 kilometers of running, the Werkself covered significantly less distance than Hoffenheim (120.21 km).

The rebuilding process is likely to keep the Werkself busy in the coming weeks, partly because the squad restructuring is still ongoing. Three more players are already expected to sign for Bayer Leverkusen: Argentinian midfielder Ezequiel Fernandez (Al-Qadsiah/Saudi Arabia), left-back Eliesse Ben Seghir (AS Monaco), and right-back Jonathan Clauss (OGZ Nice).

Nevertheless, the goals of the Leverkusen management team, including Bayer 04 CEO Fernando Carro and sporting director Simon Rolfes, remain high despite the major changes. The players are also aware of this. "We shouldn't use the fact that this is a completely new team as an excuse for too long," said Flekken.

But in the end, even the 32-year-old had only one solution for how he and his teammates could bring passion, skill, and an unwavering will to win together on the pitch. "That takes time. We can only ask for patience and work on bringing that onto the pitch as quickly as possible."

• football
• Bundesliga
• Bayer 04 Leverkusen