Dutt: Werder deserved to lose

Under-fire Werder Bremen coach Robin Dutt admitted his team “rightly lost” to Cologne on Friday to remain bottom of the Bundesliga.

Dutt could face the sack this week with Werder winless after nine matches in the Bundesliga and the 49-year-old coach bemoaned his team’s lack of commitment to the game plan at the Weserstadion.

According to Dutt, his players started well against Cologne but once they went behind they struggled to break down the visitors.

“We were very motivated going into the game and had a good system at the beginning, pressing well,” Dutt said.

“Overall, I have nothing to complain about my team’s performance until they conceded. Then we thought we were capable of nothing more and switched to long balls.

“We have not managed to overturn the Goats [Cologne] again and, against good defensive opponents, rightly lost.”

Werder veteran Clemens Fritz claimed the team does not lack effort but are making too many mistakes.

“We have been working very hard with Robin Dutt to achieve his vision,” he said.

“It keeps coming down to losing a few too many challenges, misplacing a few too many passes, but I can’t say exactly what’s not working.”

For Cologne, the win took them into the top half of the Bundesliga table and was their second straight victory after stunning Borussia Dortmund 2-1 last week.

Having only been promoted to the German top tier at the end of last season, Cologne have started relatively strongly with three wins and as many draws from nine matches.

Nigerian striker Anthony Ujah scored the winner for Cologne, less than 100 seconds after coming off the bench, and the 24-year-old was thrilled to notch his second goal of the Bundesliga campaign.

“I’m really happy to have been able to score the winning goal after coming off the bench. The team needed a spark and I was happy to oblige,” he said.

“I don’t have any words. I came off the bench with one thought in my head – ‘goal!’

“I was fortunately able to make the most of the opportunity.”