Kettemann: control yes, waste no — the new Bundesliga side’s balancing act

In the final minutes of a 140-minute trial against Werder, the newly promoted club’s head coach stood on the touchline, arms crossed, watching his players control the ball but not the scoreboard.

After 140 minutes in an extended performance test against Werder Bremen, the newly promoted club’s head coach believes his side has taken another step forward. Three weeks before the start of the Bundesliga season, the first outlines of a possible starting lineup are beginning to emerge.

The extended trial was designed to push fitness and tactical cohesion to the limit. Players covered distances and repeated high-intensity actions under close observation. The sessions were not just about endurance; they were about proving that the squad can sustain intensity when it matters most.

Kettemann’s focus has shifted from survival to structure. The head coach has been explicit about the need for controlled build-up play, demanding that every pass and movement serve a clear purpose. The emphasis on possession is not merely stylistic; it is a calculated strategy to limit defensive exposure and create controlled transitions into attack.

Yet the coach is not satisfied with what he sees in the final third. Despite the controlled play, he has repeatedly highlighted what he describes as ‘opportunity glut’ — a surplus of chances that fail to materialise into goals. The issue is not creation, but conversion. The squad’s finishing in training and in controlled drills has not consistently matched the volume of chances generated.

Three weeks remain until the opening matchday, and the head coach is using every session to refine both collective and individual decision-making. The starting lineup contours are still fluid, with multiple players pushing for a place in the first eleven. Internal competition is intense, and squad rotation will be a key tactical tool from the outset.

The club’s technical staff have noted that the extended trial against Werder Bremen was not just a fitness test but a stress scenario. Players were required to make repeated high-pressure decisions in short succession, simulating the demands of competitive matchdays. The data collected will shape final squad decisions ahead of the league curtain-raiser.

Kettemann’s public remarks have balanced optimism with realism. He acknowledges progress in controlling games but insists that the team must eliminate avoidable waste in the box. The head coach’s tone suggests that while the squad is taking shape, the margin for error remains slim as the competitive season approaches.

With the Bundesliga kickoff less than a month away, the newly promoted club is walking a tightrope: building a side capable of controlling games but not yet able to convert that control into consistent results. The next three weeks will determine whether the squad’s promise translates into performance when the season begins.