Werder Bremen: What to do without Justin Njinmah
It was looking like the start of a beautiful day at the office for Justin Njinmah.
The Werder Bremen forward had just won his team a penalty in only the 7th minute of their away fixture against Mainz. After keeping possession in the box, the forward used some lovely footwork to keep the ball away from his marker, who ended up taking out his legs following a poor tackle attempt. The referee was left with no choice but to point to the spot.
However, it came at a price. While strike-partner Marvin Ducksch converted the spot-kick, Njinmah was hurt pretty badly by the challenge. His ankle rolled hard, and after a few minutes on the ground and a few different attempts at running it off, the player accepted the fact that he had to be substituted.
While there was hope it was only a knock, Bremen confirmed the bad news the following day, announcing on Twitter that their number 11 would be sidelined for four to six weeks.
With that news being official, the team and manager Ole Werner now have to figure out what they’ll do without Njinmah for the foreseeable future.
Marco Grüll the likely replacement for Bremen
The man who was subbed for Njinmah was Marco Grüll. This whole situation could’ve been much simpler. If Grüll came in and put on a good showing, even without a goal or an assist, the starting spot next week would’ve practically been all his.
Unfortunately, that’s not what happened. The new man, who was getting his first real run in the team since joining in the summer, took a while to get going, and the early stages of his cameo were full of poor first touches and strange positioning.
Even commentary noticed, stating that he seemed out of his depth. That may have been a bit too harsh, but it highlighted just how much Grüll struggled. He got a little better in the game, and he had a few smart runs in behind that could’ve turned into something if a teammate picked out the right pass, but it was still far from a convincing showing. The Austrian international was actually subbed off in stoppage time, although that was more about getting fresh legs in than anything else.
Justin Njinmah’s starting role is up for grabs.
Grüll is still the frontrunner since he got the nod at the weekend, and that makes sense despite his disappointing cameo. He’s a similar fit to Njinmah, as he’s a pacey winger who can make those vertical runs past the defence. He’s actually one of the fastest players in the upcoming EAFC 25 video game, with a whopping 93 pace.
That suits Bremen’s system well. Marvin Ducksch can be the frontman, and allow Grüll to run off of him. He’ll go into the channels, either up the middle or on the wing, and link up with his fellow teammates. Hopefully, one of those sprints will be set up with a through ball, and we’ll get to see a showcase of his finishing ability.
The Austrian didn’t pass his first test, but he’ll be hoping to get a chance at redemption sometime soon.
Keke Topp
While Grüll is the man to replace Njinmah, Keke Topp was the man who Njinmah replaced. Topp, another new signing, began the campaign as a starting striker. Njinmah wasn’t quite 100% following a different issue, so Topp was given the nod for the opening day DFB Pokal contest.
It was a dream day for the former Werder academy product, who scored a hat-trick against Energie Cottbus. His first two were via excellent finishes, and a tap-in in the second half secured him the match ball.
However, there was not nearly as much joy when the Bundesliga season began. Up top once again, Topp failed to make any sort of impact against tougher opposition. He was never in the right spot, and on the few occasions the ball found him, he fluffed his lines. Njinmah was subbed on for him and eventually scored himself.
Topp only came off the bench in stoppage time in the previous game, but there’s a chance he returns to the first 11 in the next game due to Grüll’s disappointing performances.
The 20-year-old is a different sort of striker. He’d be the focal point in the box thanks to his frame, standing at a remarkable 6’4”. He still has some speed to his game, to be fair, and he can blow past the backline if the moment arises, but the main plan would be having him post up his markers instead.
That dynamic could prove to be really useful at times, and it’d allow Ducksch to operate in a role he’d prefer. Turning to Topp would also help build toward the future, and give the youngster some vital experience.
Then again, Werner is not a manager who takes too many risks, and Topp might not be ready to lead the line on a consistent basis just yet. You’ll never know if you never try, though.
Wildcards: Oliver Burke and Isak Hansen-Aarøen
There are two other strikers at the club who could theoretically come in. Oliver Burke, otherwise known as Oli, is someone UK soccer fans are quite familiar with. He’s a journeyman, representing the likes of West Bromwich Albion, Sheffield United, Millwall, and Birmingham City. An old-school centre forward, he’s a direct runner and a streaky scorer.
While that inconsistency is the reason why he never reached his full potential, the Scotsman can give you a few good games and a few random goals. He’s shown that for Bremen, scoring a famous goal against Borussia Dortmund.
There are two big issues. First, the club actively tried to sell Burke in the summer, and the only reason why they didn’t is because they didn’t get any offers. Secondly, he’s still recovering from an injury himself.
The crazy thing is he’s still likely to get the nod ahead of Hansen-Aarøen.
Hansen-Aarøen joined Werder in January from Manchester United, and it was a signing that gained some steam online. A star for them at the academy level, the youngster departed Old Trafford in search of first-team football. It seemed like his new club had pulled off quite the coup.
He’s not found any more time on the field at the senior level, though. The Norwegian only got 15 minutes in the second half of last season, and he’s yet to feature this time out, not even making the matchday squad last weekend.
For some reason, Ole Werner simply doesn’t trust him. Hansen-Aarøen seems like a really talented option, and to refuse to even give him a chance in the team doesn’t make sense. Maybe there’s something going on in training that fans aren’t seeing, but it feels like there’s more to the story.
Hopefully things change soon, but supporters aren’t holding out hope.
A shift in formation
All of the aforementioned options would be natural replacements for Njinmah in a front two, but Bremen don’t have to keep their same system in place.
Werner has loved his 3-5-2 with a passion, but there was a period last season where he utilized more of a 3-4-3. The results weren’t significantly better or anything, but it showed that the team could change things up if need be.
That might be the case now. A front three could suit Grüll well since he’s more of a winger, and Romano Schmid would be given a lot more attacking freedom if he’s pushed further forward. You could make room for veteran Leonardo Bittencourt or even throw a wingback out there for added defensive support, like Derrick Köhn or Olivier Deman.
Making Ducksch the central striker could also rekindle his long-lost form. As much as the fanbase has turned against him, he’s still the best forward at the club. When he’s firing in goals, then the rest of the team is better off, and the added service could be exactly what he needs.
This might be the way Werner goes, and Grüll even played on the wing for a bit in the win against Mainz. However, Bremen’s next game is against Bayern Munich, so they might opt for a more defensive approach instead.
Naby Keïta
I still believe in Naby Keïta.
I know his time with Werder has been a disaster. I know he’s been injured all the time, and has anger management issues even when he’s healthy. I know he’s not a striker. Honestly he might not even be at the club anymore.
On the other hand, it would be so funny if it worked.
Please.
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