'Everything is down to hard work'

The Werkself go into the final home game of the year on a high with confidence after eleven games without defeat. However, caution is the operative word when the referee Tobias Stieler starts the game against Werder Bremen on Wednesday at 20.30 CET on Bundesliga matchday 16. Bayer 04 have made heavy weather of games against the Green and Whites at the BayArena recently: Only three of the last 12 home games have ended in victory. On top of that, Werder arrive with three wins out of the last four games under new coach Florian Kohfeldt. That is why sporting director Rudi Völler sounds a warning: "Anybody who rates Werder according to their current place in the table is making a mistake. We'll have to give 100 per cent to beat Bremen."

Head coach Heiko Herrlich is also firmly convinced that Werder will be a tough proposition at the BayArena. "We are facing a very, very difficult challenge. I know I say that a lot but this time I really mean it. Since the change of coaches, Bremen are on a roll and they play with a variety of tactics. The team has much more potential  than their position in the league indicates. We'll have to do all we can to win the three points against Werder at the BayArena," said the Bayer 04 coach at the pre-match press conference held at the media centre at the BayArena and, as usual, broadcast live on bayer04.de and Facebook.

Herrlich's praise for Kohfeldt and Kruse

Herrlich believes the new Werder coach Florian Kohfeldt has played a big part in the upturn. "I came into contact with him last season in the third division when I was at Regensburg and he was in charge of the Bremen reserve team. He has a good sense of the right way to organise his team tactically. Congratulations on that," said the Bayer 04 head coach who also has a lot of respect for the Bremen striker Max Kruse who is currently on a good run. He moves between the lines and it's difficult to get hold of. So that means it's not just a job for one of us rather the whole team to defend against him."

The fact his team has not lost any of the last ten league games is not foremost in Herrlich's mind.  "For me, it's not about a run rather about a game where we want to show what we can do. Everything is down to hard work and the willingness to put in the running," declared the Werkself coach who is also full of praise for his players.  "Although we have had a lot of possession in most the games and are quick at counter pressing we have yet to concede a single goal on the break. That is due to the high level of discipline of our players and that they have all taken to heart that everybody attacks and defends at the end of the day. The crucial element is always being prepared to help the team," added Herrlich. One example of that is Leon Bailey, "who worked very well in defence as an overlapping full-back in a 3-4-3 system. You can see how determined and keen to learn he is."

In terms of personnel, Bayer 04 have the full squad to choose from with the exception of the suspended Wendell, who is ruled out for the games against Bremen and Hanover but he will be available for the DFB Cup game against Borussia Mönchengladbach on 20 December, plus the injured Charles Aránguiz and Vladlen Yurchenko. Bayer 04 are expecting a crowd of 26,000 on Wednesday night including 2,400 fans from Bremen.