Yahoo Sports Werder Bremen’s Marco Grüll on flourishing partnership with Marvin Ducksch: “We’re both not real center-forwards.”
Ole Werner’s SV Werder Bremen roster carries no shortage of natural centre-forwards. As such, competition remains stiff for the slot next to Marvin Ducksch in the head-coach’s preferred 3-5-2 formation.
New Summer acquisition Marco Grüll appears to have the slot locked down for now. As is also the case with his Werder teammate Jens Stage, however, Grüll finds himself thriving in a much more forward-oriented position than he’s accustomed to playing in.
The eight-times-capped Austrian international is trained more as an attacking midfielder/winger. Grüll benefitted from the injury issues affecting young German prospect Justin Njinmah and the difficulties adjusting to top flight football experienced by another promising German prospect Keke Topp. Grüll’s two goals in yesterday’s 3-3 draw with Heidenheim enabled him to draw level with Ducksch (5) as Bremen’s top scorer this season.
Grüll – whose first goal owed much to luck – kept matters modest in the mixed zone last night. The ÖFB international naturally remained unsatisfied that a late Leonardo Scienza equaliser robbed the team of all three points. Moreover, Grüll almost seemed to acknowledge that his current role alongside Ducksch on the top axis counted as a “placeholder” assignment.
Njinmah and Topp continue to serve as competition from below. Scottish striker Oliver Burke’s two late goals off the bench this year (including one in Sunday’s 2-4 loss to his former club Leipzig), lend the 27-year-old some consideration. Even if Grüll has recorded two braces in his last three league fixtures, his position is not safe. Werner shall likely always bear in mind the manner in which Ducksch and Niclas Füllkrug gelled.
Grüll sidestepped a question about competition for the striker slot.
“Everyone helps the team out and that’s important,” Grüll – as quoted by German journalist Tim Lüddecke – said. “There’s nothing more to say about that.”
“We’re both not real centre-forwards,” Grüll said of his partnership with Ducksch. “And complement each other well as a result.”
