Young Boys slide into crisis with a 3-0 defeat in Lugano and a historic negative record. The leading players and club management are trying to come to terms with the situation - and to be confident.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- YB lose 0:3 in Lugano and thus clearly for the second time in a row. The Bernese conceded a total of nine goals in just two games - the most since 2005.
- Club boss Christoph Spycher criticizes the lack of discipline, sees a lack of stability, but continues to believe in the potential of the team and coach Seoane.
- Eleven points behind league leaders Thun, YB are in danger of losing touch at the winter break - a comeback would be historic.
On Wednesday, YB suffered a 2:6 defeat at home in the Wankdorf against GC, who were second last in the table. On Sunday, they lost 3-0 in Lugano. "A bitter week", Gregory Wüthrich stated on blue Sport, adding: "Of course, conceding nine goals in two games is unacceptable. It's a very difficult phase we're in at the moment."
YB conceded a total of nine goals in two consecutive Super League games for the first time since April 2005 - the Bernese have never conceded more. With 38 goals conceded this season, YB have the second weakest defense after bottom-of-the-table FC Winterthur (50).
Christian Fassnacht also admits: "We've shown a face in the last two games that isn't worthy of YB." The veteran continued: "We wanted to show a reaction after this debacle at home. The feeling was great too. We talked a lot before the game. I was really convinced that we would win the game today."
At the moment, things are really going wrong. It feels like every game you have a red card, a penalty against you, a long ball that immediately leads to a goal against, the 32-year-old wondered.
Spycher: "Now we're down"
YB were behind after less than three minutes and conceded their second goal after just under a quarter of an hour. "It hurts to go into the break like that," admitted Christoph Spycher and explained: "Now we're down. But we have to analyze the situation and we'll certainly get up again."
The "indiscipline" is also a thorn in the side of the YB boss. "We got another red card today. We always punish ourselves and that's obviously not good enough," he says angrily. It is no coincidence that Saidy Janko was sent off in Ticino. The 30-year-old right-back is the only player to be sent off for the second time this Super League season. In total, it was the sixth sending-off for the Bernese side this season - the joint highest with Lausanne and GC.
The club's weakness on the road - losing two games away from home in a row for the first time this season - and its harmless offense - Young Boys failed to score for the fifth time in 19 games - are further areas of concern for the club.
Maximum support for Seoane
Even Gerardo Seoane has not yet been able to herald a turnaround. The YB hopeful replaced the hapless Giorgio Contini at the end of October. "Gerry has certainly brought in some good things. We were in a very difficult phase in which he took over and was able to stabilize the team. But we've lost energy recently and we haven't yet managed to achieve consistency," says Spycher.
Apart from the last two games and against Servette, they have been better defensively, he sums up. "But it's too fragile and we need more time," emphasizes Spycher, who has the backing of his most important employee: "He has clear ideas. He's a coach who can build things up step by step. He has a huge personality, takes on a lot of responsibility and that's good for us. We are one hundred percent convinced of the path Gerry is taking. We will go down that path and we will give him the maximum support."
No quick fixes on the transfer market
New players would possibly also help Seoane & Co. "If there are opportunities to strengthen the team, we won't rule it out," said Spycher. However, we certainly won't panic and "sign ten new players and say goodbye to ten", the 47-year-old notes. After all, there have already been relatively big changes in the last two transfer periods. The winter transfer market is generally a bit difficult. In addition, some players can certainly perform better in the second half of the season than they have so far, explains Spycher.
Wüthrich is one of the players who have not yet been able to reach their full potential. The central defender joined from Sturm Graz in the summer. "We need more from everyone. Starting with me. I'm not where I want to be. Or where the club wants me to be. I'll start with myself. I'm going to work hard on myself to deliver a completely different performance," emphasizes the 31-year-old from Stadtbern, who has also made two appearances for the national team.
What gives him courage? "The quality we have. The good games we've already played this season. We beat Lille at home just 14 days ago. There is so much in this team. I'm sure we'll get out of here again," says Wüthrich.
Now it's time to recharge the batteries during the winter break, work through some things and, after a short preparation period, show a "completely different face" in the second half of the season, says Wüthrich. Fassnacht also has clear goals: "We simply have to act as a unit again and simply play to nil again. Otherwise it will be incredibly difficult."
YB is indeed facing a Herculean task. The long-standing league dominators are 11 points behind league leaders Thun at the winter break - only FC Basel have ever closed such a large gap on the leaders in the Super League (11 points behind in the 2012/13 season and even 13 in the 2009/10 season).
