Schaaf scolds passive Bremen

Thomas Schaaf was left to rue his players' inertia as a passive start to the game left SV Werder Bremen 2-0 down to UEFA Champions League debutants Tottenham Hotspur FC. The German side recovered and, their coach believes, could have taken the Group A spoils in the end though that would have been harsh on the visitors having played what Harry Redknapp hailed "the perfect opening 43 minutes".

Thomas Schaaf, Bremen coach
I was annoyed by many things: we were too passive. Everything that was good about Saturday in Munich [when Bremen drew 0-0 with FC Bayern München] was gone. We allowed them to play like that; we just allowed them to play their own game and were punished. I cannot understand the inertia.

You could see that Tottenham had to respond once we put some pressure on them. We did not get into the match, we waited and waited to see what they would do. We intended to put pressure on them and seize the initiative, to take command, but we failed. We let them attack and we let them play in midfield. In the end we can be happy to have come from behind, although we could have won it in the end.

Harry Redknapp, Tottenham manager
If we play like that every game, we won't go too far wrong. It was a perfect opening 43 minutes and if we'd have been three or four goals up it would have been a fair reflection of the play. From never having a shot or bothering the goalkeeper, they suddenly found themselves 2-1 and they had something to go for. They got that goal when, really, they were struggling to live with us and it gave them a lift.

We came here for an away game in a very difficult place to come and play and that first half was as good as you could wish to see from us. Barcelona might be better than that, but that was as good as Tottenham can do. When they pulled it back to 2-2 you fear the worst. We could have easily crumbled and gone under then. But I thought we came back strong and, in the end, we had a couple of great chances to have won it.