Poor performance all around- Poch included. I can't believe Poch wanted to start Eriksen out wide again after last week's performance. Janssen should have been up top the whole time- not because Son can't do it there, but, rather that we desperately need Son to man the left wing for us- Eriksen is NOT a solution there! And Sissoko has been incredibly poor for us so far out wide, compounding the problem immensely.
We look very predictable tactically these days- teams can just sit back on the counter and pack the middle while daring our holding mids and centerbacks to beat them somehow. I think this is, because, at some point last season, we shifted from a team that was played against offensively to a team that is now played against defensively. Putting on a strong defensive squad with 2 CDM's unfortunately plays right into those kinds of tactics.
I am really hoping that Poch shifts Eriksen back into 1 of the holding-CDM roles- not because he is great defensively, but, because he can at least help keep possession and set up play from deep. Sissoko should be tried out in the CDM box to box role as well. It's pretty clear he lacks the skill to play on the wing and be responsible for creating chances, but, perhaps he could excel in the middle where at least he can put his superior physicality to good use, turning defense to attack. If he can't succeed there, then it looks truly to be a very poor investment of club funds...
Leverkusen is a much better team than given credit for, but, seriously, our offense is in crisis right now. We are barely creating any real chances of note! If we were serious about advancing in the CL, we should have won at least 1/2 games against them. I am very worried about this weekend.