Alexander Blessin: “There were only two chances for each team”

St. Pauli’s coach bemoaned their eighth consecutive defeat as he believed a draw would’ve been a fair result.

St. Pauli lost eight consecutive Bundesliga matches for the first time after a home defeat to Union Berlin. Alexander Blessin kept the side in their return to Bundesliga football last term, but they’re now in danger of relegation since Mainz are currently in a much better form.

“There were two chances for each team,” said Blessin after St. Pauli’s latest defeat. “For Union, the ball goes straight to one of their players, and it’s 1-0. For us, the ball hit the inside of the post, and Connor Metcalfe was 20 centimetres away from scoring on the rebound.

“We cautioned our players about their set pieces and throw-ins before the game, so it’s annoying when our backline and defensive midfield drop too deep. The space isn’t covered.”  

Blessin wasn’t satisfied with the overall performance of his team in the first 45 minutes. “In the first half, we were simply too cautious. It got better after that. My players tried everything. Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to get the point we deserved.”