Rose and Schäfer after latest defeat: “We must find the solutions together.”

After Saturday’s result left them without a win in their last four competitive fixtures, RB Leipzig sporting director Marcel Schäfer made specific demands of his team and coaching staff in his post-match comments. RB trainer Marco Rose fully concurred.

As RB Leipzig enter an especially difficult slate of fixtures heading into the winter break, Saturday’s 3-4 loss to Hoffenheim once again laid bare the essential problem afflicting Marco Rose’s team in recent weeks. Namely, that the German Red Bulls cannot seem to hold onto to the lead.

In Champions’ League fixtures against Atletico Madrid and Celtic Glasgow, Rose’s squad frittered away 1-0 advantages. The phenomenon also occurred in a recent Bundesliga match against Dortmund. On Saturday, Leipzig forfeited the lead on three separate occasions.

“It’s a huge disappointment,” club sporting director Marcel Schäfer admitted in his post-match interview, “We’re too careless in these situations. We have to keep playing for more goals. Scoring a goal doesn’t mean we have to sit back and manage the game.” 

“We have to change the whole manner in which we play football in order to deliver,” Schäfer continued, “We must be more active, courageous, and forward-oriented if we want to see the RB football that has distinguished us over the years.”

“It’s up to us to find solutions,” Schäfer concluded, “We – and I do emphasize we – must find the answers.”

For his part, Rose also took a self-critical tone and emphasized the need for solutions. The Leipzig native spoke in the plural tense when looking ahead to the difficult weeks ahead after taking singular responsibility for the loss.

“We lack sharpness and fire at the moment,” Rose said, “As a coach, I have to own up to not lending them fire, courage, and passion before a Bundesliga game. We have to work out solutions. We will find approaches and work our way out together.”