“I feel a sense of responsibility”

After what had looked set to be a victory against Eintracht Frankfurt slipped out of the Green-Whites’ hands, the sense of frustration within the Werder camp was palpable. Hardly any of the players could muster a positive word after the 3-3 draw, despite long spells of a promising performance. “We were all disappointed after the game,” reflected Justin Njinmah, a few days on. “We’ve analysed it and now our full focus is on the match in Leverkusen.” The forward is convinced that the team’s hard work will soon pay off.

“What we can take from it is that we’re becoming more dangerous going forward again,” said the attacker, who finally rediscovered his shooting boots against Frankfurt. The 25-year-old netted an equaliser to make it 1-1, but later missed a golden chance to draw level again, a missed opportunity that also forced Njinmah to take a critical look at his own performance. “I’m very self-critical, and of course, I understand that I could have scored one or two more goals. That’s the standard I set for myself,” he explained. “In games like that, though, it’s easy to forget that I did score.”

Results aside, his fourth goal of the season is a reflection of the work he has put in over recent weeks. Having started the campaign as a player mostly deployed off of the bench, Njinmah established himself as a regular in Werder’s attack even before the winter break, and now feels the trust of head coach Horst Steffen. “I always try to repay that with a strong performance. I run as hard as I can, try to get myself into goalscoring positions, and constantly help the team.” The fact that he continues to get into dangerous areas also helps him put missed chances into perspective. “It’s not like the shots are flying ten metres over the bar, most of them go just wide. One day, three of those shots will go in. I’m working hard to make that a reality.”

An uptick in chances is also linked to a change in the 25-year-old’s role. Recently, instead of playing out wide, he has been deployed through the middle of Werder’s attack. Whether he leads the line on his own or plays alongside a strike partner doesn’t make too much of a difference to him. “I enjoy both roles to be honest, I can’t really say which I prefer. Playing centrally allows me to make runs in behind towards goal, but I also feel comfortable in a front two when another striker is operating around me,” explained Njinmah. He has recently been joined in the attacking department by new signing Jovan Milošević. “Jovan is a very relaxed guy. He brings physicality, can hold the ball up well, and is ruthless in front of goal.” Werder’s number 11 has been keen to help the young forward settle in, always chatting to him in training. “He has real quality and already knows what he needs to do. But of course, to fully integrate into our patterns of play, you need support. That’s exactly what I’m trying to give him.”

The trip to Leverkusen marks the start of a packed week for the Green-Whites, with further fixtures against Hoffenheim and Gladbach coming thick and fast. These are games in which Werder simply have to start recording wins again, according to Njinmah. “We need three points. It doesn’t matter whether you play well or not – we need to start picking up points as quickly as possible,” he said with conviction. Over a run of positive but unrewarded performances, fine margins have proven decisive. “In Dortmund, we could have gone ahead in the first half, but didn’t take our chances. In Frankfurt, it’s the final second where we switch off and concede,” explained the 25-year-old. It’s also crucial for Werder to take the lead again rather than constantly be chasing games. “That’s where I feel a sense of responsibility too, to score that opening goal in the next few matches and help us build confidence.”