The Bayer Necessity: Malik Tillman at Bayer Leverkusen

Tillman vs Hoffenheim

1st half played true #10 type, stayed central and found pockets to sit in. Bayern couldn't get much going at all. He worked hard off the ball to find spaces to receive but it never got to him very often. Couple nice moments of possession. Tried to create space for a left foot shot at the top of the box but scuffed it. Worked hard defensively. Not much influence or touches. Down 1-0

2nd half they brought in another forward and Tillman moved back into more of the 8 role. Gave full effort all 90, both sides. Finds great spots and spaces to receive but they just couldn't ever get it to him. One bad pass and then in 90th tried his patented kruyff first time turn in his own half to try to break free, defender poked and went on a break. Love that he tries that stuff, can really open the game if it works. Busted his butt the last 15 minutes box to box. Lost 1-0

Overall I just am so impressed with his improved work rate and fight. He does go missing a bit and does his walking phase but overall he was good. Touches and vision and calmness showed well... just not many opportunities and none were dangerous.

 

It is not clear to me exactly what is Leverkusen's offensive scheme or ideas. The don't have any clear plan to get Tillman touches in the final 3rd.

 

Yeah. They look out of sorts... on both sides of the ball.

 

They really should have skipped the whole winter break thing. They came back a different team.

 

On the bench for CL action down 1-0 early against Olympiacos

 

subbed on at like 58' with the score at 2-0. Match ended at 2-0.

I thought Tillman played better than the guy he replaced (Vazquez), but the whole team suffered from a case of "playing down to the opponents level". All due respect to the Greeks' backline, but there were around 3 or 4 very clear-cut chances in the first half that Leverkusen completely fluffed.

 

Flekken their starting GK is injured but not sure that sitting starters Schik, Tillman, and Artur was a wise choice to start!

Nice to see Montrell and Malik on the pitch together.

 

Tillman remains on the bench - any ideas why? Leverkusen (6th) hosting Werder Bremen (T-13th).

​

 

He's had a couple of crap games.

 

he has not been himself since the new year began

 

He's on now. BL up 1-0 before he subbed in around 55. About 15 left.

 

SUB 🔄

↩️ Poku, Vazquez
↪️ Tillman, Fernandez

59' | 1-0 | #B04SVW pic.twitter.com/IooMfgY5hF

— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) January 24, 2026

Must-watch viewing!​

 

BL04 hold on for the win. MT was fine - hit a couple of nice leading passes to try to set up the break, but nothing super special either. Only saw last 15 or so.

 

Tillman has not scored since November. He had a string of games where I think he was unlucky not to have a couple of assists but the guy isn't even coming close to scoring. I put some of it on the team itself.... across the board Leverkusen has been poor... but they paid Tillman big bucks to make plays and he isn't doing enough right now.

 

I think Tillman’s stint at Leverkusen thus far can be summed up as pretty good, not great, but among the better performers for the team. Which is not great news for a Leverkusen, because it means most of the team has been pretty mediocre. But Tillman and Bayer can both do better. Lots of changes in the offseason, so still time for the team to gel.

It’s not unusual, though. Look at Liverpool, who spent a lot more money and have struggled as well (including the guy Tillman is somewhat “replacing” at Leverkusen.

 

Tillman last scored in league on 11/22 - 7 games ago (with an additional 3 goalless Euro games and a goalless Pokal in there as well.) He had a league assist on 1/10. He has 3G, 1A in 14 league apps, ~1000 minutes. He's around 50 in the Bund for G-PK/90. Having a very fair to middling season, but not a disaster for a 23 year-old 1st (real) year in the Bund either.

 

Tough to judge individual players when the whole team is struggling (hello Weston at Leeds).

How in the world does a manager come in and right a listing ship with no prep time, then have the wheels come off (or at least wobble badly) following the winter break? Really odd.

 

Tillman vs WB:

Came in at 1-0 at 57'. Played right side mid. Worked really hard defensively to chase and get behind the ball, even had 2-3 really nice defensive tackles for turnovers, dude gets stuck in. Loving his defensive efforts.

1st main touch was his now patented Cruyff type turns in the middle of the field, checks back into space, CB (or GK) plays 40 yard ball on the ground, he does his turn and is off to the races. Its so clever, confident, and technically difficult.

Next play he does clever 1st time flick and turn. He was feeling it. Next couple main moments were him misplacing 2 passes, one tried to rush a 1 time volley pass out wide and goes out of bounds, next was just misplaced pass into the #9.

Otherwise was tight on the ball, made several nice runs off the ball looking for the ball in space. Worked hard, played well l.

 

I am not hating on him. I actually think he is doing more of the game-to-game hustle work that many have been asking for and I did mention that he is unlucky to not have more assists and that his teammates have been very poor.... I was just pointing out that a "middling" season is not cutting it when you are a relatively large O signing and you wear the #10. I just expected more.

 

to be clear, I wasn't really arguing - more just posting stats as I went to see what they looked like. I think we're pretty much on the same page.

 

Ref misses the advantage call as Weah is taken down after a good, fast straightline run down the right seam.

Still OM fk in dangerous spot.

 

Weah earns another Lens YC.

 

3-0


weah with an inch-perfect assist on the ground to far post. (OS check going on)

 

goal stands.

 

Weah getting feisty now - runs in on goal but touch gets away.