The Bayer Necessity: Malik Tillman at Bayer Leverkusen

Hoping that was a lesson learned ...

 

Tillman starts! Leverkusen (6th, hoping for better) hosting Bayern Munich (1st, by a lot).

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Tillman playing well. Leverkusen stupid as usual. Led 1-0 and up a man, give the ball away needlessly in midfield and Diaz scores for Bayern to equalize. Then Diaz sent off for a second bookable offense on a dive when 1v1 with the keeper, and Bayern have Leverkusen on the ropes despite being down two players!

Tillman has looked gassed for the last 10 minutes or so, but has played some sweet through balls. Manager leaves him on and his decent shot in 90th minute is well saved.

 

Leverkusen dominate stoppage time but cannot find a winner. Harry Kane is a beast.

 

1-1 final in a ho-hum game that saw two Bayern red cards and four goals called back for offside/handball/fouls.

Tillman played really well, was very active with and without the ball, had a couple of nice shots challenging the keeper and a few excellent key passes that unfortunately didn't end in goals. Worst moment was when he was sprung on the break but put his shot wide.

 

When I watched (most of game), he was lethargic, never playing with dynamism. I'd give him Kicker 4. Not terrible but not good.

 

Tillman and Schick each missed one-on-ones w/ the GK. Tillman couldn't even get his on target. They really blew this chance IMO.... Tillman hasn't contributed to a score in a month and a half. He and CP have just stopped producing.

 

Some of it’s just bad luck. He would have had the assist on the blown Schick chance, for instance, and he also set up another attack with a beautiful outside the boot pass to Schick that almost led to a goal.

 

Tillman vs Arsenal (CL)

Came on up 1-0 in the 74'. 04 were sitting deep to protect the lead. Had 2 typical great Tillman plays to start. Great technical skill and calmness to keep the ball and make a good pass. That Reyna-esque skillset. So smooth and chill.

..and then..
- zero reason to slide from behind in the box. Horrible decision.
- shame on the dive
- most importantly shame on the ref/var for calling that.

Only encourages more diving. But tillman should NEVER have done that.

Further reinforces his lack of positive impact. Uggh.

 

Yeah... if you look back over the posts from this season I have noted that he has had poor luck with assist numbers based on poor finishing. But you just have to finish that chance today don't you? Against the league Kingpins when you need points for CL qualification. Not even on target? Yikes.

 

100% gotta finish that. His last touch or two were slightly away from goal making it harder than it needed to be.

 

If Tillman didn’t have bad luck he’d have no luck at all.

 

Came on in the 61st minute in a 2-0 loss to Arsenal.

 

Tillman starts! Leverkusen (6th) visiting Heidenheim (18th, last).

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SCORED! In the 22’. Game now in the 30’.

He made a nice far post run, was found without a nice ball, and finished first time to the near post.

 

3-3 final

 

The goal:

Clinical finish from Malik Tillman! 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/ftRfw0JD81

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) March 21, 2026

 

Tillman vs Heidenheim

Gets back in the starting lineup, playing next to Maza this time but still mainly central with Maza on the right. This team has so many energizer bunny type guys, fun to watch when they are on.

Great tiny stadium and fans for a team at the bottom, hadn't seen a game there yet looks cool.

Ok, gets that classy finish early on, calm and cool.. funny thing they literally tried that exact same play 2 times just minutes prior... ball out to the right and Tillman sneaks around back door. Had missed scissor kick in the 6 yard back literally seconds before the goal.

Ok, should have led with this: Tillman played really good AND with tons of effort and work rate on both sides of the ball. He will lose his spot if he falls back to the slow casual sleepy Malik. This game he was solid.

His highlights were actually his off the ball runs into the channel trying to get behind the back line. Maybe 8-ish times with team possession just inside midfield he would take off straight or diaganol into the channel looking for the long ball in. It was really nice to see, a big departure from when he just sits in the pockets. He/coach obviously read this as an option. Showed his interest in being more involved in dangerous spots.

Pulled at 82' with 3-2 lead, gave up the 2 points with a late PK. Terrible result.

 

I went to the bathroom right after that missed shot - “There’s no way they will get another attack going soon!”

 

Tillman is on the bench. Leverkusen (6th) hosting Wolfsburg (17th of 18) {Paredes is still out - muscle injury}. Seven matches left in the Bundesliga season. Leverkusen needs to catch fire to move up the table; Wolfsburg similarly has to somehow catch fire to avoid relegation.

 

Tillman with the 6th goal (good finish though his teammate did most of the work).

 

He deserved a bit of good service.... and this service was of the fantastic variety.

 

Came in at 88, scored deep in injury time.

 

Tillman vs Wolfsburg

88' garbage minutes up 5-3 at home and in total control..

He played well in his limited minutes even besides the goal.

1st main possession megs a guy and luckily gets the foul, wouldn't have regained possession.

2nd main play and I love this about him, he makes fantastic runs out of the CAM role. Some triangle play from his CB/CM and he anticipates the next play and makes a sprinting diagonal run behind the line, his CM reads it and plays him in nicely. Tillman gets ball on right side of the box and tries to rifle in to the #9. Out for corner.

Worked hard to recover a team turnover and chases a guy and pokes ball away to regain possession, love that from him.

Goal was pretty simple but nice patience and technique. Pull back to the top of the 6, he just opens the hips and slots it home.