Was there a match on today?
By: Jamie |
3 Comments
I sure wish someone had told the Bremen defense that they had a match today. Maybe they would have shown up!
Seriously, we’re lucky that Bayern Munich managed to waste so many good chances as they had a ridiculous amount of breakaways that could have resulted in goals and a much more embarrassing loss.
We lost 3-2, but can I just point out that both of our goals were simply beautiful?! Especially Almeida’s. The way he managed to get a touch and then jab the ball across goal into the net – I was shouting with utter glee. Then Robben had to go and score from a freekick that I thought was going over the bar… grr. At least Van Gaal falling over was pretty hilarious.
So yes, we lost. Even with some amazing flashes of brilliance from our players, particularly Özil, Marin, and even Fritz. It’s such a damn shame that we have nothing to show for it at the end of the day.
Highlights below – worth it for the two pretty excellent Werder goals:
And, last note for today – Mesut Özil won the Best Player of the Month from Kicker magazine, so he got a nice presentation before the match. Well done, Wizard of Öz, showing no signs of slowing down!
Restarting the Bundesliga in Frankfurt
By: Jamie | Add Comments
So I extended my holiday break for a little while longer, which is my excuse for not updating. Admittedly, Werder haven’t been up to too much – not much transfer activity (though allegedly Rosenberg is on his way out and we have signed defender Aymen Abdennour on loan until the end of the season, likely to take Boenisch’s place for now).
During the break, the Green-Whites went to Dubai and took part in the first UEA-Germany Super Cup match against Al-Ain, which we won 2-1. We went up 2-0 in the first half, all was looking well, but, typically, we decided to sit back and pretty much invite them back into the match (which, for Werder, especially 2-0 up, can be disastrous). They pulled back a goal but we held on for the win.
Our time in Dubai was marked by recoveries, injuries, knocks, more recoveries, etc, cycle, rinse, repeat. It seemed like every day I checked the Werder site, someone was back in training, and two more were injured/ill.
But fortunately, our team seemed fit for the match against Frankfurt yesterday – UNfortunately, we totally lost 1-0. ARG! That’s our third league defeat in a row. Frankfurt ruined our league start, and now they’ve ruined our league restart. What’s happened? Did we use up all our luck in the 20+ unbeaten streak? Where’s that Three Musketeers Hunt-Marin-Özil magic? Where is our hunger for goals?
And, up next, we’re playing Bayern Munich, who it seems are finally hitting form as we are losing it. Let’s hope by then we remember how to score goals and tighten up our defense again (remember all those clean sheets we kept a few months ago? Seems like years ago actually, doesn’t it?).
Category: Team NewsMesut Özil – the Best in the Bundesliga
By: Jamie | Add Comments
Yes, indeed, our Green-White lad Özil has been named the best player of the first half of the season by his fellow footballers. He has 6 goals and 9 assists in 15 matches the league so far this season. Add to that another 2 goals and 7 assists in the cup competitions – not too bad! And it’s not hard to see the quality he brings to the side when he plays. He’s really a pleasure to watch – especially when he, Marin and Hunt are all on their game.
In other news, the Werder squad is in Dubai for their winter training camp. They’ll be playing a friendly tomorrow against the Arab Cup winners Al Ain Club.
Category: Team NewsGreen-White for the Holidays
By: Jamie | 1 Comment
Just wanted to pop in and wish everyone a safe and happy holiday from the Werder Offside! (And yes, I know this photo is old but I love it and it’s appropriate for the occasion!)
Category: Team NewsFlying High in Europa, Not So Much in the League
By: Jamie | 2 Comments
First, we had an emphatic win against Athletic Bilbao to close out the group stages of the Europa League on top of Group L. Even Markus Rosenberg played well!
Then, on Friday, we drew FC Twente in the Round of 32. I am pretty excited about this match-up. Particularly because I want to see Miroslav Stoch in action for Twente. He is on loan from Chelsea this season and absolutely lighting up the Dutch league. Maybe I should’ve been rooting for an easier draw for Werder, but honestly I kind of shrieked with joy when I saw it was Twente. Awesome.
And then, we went to Hamburg in the league. And lost. Against 10 men for the majority of the match. I guess we used up all our luck for 2009 against Hamburg in last season’s UEFA Cup and Pokal. Today’s 2-1 loss knocks us back down to 6th place in the league.
But there’s still a lot of time left in the season to make up ground. Now it’s off for a month’s break, and we should hopefully come back ready to surge back up the league standings. Let’s put this bit of poor form behind us. Offense, where have you gone?!
Also in that time – the transfer window! Do you think Werder need players? Anyone to sell? Anyone to buy?
Category: Team NewsIs It Thursday Already?
By: Jamie | 5 Comments
No, wait, it’s only Wednesday. And I didn’t realize the Werder match was tonight. I’m so used to Europa League matches on Thursdays.
Tonight we take on Athletic Bilbao. We need to get back to winning ways. Both for the mental pick-me-up and to take top of Group L.
We’ve sent a pretty full-strength squad to Bilbao, minus Boenisch who has had knee surgery and will be out for quite a while. Oh dear.
Our last game against Athletic was one of the best matches I’ve seen the Green-Whites play in a long time. So bring it on.
Mr. Werder, His Sweatshirt, and His Mustache Shall Remain Until 2012
By: Jamie | Add Comments
Yes, Thomas Schaaf has signed an extension with the Green-Whites that will keep him with us until 2012. Considering Schaaf has been at the club in some capacity since 1972, he will be ready to celebrate his 40th anniversary at Werder by then! Hot damn. Mr. Werder indeed.
Now, if we can get the Wizard of Öz and Herr Hunt to stay on for a bit, I’ll be quite content.
Category: Team NewsStreak Ends and Werder Drop
By: Jamie | 4 Comments
Well, we blew that one.
Damn, I hate Schalke.
Category: BundesligaYou Like Us, You Really Like Us…. really?!
By: Jamie | 10 Comments
According to a poll done by Sport+Markt AG, Werder Bremen emerged as the most likable German club.
From the website:
When asked how likable they find Werder Bremen, 80 percent of the questioned football fans aged between 14 and 69 years said either “very likable” or “likable”. Werder topped the ranking of all the Bundesliga clubs back in August and even built up their image (up from 73 percent).
Bremen also had a very strong value in the question of “Which club do you like the most?” Werder was named the favourite by 14 percent of those asked. That ranks second-best in the league behind only Bayern Munich (23 percent). Werder also improved in this value compared to the August survey (back than 10 percent and also second place).
And really, how can you resist those smiling faces? Surely we have dazzled the German nation with Fritz’s fabulous hair, Wiese’s flawless waxy complexion, and the adorable petiteness of Marin and Özil, amongst many other factors.
But seriously – really?! Most Bundesliga fans I come across hate Werder! But then again, I know a lot of Bayern fans and a few Hamburg fans. I’m hanging out with the wrong crowd.
Category: Team NewsLet’s Get Physical: Köln 32 – 19 Werder
By: Jamie | 1 Comment
But really the score ended in a disappointing 0-0 draw; and so Werder didn’t capitalize on a chance to catch up to league leaders Leverkusen.
It was a ridiculously physical match, with Köln committing 32 fouls – most of them probably on Marko Marin, who was being hacked at nearly every time he had the ball. This was probably because he was our only source of attacking creativity with Özil out due to illness. Unfortunately, two things happened: First, Marko seemed to get a bit ball-happy, moving forward with great pace but either not bothering to pass the ball or producing not-so-great crosses into the box, and second, he really started anticipating the fact that Köln would inevitably end up fouling him, and so started falling over at every opportunity. Sometimes freekicks are cool to get if you can actually do something with them, but other times you’re just screaming at the player to stay on his feet and keep going! But I won’t fault him too much because, like I said, he seemed to be the only attacker worth noticing during the match.
Mielitz was in goal in place of Wiese, making his Bundesliga debut this time, and happily he made me eat my words of criticism from mid-week, as he produced a very competent display against Lukas Podolski’s side. Particularly when Köln were through on goal, only the keeper to beat, but young Mielitz stuck out a leg, knocking the shot wide and saving the Green-White skins.
We missed Özil. Marko can work wonders sometimes, but he has yet to do it on a weekly basis the way that Özil can. Almeida, too, had an off-day which made us miss Pizarro. Our set pieces were disappointing – we had so many corners and freekicks that we really should have produced a goal from one of them.
Next week will be the battle for second place when we entertain Schalke at the Weserstadion. If we don’t win, expect me to be in quite the rotten mood – just warning you!
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