Bundesliga Preview: Werder Bremen – Schalke

The Bundesliga’s #2 and #3 teams face off on Saturday…

Dec 11, 2009 8:00:00 AM

More On :  Schalke 04, Werder Bremen, Werder Bremen vs Schalke 04
DFB-Pokal: Bayer Leverkusen - Werder Bremen, Mesut Özil (firo)
Kick-Off: Saturday, December 12, 2009, 18:30 CET
Weserstadion, Bremen, Germany

Saturday’s combatants may be level on points, but the two sides differ sharply in style. Werder play a free flowing, attacking game that uses midfield versatility to devastating effect and presses opponents into having precious little time on the ball. A team of giants, Werder use their physical strength and the technical creativity of Mesut Oezil, Marko Marin and Aaron Hunt to keep constant pressure on their opponents.
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Schalke play a similarly physical game, but rely on a more defensive stance. Due to his team’s relative lack of midfield creativity, Felix Magath has employed a fitness-first training strategy, relying on fast counter attacks and set pieces to produce goals.

Pressure for Hosts

Heading into tomorrow’s match, the onus is on Werder to come out victorious. Having gone undefeated in 23 matches in all competitions, Thomas Schaaf’s side are among the league’s hottest teams.

In recent weeks, however, the Bremen defence has faltered somewhat. The same team that came within minutes of setting a club record for time without conceding a goal has since conceded five goals (out of a season total of 12) in as many matches. Four of those matches were draws. Although Per Mertesacker remains one of the league’s best tacklers, having won 74 per cent of his challenges, the rest of Schaaf’s defence has been somewhat faulty, as Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko so succinctly showed in round 13.

To their benefit, Werder welcome back a host of quality players to their starting line-up. Playmaker Mesut Oezil and goalkeeper Tim Wiese should make returns following brief lay-offs, and Aaron Hunt should also be ready to play, following a somewhat uncertain spell after Werder’s most recent match.. Striker Claudio Pizarro has also returned to training, but will need more time in training before his ankle is prepared to face the rigours of Bundesliga football.

Saturday’s match is sure to be an exciting one. Werder’s style is suited to attack, and unlike most offensive sides, Schaaf’s men have the physical strength to combat their visitors’ robust approach. Yet, as Schalke have shown in previous matches with quality opponents, a one-goal lead is never enough. Magath’s men have even rallied from 3-0 behind after 45 minutes, and no doubt will be threatening with a “never-say-die” attitude. The result is that Werder will be forced to play 90 minutes of power football, a rarity for the side that often has results wrapped up early.

Schalke Playing for Survival

Schalke have thus far exceeded all expectations set forth at the beginning of the season. Since taking over in the summer, head coach Felix Magath has taken an unchanged squad that finished the 2008-09 season in mid-table, and turned it into a team of title-contenders. In matches with Leverkusen, Hamburg, Bayern, and Hoffenheim, the Gelsenkirchen side have held their own, drawing in each. A similar result against Werder would be suitable, but a win could cement Schalke’s role as top challengers to Leverkusen’s position.

Due to their current financial crisis, the Gelsenkirchen side must finish in the league’s top three in order to avoid being forced to sell their best players. A top three finish would bring a massive cash injection from Champions League broadcasting rights, and could ensure that Rafinha and Manuel Neuer remain in Gelsenkirchen for at least another year.

No team has beaten Schalke more times in league play than Werder, who have come out the better side in 37 previous meetings. Werder have struggled against teams that have matched their physical robustness, and given that Schalke commit more fouls than any other Bundesliga team, and that alone could be enough to throw their hosts off their game.

FORM GUIDE

Werder Bremen

6 Dec v Koeln (A) DREW 0-0 (Bundesliga)
3 Dec v CD Nacional (H) WON 4-1 (Europa League)
28 Nov v Wolfsburg (H) DREW 2-2 (Bundesliga)
21 Nov v Freiburg (A) WON 6-0 (Bundesliga)
8 Nov v Borussia Dortmund (H) DREW 1-1 (Bundesliga)

Schalke

6 Dec v Hertha Berlin (H) WON 2-0 (Bundesliga)
28 Nov v Borussia M’gladbach (A) LOST 1-0 (Bundesliga)
21 Nov v Hannover (H) WON 2-0 (Bundesliga)
7 Nov v Bayern Munich (A) DREW 1-1 (Bundesliga)
31 Oct v Bayer Leverkusen (H) DREW 2-2 (Bundesliga)

TEAM NEWS

Werder Bremen

Claudio Pizarro, Mesut Oezil, Tim Wiese and Aaron Hunt returned to training earlier this week, and only the former is definitely out of Saturday’s clash. Pizarro has been out of action since October and will need more time for his ankle to recover. Also missing out is Philipp Bargfrede, who is recovering from a knee injury.

Possible Starting XI: Wiese – Fritz, Mertesacker, Naldo, Boenisch – Borowski, Frings, Hunt – Oezil – Almeida, Marin

Schalke

Magath will be without Marcelo Bordon, (suspension), Levan Kenia (ankle surgery), Vasilias Pliatsikas (knee), and rehabilitating quartet Jermaine Jones, Christian Pander, David Loheider, and Pedrag Stevanovic.

Possible Starting XI: Neuer – Rafinha, Hoewedes, Zambrano, Westermann – Moritz, Matip, Schmitz – Farfan, Sanchez - Kuranyi

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Mesut Oezil (Werder Bremen)

At just 21 years of age, Oezil has become arguably the league’s best player. The German playmaker is versatile enough to pop up anywhere in attack, and has the technical prowess to dribble and pass his way through opposing defences. He missed the majority of this week with a minor injury, and he may not be fit to play a full 90 minutes. However, as Freiburg learned recently, Oezil needs just a few minutes on the pitch in order to change a game.
 
Kevin Kuranyi (Schalke)

With seven goals to his credit, the Brazilian-born striker stands second only to Stefan Kiessling in the scoring charts. Tall and powerful, Kuranyi has been known to create goals from thin air, and given that his service will likely be limited, his sharpness is a necessity if Schalke are to take something from Saturday’s match.

PREDICTION

This one is going to be difficult to handicap, but one has to think that Werder are the more likely to win.  Bordon’s absence in central defence will be a difficult obstacle to overcome, and although they were able to scrape through their other major tests with draws, Werder’s physicality and technical skill should see them take three points against Schalke.

Werder Bremen 1-0 Schalke

Clark Whitney, Goal.com
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