Re-Match: Werder versus Mainz

First Team
Friday, 03.02.2006 / 10:29

On Saturday, 04.02.2006, Werder Bremen meet FSV Mainz 05 for only the third time. There last meeting, a year ago, finished goal less. That should not be the case this weekend.

On Saturday, 04.02.2006, Werder Bremen meet FSV Mainz 05 for only the third time. There last meeting, a year ago, finished goal less. That should not be the case this weekend.

 

After a somewhat lucky re-start to the Bundesliga in Bielefeld, trainer Thomas Schaaf hopes to return to the sensational form shown by his team in the first half of the season. "We haven't found our feet again yet which is bad for the flow of our play and combination game", noted the coach. The Werder players have accepted the criticism they've face from the trainer, the goal scorer in Bielefeld, Frank Fahrenhorst said: "We have to improve on our performance. We really want to win the home game on Saturday, we owe that to the fans who are used to seeing us win from the first half of the season." Team mate Patrick Owomoyela added: "We've got to concentrate on our strenghts, then we can present ourselves with more confidence on the pitch."

 

The German international will meet an old friend on Saturday. Otto Addo. "He went through a long difficult period in his life during which I really felt with him. It's good to see things going well for him again and I'm looking forward to seeing him on Saturday." Aside from Addo, there are other faces in the Mainz team which are no strangers to Werder. The ex-Werder man Manuel Friedrich and on loan Mohamed Zidan are currently first team choices at the 'Carneval Club'. Thomas Schaaf has been watching the development of the young Egyptian with particular interest: "He is a noticeable player who is really helping Mainz out. He's getting the limelight and we're happy about that."

 

In their cup tie with Bayern Munich, Mainz really showed what they are capable of in particular in the first half. "They showed that they can be good going forward and can be successful with their passing", noticed Thomas Schaaf. German international Torsten Frings is predicting that the fans in the stadium can expect a difficult challenge for the Green-Whites. Patrick Owomoyela sees an advantage for Werder in Mainz's attacking approach: "The manner in which they press forward could mean they leave gaps at the back."

 

Statistics also show that Werder have not had it easy against FSV. The Green-Whites have won three of their six clashes with Mainz but things look different in the Bundesliga with only one win in three. Last season Mainz beat Bremen at home and drew 0:0 at the Weser Stadium. Werder won the first meeting of the two this season 2:0 with Klasnic and Klose on the mark. The most positive aspect for the home team at the moment is that Mainz have the worst away record in the league.

 

Klose not in the squad but back in training

 

Coach Thomas Schaaf will be without the services of Christian Schulz who picked up his fifth yellow card of the season last weekend which will mean Belgian Jelle van Damme filling in on the left. "He is determined and active and shows great presence in training", praised the trainer. Andreas Reinke, who was suffering with back problems during the week returned to full team training on Thursday and will play on Saturday. Striker Miroslav Klose and Aaron Hunt remain unavailable through injury. Klose did take his first steps in the right direction though having returned to light jogging during the week.

 

Mainz coach Jürgen Klopp is still waiting for news of his striker Petr Ruman. The Czech suffered a slipped disc in his back and then a painful trapped nerve. Definate absentee's will be the injured Fabian Gerber and the suspended Michael Thurk.

 

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