Mainz On The Mend

First Team
Saturday, 17.03.2007 / 09:17

With the visit of FSV Mainz 05 on Sunday, 18.03.2007 to the Weser Stadium, Werder will be facing one of the three teams that they put six past during the first round of games.

With the visit of FSV Mainz 05 on Sunday, 18.03.2007 to the Weser Stadium, Werder will be facing one of the three teams that they put six past during the first round of games. For Mainz though, the 6:1 thrashing from match day nine is long since a thing of the past and the situation in Spring 2007 is a very different one. By the time of the winter break, Jürgen Klopp’s men were the number one candidate for the demise into the doldrums of the second division, but, Mainz have hit back with a bang. The, so called, ‘Carnival Club’ have chalked up an astounding 19 points from eight games and in doing so have pulled themselves from the foot of the table into a far more comfortable tenth place and look much more likely to remain in the top flight.

 

Andreasen and Zidan give Mainz new lease of life

 

Two of the players who have had the greatest influence on the revival Mainz 05 are all too well known at the Weser Stadium. Mohamed Zidan and Leon Andreasen. Both made the move to Mainz during the winter break, although Andreasen is just on loan and still on the Werder books. Whilst Zidan have given Mainz a new lease of life scoring seven goals in seven appearances, Leon Andreasen has quickly taken on a vital roll in guiding the side and scoring four goals into the bargain.

 

Werder’s head coach Thomas Schaaf is also delighted about the development of the duo who had both spent time under his wing: “They’ve probably already erected some monuments to Mohamed Zidan in Mainz and I’m sure he’ll be doing his all to be successful here too. Leon Andreasen has shown just why we signed him in 2005. We spent some time considering the best way to allow him to gather some match practice, competition is all important”, explained Schaaf.

 

Mainz back on track

 

The 45 year old coach is awaiting a very determined opponent who have improved in every area: “They will asserting themselves and using all of the qualities available to them to frustrate us. They have found their way back to their game, their combination play is more stable and they move well. They have been successful and the points have served them well. We will have to erase the memory of their place in the table and the performance in Autumn. We can expect to see the strongest Mainz team”, said Schaaf, convinced of what he has to expect.

 

There won’t be many personnel changes to the Mainz side which beat Armenia Bielefeld 1:0 last weekend. The suspended Marco Rose will be replaced by Benjamin Weigelt and both Milorad Pekovic and Mohamed Zidan, who had been suffering from flu, would appear to be on the mend.

 

Hunt out, Klose and Jensen doubtful

 

The personnel situation is not as clear at Werder. Joining the long term injured Frank Baumann, Ivan Klasnic and Tim Borowski is now front man Aaron Hunt who is out with muscular difficulties. The availability of striker Miroslav Klose (back problem) and Daniel Jensen (dead leg) remains in question. The situation means a possible start for youngster Kevin Schindler or Swedish international Markus Rosenberg.

 

Both commented modestly on the possibility of a start: “Weder is a top side. I’m happy to sit back and wait for my chance. I’m still young”, explained the 18 year old Schindler who made an impressive full debut in the UEFA Cup on Wednesday night. Markus Rosenberg has also been tight lipped: “We’ll see what happens. You need time to find your feet I a new team.”

 

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