Werder-Almanac 2010 - J to L: 111 Reasons for relief

First Team
Sunday, 26.12.2010 / 18:13

J - Jubilation for anniversary: Five Bundesliga losses in a row cannot shock a 111-year-old. Right in the middle of the celebrations of the club's special anniversary year, the Green-Whites found themselves in a winter slump. Going into their home game against Hertha Berlin in early February, Werder were stuck in sixth place. But in these kinds of situations you just need the experience and scoring sense of someone like Claudio Pizarro. With the game knotted at 1-1, Pizarro scored and gave Werder the 2-1 win. "We could have really ruined the season today but now we have a couple game days left to move up into the top five," said a hopeful Peter Niemeyer. The victory over last placed Hertha also proved to be the foundation for the rest of the season and helping save the festivities. "At least 111 reasons for relief in Werder's hearts," said the Green-Whites special magazine to the season.

K - King: Entirely unspectacular and with no pressure from a nearby opponent, Mesut Özil delivered a short pass on an August afternoon which proved to be his final assist in a Werder Bremen jersey. Claudio Pizarro received the pass and finished off the work for a 1-0 lead in the German Cup against Rot-Weiß Ahlen. Özil was later subbed out in the 61st minute of a 4-0 Green-Whites victory. And three days later, the 21-year-old Özil had transferred with immediate effect to Real Madrid after the Spanish giants "in the end had to make a big step up compared to their original offer" according to manager Klaus Allofs. "Today a king," said the German magazine 11freunde on their website about Özil. "We know that Mesut is a player who can do some special things. That's why he was attractive to a lot of teams. We believe he can take even more steps and wish him of course all the best," said head coach Thomas Schaaf. In two and a half years under the Werder boss, the one-time unpolished prospect Özil became one of the best players in the Bundesliga, a foundation in the German national team and developed into the leading offensive force at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

L - Last second debut: All of a sudden things went so quickly. Once it was clear that the injured Tim Wiese could not play on, Sebastian Mielitz had to be ready to go for a sudden, last second appearance in the Champions League - the most important club competition in Europe - in the away match at Twente Enschede. There are certainly more comfortable ways to prepare for a 21-year-old Champions League debutant. Would he have a case of stage fright? Nothing of it at all. "The adrenaline quickly brought my body up to game temperature," said Mielitz. "It's the dream of every child to play in the Champions League." Three days later, Mielitz made a number of superb saves in leading Werder to a 4-1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach. "I haven't really realized was happened today," said the keeper afterwards.

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