I've got a bit of a lowdown on Werder Bremen for anyone interested:
- They play 4-1-2-1-2 a.k.a 4-4-2 'diamond'
-Allegedly, their best XI with a fully-fit squad would look like this:
-------------Wiese--------------
Fritz, Mertesacker, Naldo, Schmitz
-----------Bargfrede-------------
---------Wesley, Ekici------------
-------------Marin---------------
-------Pizarro, Rosenberg---------
Ekici is a new signing and they are hoping he replaces Ozil, who they've missed since he was sold to Madrid last August.
- Their current injuries are: Naldo, Boenisch, Mertesacker, Prodl, Pizarro and Silvestre.
- Their fans have told me Marko Marin is one-to-watch. The fans I spoke to described him as a ""Dribbelkönig" (Dribble king) but they also said sometimes he tries to dribble too much and is found offering nothing to the team as a whole. Having said that, it's common opinion amongst Bremen fans they would have been relegated without him last season. They finished 5 points above the relegation zone despite being a Champions League team!
- They have two highly-rated youth talents in Lennart Thy and Florian Trinks. Both German youth internationals.
- Pizarro's replacement will probably be Marko Arnautovic. He's considered a 'bad boy' in Germany, lots of controversy surrounding him. He was also a major flop for them last season, his first at the club. Jose Mourinho once had a public fall-out with him. In other words, he's the Austrian Torres.
- The don't expect the stadium to be full. That was expected, though?
