2012-2013 Bundesliga Match Day 18 SV Werder Bremen versus Borussia Dortmund Saturday, January 19, 2013, Weserstadion, Bremen, Germany - Kickoff: 6:30 PM CET No time for the usual write-up. I probably won't have time to do many of them anymore and this ticks me off because I love doing them. Anyhow, such is life. Enough of my whining. Here are some tidbits stolen from the article at this link and some from BVB.de. Bremen has won just once in its last five Bundesliga outings, a run that has seen the side slip from sixth to 12th in the standings. A leaky defense has been the downfall for die Werderaner. It has conceded a disappointing 29 goals in 17 games, the third-worst record in the entire championship. Werder's last meeting with Borussia Dortmund ended in defeat. An early goal from Marco Reus (right) and an Ilkay Gundogan strike condemned the side to a 2-1 defeat on the first weekend of the 2012-13 season. Dortmund enters the new year a daunting 12 points behind leader Bayern, and currently lies in third place after winning back to back titles in 2011 and 2012. The German champion has already lost three matches this season, the same number it lost in the entire 2011-12 campaign. The side's scoring ability is one consolation for coach Jurgen Klopp. Only Bayern has outscored BVB so far, with Robert Lewandowski (nine goals) currently the team's top marksman in the Bundesliga. Piszczek, Kuba and Santana are all questionable for BVB. Piszczek is dealing with a groin issue, Kuba with calf muscle hardening and Santana with the broken nose/mask. (BVB.de) Nuri Sahin is fit, will be on the match day roster, but probably will not start for BVB. (BVB.de) +++++++++++++++++++++ The following information is all from BVB.de. However, none of it is official. Projected SV Werder Bremen Starting Lineup: Mielitz - Gebre Selassie, Prödl, Sokratis, Schmitz - Fritz, Junuzovic - Hunt, de Bruyne, Elia - Petersen Projected SV Werder Bremen Substitutes Bench: Vander - Lukimya, Pavlovic, Ekici, Ignjovski, Trinks, Trybull, Akpala, Füllkrug Questionable For SV Werder Bremen: No one. Out For SV Werder Bremen : Arnautovic (yellow card suspension), Wolf, Bargfrede (both recovering from knee surgery) Projected Borussia Dortmund Starting Lineup: Weidenfeller - Piszczek, Santana, Hummels, Schmelzer - Bender, Gündogan - Blaszczykowski (Grosskreutz), Götze, Reus - Lewandowski Projected Borussia Dortmund Substitutes Bench: Langerak - Kirch, Günter, Kehl, Leitner, Sahin, Grosskreutz, Schieber Questionable For Borussia Dortmund: Blaszczykowski (calf issues), Piszczek (groin issues) Out For Borussia Dortmund: Subotic (torn calf muscle), Owomoyela (not match fit), Bittencourt (red card suspension from 3. Liga match) Referee: Knut Kircher Knut Kircher will be calling a Bundesliga match involving BVB for the 23rd time. BVB's Bundesliga record under Kircher's supervision is ten victories, four draws and eight defeats. However, BVB has done well under Kircher's supervision recently. Last season, Kircher called BVB victories over Bayern (1-0) and Hoffenheim (3-1). He also called last season's goalless draw at Augsburg. During the current season, Kircher called BVB's 2-1 victory at Mainz. Projected Attendance: Weserstadion is sold out (42,100)
This won't be an easy game by any chance. Think we'll see couple of goals in this match. Should be fun. Hope I'll see Nuri playing again...
I will only be able to see the first 45 minutes as "prior" commitments will have me engaged later in the afternoon. Good luck, boys!
Great start, wonderful free kick to get things going early on. Just hope we don't try and sit on the lead, plenty of chances to be found against that Bremen backline.
A big deflection certainly helped out, but reward for some good interplay we've put together in the last 5 mins or so. Not sure if it's just where the effects mic is on the stream I'm watching, but all I can hear is the BVB away section in the stands.
Superb counters, superb goals and Bremen playing fairly well but when Dortmund chokes you like that, it's nearly impossible to live with. Don't see them keeping it up though but I still hope for a clean sheet.
Urgh, what a chance for Hummels. Some nice footwork, probably could have shot on goal himself, 3-0 right on the stroke of halftime would have been nice. Still, good first half of football to start 2013 with, here's hoping we kill it off early in the second.
Agree. But Hummels is a defender. He did well just to get as far as he did. I think he wanted to get Lewandowski on the scoresheet. Easily forgivable. I love that kind of fight. Agree again. I think Bremen will come out with a bit more fight. I just hope we come out "greedy" and want more and more.
Agree here. I see enough mistakes in midfield and defense to worry about, but we're doing well enough to cover. No team is perfect.....
Haha, well said. Could barely have asked for a better start after the break. Now, a good chance for our defence to concentrate on a clean sheet, especially in this next 15-20 period when it's easy to get ahead of yourselves. Come on boys.
You really think so? I mean we are seeing a return to Bremen trying to play a more attractive type of football. I agree he is tactically limited and a bit stubborn at willing to change fundamentals. Maybe a change in management is what these youngsters need. Also hope you get to hang onto De Bruyne.
EE, I don't know that I'd blame it all on Schaaf. It isn't as if you guys have the greatest players either. Hell, I don't know where your defense would be without Sokratis. That isn't all on Schaaf. But I do understand that Schaaf's message is probably falling on deaf ears these days. However, who will do better? This is always the question which has to be answered before seriously talking about sacking a coach.