Swiss Abroad 2007/08 [R]

Wolfsburg wins at Bremen 1-0
and City with Gelson is 2-1 in the lead against Spurs

 

Barnetta is in the top11 of the day for "kicker" and Benaglio has the best average mark of the league with 2.5 (Rolfes 2.67, Ribéry 2.69) but needs 12matches to appear in the statistics

 

Vogel signs with Blackburn until 2010. Boy, do they got one BORING Swiss trio...

 

That move is subject to international clearance but that shouldn't cause any problems.

As for Blackburn signing 'Boring' players, I take it you mean players who aren't what you might call 'creative'?

If you watch Blackburn's style of play you will see why!!!

LL

 

well, it seems Hughes is expecting him to become a key player

 

some toughts about players who have been less in the spotlight lately:

Ph. Degen: return date unknow
M. Herzog: played a few times with Duisburg II
J. Jemmely: 10matches and 3 goals with Kaiserslautern II
Dusan Pavlovic: only a substitute at Erzgebirge Aue
Albert Bunjaku: already scored 15 goals this season
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Rijat Shala: 97min in Serie A so far and out for the rest of the season. Then, he is maybe going to play for Kosovo in the future.
Igor Djuric: 0min so far, but not yet 20y old
Rossini: same as Djuric
Unal: same as Djuric and Rossini
Zambrella: good season so far. If he continues this way, he should get a move to Serie A. But most probably too late too little for Euro08.
Alain Nef and M. Padalino also can eye a serie A transfer.
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Patrick Muller: Köbi hopes to have him ready for the Euro.
Esteban: good training yesterday, maybe coming on as a sub for Briand this weekend. Still hope he makes the Euro.
J. Gagnoud: no match for Auxerres A team so far
Julien Bessiene: got another call for the U-18 team. His name is Bessiene after all and not Bessigne. Is he the Bessiene from Olympique Lyons youth team?
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Bellon twins: both play from time to time in the starting XI of Villa's reserves, but only Damian got a call for the U-19
Subotic is also playing for the reserves at Portsmouth and got a call from the U-19 team
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Geijo scored 3 goals and had 2 assists for Levante so far this season
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Kim Jaggy: 24 matches, 3 assist. A first team regular at Sparta
Afonso: disappeared a bit . Had a goal for Veendam in January yet
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Diego Lattmann: 58min so far this season in the Gambrinus Liga

 

nice research!
Djourou is back, playing with the Arsenal reserves, after 2 months out.

 

ex GC player Eduardo and Petric scored this weekend

otherwise, nothing really special today from a swiss point of view.

In Germany, I'd like to mention that Koller's Bochum continue their good run and Wolfsburg was unbeaten again in the league.

then in France, Grichting and Lichtsteiner are played right now. Gygax couldn't avoid Metz' defeat, but had to play in left midfield again. Esteban is in the squad for tomorrows match and was preferred to Moreira or Kembo-Ekoko.

in England, Gelson has been playing in the starting XI for various matches in a row now. Dzemaili has no chance to get into Boltons squad and no swiss playing for Blackburn today.

in Italy, another victory for Inlers Udinese. Behrami out injured for Lazio. Ziegler and Kuzmanovic coming on as subs.

 

Cantaluppi scored for St-Truiden tonight

 

Magnin picked up an injury - this is going to be a tight race till Th Euro with all the injuries

 

Esteban played the last two minutes tonight coming on as a sub for Briand, but at least that... Rennes played with french nt player Briand in attack and Pagis. Wiltord was the whole match on the bench and Moreira and Kembo-Ekoko were not even selected for the match.

 

Senderos and Gelson in the starting XI today, Vogel as the only swiss on the bench for Blackburn

Eggimann, Spycher, Barnetta, Imhof and Petric playing in the Bundesliga. Schwegler on the bench the whole match.

 

von Bergen injured in first half as Hertha plays at Cottbus

 

Inler scored for Udinese today

Esteban is in the squad for Rennes match at Monaco tomorrow

 

Inler and Behrami in the team of the round in Italy

 

Vogel in the starting XI for Rovers today

 

Good start from Vogel:

MANAGER Mark Hughes was impressed with the performance of debutant Johann Vogel against Tottenham yesterday.

The Swiss star, signed on a free transfer during March, made his Rovers debut in the 1-1 draw against Spurs and pleased the Rovers boss.

"I thought, given the amount of time that he has been out of the game, that it was an exceptional performance," said Hughes on Radio Rovers.

"He kept going and I didn't really expect him to last the ninety minutes, but that will stand him in good stead,

"I think it is important that we expose him to the Premier League and certainly we did in the opening twenty minutes because the pace and movement of Spurs gave everybody a problem not just Johann. I thought he came to terms with the pace and what was needed very quickly and that is a credit to him

"He wasn't really flagging at the end so that is a credit to his professionalism and how he has looked after himself during the time that he has been out, so he'll become better and stronger for it."

 

Watching Liverpool-Arsenal with Senderos in action, and paying close attention to how he is playing.

I hate to say this, but by far the worst player on the field is Senderos. Everything he has done so far was awful, particularly his huuuuge mistake leading to the Liverpool equaliser.

Believe me, I would love Senderos to be a good player, Switzerland really needs him to be. But the reality is that he is a horrible football player. He is slow, clumsy, technically very weak, makes way too many blunders, and although he looks solid he is constantly outmuscled by strikers.

Does anyone understand why Wenger still makes him play so regularly? I guess injuries among arsenal defenders (including Djourou) is the obvious reply. I have no doubt that Djourou is much better than him. I am also convinced that if Senderos were not playing at Arsenal he would not be 1st choice with the Swiss team. he certainly shouldn't be, I much prefer Grichting, Von bergen, Eggiman, Djourou.

My verdict: Senderos should be dropped from the Swiss team. Now.

 

Senderos again at fault on the 2nd goal from Liverpool, with Torres eliminating him with extreme ease before scoring...

 

Should Vogel play a couple of games before Euro08, I would call him back in the Nati. We need a man of experience, who can calm the game when you need it. Provided he is 100% fit at that time. I wish Kuhn & co. would make a step behind like they did with Nkufo.

IMO the midfield (Barnetta, Inler, Gelson, Behrami) is good but much too young for such an important event. When everything is ok, they make wonders (Holland), when things get a bit worse they can get overwhelmed.

Another player I would consider along with is Cabanas. At least with the forwards (Frei, Streller, Derdiyok and Nkufo) in form, I am a bit more confident.
And Senderos really looks awful these days, tonight he was the worst among the Gunners. Let's pray for a miracle (Patrick!).

 

Esteban scored for Rennes reserves

Nkufo had an assist

Behrami, Ph.Degen, Barnetta, von Bergen, Margairaz injured

Magnin back from injury

Vonlanthen and Ziegler only on the bench lately

 

Ph.Degen is said to have signed a 3year contract with Liverpool