Soccer - Last chance in 2023: Werder aim for first away win
Last season, Werder Bremen laid the foundations for staying in the league on away grounds. The Whites picked up 19 points away from home in the 2022-23 season, concealing their acute weakness at home with just 17 points at their own Weser Stadium.
Everything is different in the current round. While Werder have already notched up four victories in front of their home crowd, they are doing next to nothing on their opponents' pitch. Bremen picked up a measly 2:2 draw in Wolfsburg - that's it so far for coach Ole Werner's team.
This record also leaves the Bremen coach speechless. "I really have no explanation for that," said Werner on Thursday. This Friday (20:30/DAZN), the North Germans have their last chance this year to secure their first away win of the season at Borussia Mönchengladbach. "Of course that's our wish. It's always the aim to follow up a win with more points," said Werner, referring to the all-important 2-0 win against FC Augsburg a week ago.
But the task on the Lower Rhine will not be easy. Gladbach, in tenth place in the table, only have two more points than Werder. However, Borussia have shown great improvement recently, especially in front of their own fans, winning their last three home games in the league. There were also two wins at Borussia-Park in the DFB Cup against Heidenheim and Wolfsburg.
"They are strong at home. They have a lot of quality in their squad and a good mix of young and experienced players," said Werner about their next opponents. However, the Werder coach has also noticed the fluctuations in Gladbach's play, which is why he is confident that his team can do well. "I expect a game at eye level."
Goalkeeper Michael Zetterer can also help to secure the first three points away from home. The goalkeeper recently complained of shoulder problems and had to cut back a little in training during the week. However, he was able to complete a full training session on Thursday and will be fit in time for the match. Zetterer (28) had only recently replaced Jiri Pavlenka as number one for the Green-Whites.
Bremen captain Marco Friedl will still be missing due to adductor pain. The Austrian will be replaced by Niklas Stark in the central position in the back three. Werner is not planning any major changes beyond that either. Star acquisition Naby Keita has trained with the team for another week, but the former Liverpool player is still out of the question for the starting eleven. "We'll see if he's an option from the bench," said Werner.
Werder squad info for the game on bundesliga.de
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- Despite Werder Bremen's strong performance at home last season, they managed only 17 points at the Weserstadion, contrasting their 19 points from away matches.
- Ole Werner, the coach of Werder Bremen, is aiming for the team's first away win of the 2023 season during their visit to Borussia Mönchengladbach.
- In the current season, Werder Bremen has four victories at home, but their performance on away grounds has been less impressive, with a measly 2:2 draw against Wolfsburg being their only result.
- Borussia Mönchengladbach, situated in North Rhine-Westphalia's Lower Rhine region, has shown improvement recently, with three consecutive home league wins and two DFB Cup victories at Borussia-Park.
- Ole Werner acknowledged that Borussia Mönchengladbach is strong at home, boasting talented players, but he is optimistic about the prospects of a competitive match due to Gladbach's inconsistent play.
- Michael Zetterer, Werder Bremen's goalkeeper, who stepped up after Jiri Pavlenka's departure, has been dealing with shoulder problems but was declared fit for the away game against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
- Bremen captain Marco Friedl will be absent due to adductor pain, with Niklas Stark set to replace him in the central position of the back three, and coach Werner has no major changes planned for the starting lineup apart from that.
Source: www.stern.de
