**** OFFICIAL Champions League 2007-08 Thread!*****

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Bremen is definitely weaker, their Bundesliga results show that as well, than last year where I thought they were almost as good as Chelsea and Barca who they were unfortunate to have in their group.

[/ QUOTE ]

In Bremen's defense, they were missing their best player (Frings) and arguably their second best player (Borowski, who may or may not be better than Diego, it's hard to say) and other key components from their rotation (Clemens Fritz, Wome, and Klasnic and Hunt). Bremen is almost as good as they were last year, and certainly much better than yesterday's team.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm all for giving defensive midfielders or defensive players in general their due.
For on an example for long parts of last season,Essien was my choice as best player in the world.
But Frings better than Diego I don't think I can agree with.
He is solid. He works hard. Has ok skills and a great shot as well as crossing skills from his fullback days but he is so far behind Diego in the skills department that I have real trouble seeing him as somehow being the better player.
He is a very important player for Bremen though, no doubt.

Someone who they're hesitant to use who I think has the potential to fill the hole Frings leaves, is Leon Andreasen.
The only thing still holding him back is poor discipline I think.