Spurs can get off to a flyer by attacking the wide men

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11 April 2012

Tottenham supporters who fear they begin their Champions League campaign tomorrow night on the back foot can draw comfort from signs that similar afflictions presently befall their hosts.

Werder Bremen can take many positives from Saturday's 0-0 draw against Bayern Munich in the Allianz Arena but the overall picture is far from healthy.

Spurs received a boost this morning when Luka Modric travelled with the squad after an X-ray on his left leg allayed fears of a break but they remain somewhat weakened without Jermain Defoe, Michael Dawson, Heurelho Gomes and long-term absentee Jonathan Woodgate.

However, by comparison Bremen have greater fitness concerns. Principal striker Claudio Pizarro is a major doubt with a hamstring injury, while they are presently without both first-choice centre-backs in Per Mertesacker (fractured eye socket) and Naldo (knee).

Despite the enforced reshuffle in their ranks, Bremen held on for a point against a Bayern side who appeared some way short of full fitness and occasionally struggled for ideas bereft of their most devastating attacking talent in Arjen Robben.

Bremen, who finished third in the Bundesliga last season, nine points behind Bayern, produced a spirited display in adversity but consistently looked vulnerable at the back with poor finishing denying the home side victory.

Franck Ribery gave right-back Clemens Fritz a torrid time while at left-back Bremen relied upon a familiar face to repel Bayern's attack.
Mikael Silvestre made his debut after being released by Arsenal earlier this summer and while some mitigation can be found given this was the 33-year-old's first match since May, his was a performance many Gunners supporters would recognise.

Silvestre looked off the pace at times and gave the ball away in key areas twice in the first half and in tandem with the tormented Fritz, the pair should provide considerable encouragement to Spurs' wingers Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon.

"In the first 20 or 30 minutes it was difficult to catch up with my breathing so all I tried to do was keep my position and attempt to control the opponent," Silvestre told Standard Sport.

"That's when you have to use your experience — when physically you are not at your best, you have to use your head. I tried my best and I think that I did okay.

"I lost some balls and I must improve in that department but I have much more time ahead of me to settle into this team."

However, Silvestre does not have long to acclimatise before Spurs arrive — with Sebastian Boenisch on standby to replace him — but manager Thomas Schaaf will want to avoid further disruption to an already makeshift defence.

Whereas Spurs have kept just two clean sheets from their opening six matches, Bremen conceded six in their opening two league games before keeping Bayern at bay in front of 69,000 largely frustrated fans.

Despite the scoreline, the visitors hardly adopted a defensive style, switching between 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2 with impressive ease and such fluency has rightly warned Harry Redknapp away from a traditional four-man midfield in the Weserstadion tomorrow night.

It was a feature of Young Boys' play-off first-leg victory that the same tactical variety afforded them an extra man in midfield, almost at a stroke leaving Spurs' midfield to chase shadows.

There are plenty of attacking threats to Spurs, perhaps chiefly in the form of Marko Marin, who has a refreshing "kids at play" attitude to his game akin to Lionel Messi.

Mesut Ozil's departure to Real Madrid is a loss keenly felt in these parts but Marin is cut from similar cloth.

The 21-year-old made two substitute appearances for Germany at the World Cup and is set to become an integral part of Bremen's attack this season, operating chiefly in the hole behind a main striker.

Should Pizarro fail to recover from his setback, that striker will be Marko Arnautovic, who joined the club from FC Twente earlier this summer and has two goals in his opening three Bundesliga matches.

Marin is blessed with tight control, excellent dribbling skills, pace and vision and was a constant irritant to the Bayern defence.

Bremen are still remoulding their side with another new arrival, Wesley, making his debut last weekend.

The Brazilian midfielder arrived from Santos for around £7million this summer and, at 23 years of age, is another exciting young talent whose versatility will prove dangerous to Tottenham.

Operating initially from a central position, Wesley grew in influence against Bayern on the left side of midfield to overcome a nervous start and show a good first touch and substantial composure on the ball.

Wesley is, however, yet another attack-minded player and with Aaron Hunt, a 24-year-old who attracted Football Association interest due to his English mother before opting to play for Germany, Bremen often leave their full-backs exposed.

Holding midfielder and captain Torsten Frings provides a defensive shield along with Philipp Bargfrede but if Tottenham have the confidence to play with tempo in their opening match in Group A, they can exploit vulnerability in wide areas.

Bremen showed plenty of determination to reach the group stage of the Champions League courtesy of Pizarro's extra-time goal that secured a 5-4 aggregate play-off victory over Sampdoria.

Despite the German side's greater familiarity with this competition — last year's absence preceded five consecutive years of Champions League football — Bremen's style and composition enhances the belief that they have more in common with Spurs than it would first appear.

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