Confident Frings gambles on success

Captain Torsten Frings says Werder Bremen are willing to gamble to get the three points they need to revive their UEFA Champions League ambitions against S.S. Lazio on Wednesday.

Make amends
Bremen go into the Weserstadion game bottom of Group C following two defeats but Frings is confident they can begin making amends by beating Lazio. "It's not a secret that if we want to have a chance of reaching the knockout stage we have to collect three points, therefore we will try to pressure them from the first moment and force them into mistakes," he said.

'Take risks'
"We'll take risks to win and we are convinced that we'll do it," he added. "Italians are famous for playing very defensively and for waiting for their opponents' mistakes. I expect Lazio to be just like that. Hopefully we won't make too many mistakes. They won't give us too much space but we will have to find some in order to make a breakthrough."

Improvement
Frings's optimism comes from Bremen's "improved performance" against Hertha BSC Berlin on Saturday – the 3-2 win was their third in succession in the Bundesliga – although he warns that they will have to "play even better" against Lazio. "They are a very strong team and we have to play really good football to beat them. I am convinced we can raise our game by a few degrees more."

No coincidence
It appears to be more than just a coincidence that Bremen's improvement has followed Frings's recovery of full fitness after injury. Sidelined by a knee ligament problem in July, the German international made an unhappy return in Bremen's 3-1 loss to Olympiacos CFP on Matchday 2. The fact the visitors scored their three goals in the closing stages, when Frings may well have been tiring, generated comment in the German press, but what is sure is that the 30-year-old has since regained his customary effectiveness.

'Getting better'
"He's getting better with every game", is the verdict of coach Thomas Schaaf. Bremen are at their most efficient when the long-haired midfielder is around, providing support for the more forward-looking Diego. So, with their skipper on top of his game once more, they have renewed hope of lifting themselves off the floor in Group C. Frings himself certainly thinks so. "If we get three points, we are back in the hunt."