Werder Bremen don’t just score a lot of goals, 117 in all competitions and friendlies in 2007, but regularly also have some stunners to leave the fans gasping for more. We’ve put together some of the goals that most impressed us throughout the course of this year.

Amusing – Rosenberg against Bayern

We’ve all heard of ‘No-Look’ passes in football. Ronaldinho is famous for them and a handful of others have mastered the complex art of picking out a colleague whilst looking in the opposite direction. ‘No-Look’ goals on the other hand are rare at best – how many have claimed to have seen such a thing, let alone score one? In general a striker will ask himself three questions before hitting a shot on goal. Where’s the ball? Where’s the goal? Where am I? Werder Bremen have one man in their squad who needs none of this. During the clash in Munich against Bayern, Markus Rosenberg positioned himself between the defensive giants van Buyten and Lucio in the race to get to a lob which Hugo Almeida sent goal wards, taking out keeper Oliver Kahn. The Swedish striker had hoped his presence alone would be enough to confuse the central defensive pair but no. Without as much as seeing the ball, the striker flicked with the back of his head and netted. It was only with the aid of replays that Rosenberg’s ‘No-Look’ skill was proven. The 1:1 in Munich was Rosenberg’s first goal for the Green-Whites – curious, amusing and vital.

Choreographed – Diego against Alkmaar

Four Werder players, seven opponents, six touches of the ball – 4:1. Patrick Owomoyela initiated the super goal against Alkmaar in the UEFA Cup quarter final 2006/2007. ‘Owo’ played a pass from the middle of the AZ half to Hugo Almeida who, under pressure, immediately forwarded the ball to Diego who in turn played the ball to Klose whist avoiding the lunging challenge of a Dutch defender, spun on his own axis, collected the one-two from the German striker and slotted home as the Weser Stadium erupted in disbelief – Pure class, pure talent, pure football.

Unbelieveable – Diego against Aachen

During major basketball events in USA, there is often a scenario during the half time break which allows for a member of the audience to attempt to score a basket from the half-way line or at ‘All-Star’ games in American Football, a fan can try to place a shot from between the posts from the half way mark – a task comparable to slotting a ball into the open window of a car from 40 meters away. In general, these amusing events tend to end with the basketball falling well short of the mark or the football spinning off many meters wide of its intended destination. Every now and again though – even if only every twenty years – someone steps up to make the so called ‘Million Dollar Shot’.

What Diego managed in an unforgettable moment one Friday evening in Aachen was not far short of one of those ‘Million Dollar’ moments. This though, was no ‘All-Star’ extravaganza, this was a typical, tight Bundesliga battle. Werder were leading 2:1, added time was all but up and then Aachen won a free-kick which would surely be the final action of the game. Alemannia keeper Kristian Nicht decided to join his colleague up front knowing whether they lost 2:1 or 3:1 was hardly an issue. As the free-kick was launched into the box, Almeida rose and headed clear. Diego took control of the free ball, rolled it ahead of himself. The Brazilian, spotting defenders and the keeper racing back to goal quickly checked his position before hammering towards the distant opposition goal. The Werder playmaker watched in awe as the ball took a single bounce in front of the goal line, flicked up against the underside of the crossbar and into the back of the net – the ball had been a total of five full seconds in the air. Contrary to the rarities of ‘All-Star’ winners, Diego’s was no lucky shot – Precision, timing and power.

Phlegmatic – Pasanen against Frankfurt

A football goal is approximately 17,86 square meters made up of 7,32 meters in length and 2,44 meters in height. That’s where the ball belongs, but should that be done from 30 meters away it takes a bit more class. Werder have such class. On this occasion it wasn’t the gentle excellence of Diego, the driving Wome, the fearful shot of Almeida nor the sheer force of Naldo. When Werder took on Frankfurt at the Weser Stadium on September 1st, it was phlegmatic Finnish international Petri Pasanen who had that something special up his sleeve. Pasanen, who had scored just one goal in 59 Bundesliga appearances, hammered a shot towards the goal at the east end of the stadium towards Markus Pröll, in the Eintracht goal, who found out just how difficult it can be to protect 17,86 square meters of goal.

Significant – Jensen against Zagreb

Werder weren’t in the best of form on this particular night in August. The pre-season preparations had not gone to plan and now it was all about saving the start of their season. The Green-Whites were knocking on the door of Champions League participation but were having difficulties coming to terms with an awkward Dinamo Zagreb side. The Croatian’s had taken the lead and despite Almeida’s equaliser, all was not well with Thomas Schaaf’s men as the game dangled on a knife edge, with the possibility of a home defeat not eradicated. Both Almeida and Daniel Jensen had lucklessly tried their luck from distance but to no avail – until five minutes from time. The Dane took a pass from Diego and let fly from 25 meters out. Where others opt for power, Jensen trusted in his technical ability and hammered into the top right corner leaving Georg Koch little chance and making it 2:1. Maybe it was this late goal that inspired the progression to the group stage of the ultimate European club competition.

Relief – Klasnic against Wüsting-Altmoorshausen

Finally back. In the bus again, mingling with his team mates, relaxed but concentrated. It could have been the insects buzzing around the floodlights, the smell of the corridors between changing rooms, the music, the sizzling of sausages on grill stands, the roar of the crowd the scent of freshly mowed grass, the blast of the referee’s whistle, the sting of a tackle, the thudding sound of boot to ball. Maybe it was the scratches , cuts and bruises or the gestures and encouragement of colleagues, the atmosphere that no amount of training can create or maybe it was the goal. A corner from the right drops perfectly but instead of lashing at the ball in anger, Klasnic chose to flick with his heel and soon the net was bulging. Whatever it might have been – one thing was clear, Ivan Klasnic was back. It was October 25th 2007 as Werder’s reserves took on SF Wüsting-Altmoorshausen and after a year of hard work, set-backs and more hard work the Croatian was back doing what he does best.

Classy – Sanogo against Madrid

Pure class. Unstoppable and equally unrepeatable – and that against one of the world’s best clubs. The Spanish giant’s defence was left looking amateurish by the Werder Bremen strike pairing. Markus Rosenberg went on a 70 meter sprint with the ball, powering past Fernando Gago and Christoph Metzelder before delivering a perfect cross at full tilt to where Boubacar Sanogo beat Pepe to the ball and elegantly flicked past Iker Casillas in the Real goal. It was the stand-out goal on a stand-out night for Werder Bremen in the Champions League.

John Muldoon