Joachim Low, Werder Bremen: The Bundesliga Nord-Sud Derby and More.

Claudio Pizarro, Torsten Frings, Tim Borowski, Miro Klose. What do all these players have in common? All four are currently playing in the Bundesliga and three currently star for Bremen with the exception of Klose. The answer to the question is that they all played for both Bremen and Bayern.

Bayern are without doubt the best team in the history of the Bundesliga. Bremen, however is almost as bad as a nightmare for Bayern. Bayern haven't enjoyed the greatest of times against the northerners as these stats will tell you:

26 - The number of times that Bremen has beaten Bayern.

19 - Out of 43 meetings in Bremen, Bayern has beaten Bremen 10 times while Bremen has beaten Bayern 19 times.

111 - The total number of goals that Bremen have put past Bayern. Bayern have not conceded as many goals to any other Bundesliga side as they have against the northerners.

Bremen are the most inconsistent team that I have ever known of. They went on a long unbeaten run in the first half of the season but all of a sudden bombarded into a certain "Hamburg" who beat them with ten men on Matchday 18. Since then, they are without a win in five games. Bremen have been beaten by the mid-table aimless side Eintracht Frankfurt twice this season.

Bremen are a wonderful side. Mesut Ozil and Marko Marin as well as Aaron Hunt play for them. Hunt recently pledged his future to Germany over England but is yet to pledge his future to Bremen. Marin is a "wunderkind"; he is talented and a delight to watch. Mesut Ozil is one of the most versatile midfield players in the world. He can play as a supporting striker as well and makes his team tick.

Tim Borowksi and captain Torsten Frings are old experienced heads in a youthful side while Per Mertesacker is simply a wall. Just for the information, Joachim Low has recently informed Frings that he will not be going to the World Cup. Sebastian Boenish, one of the best wing backs I have seen is injured and will be missed. Merte's partner Naldo, the Brazilian, can score as well as prevent goals. Cladio Pizarro leads the front line alongside the Swede Markus Rosenberg.

Bayern on the other hand have their own walls in the form of Martin Demichelis and Daniel van Buyten. Their answer for Boenisch is Badstuber, for Mesut Ozil is Thomas Muller, for Frings is Mark van Bommel, and for Pizarro is Mario Gomez. Hans Jorg-Butt is Bayern's answer to Bremen's keeper Tim Wiese.

There is an easy way to shutting down Bremen: Shut down Mesut Ozil. That is what  most teams have recently been doing. Also, Marin is mostly used as a striker by coach Thomas Schaaf and he is definitely better off, in my opinion, as a midfielder. So, all Bayern have to do is make sure that Van Bommel chases Ozil all night long.

Current form would suggest a win for Bayern. Bremen are, however, the team who can put either five past Jorg-Butt or hit the post five times. It will also be interesting to see whether Van Gaal plays Klose and Franck Ribery in the match. Ribery is finally back to full fitness and will appear on the subs bench. Tim Borowski will be the latest Bremen player to have left Bayern recently (last summer) and will surely be ready to take on his former team for a second time this season.

My prediction for this game is a 1-1 draw and if Tim Wiese has an off day, a victory by a one goal margin for Bayern.

In other news, Louis Van Gaal is frustrated at the moment that Joachim Low has decided to call up Philipp Lahm, Gomez, Klose, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Muller for a meeting concerning the World Cup.

This is what he had to say:

“I think it's crazy. We, the clubs, pay the players and to make them available to the national team for four days is not normal. They could have given us the physical tests to do and we could have given them the results. I've never experienced anything like this and I have already led some big clubs.”

For the moment, Louis van Gaal has to get himself back together and prepare his side for a mouth-watering clash against Werder. After all, Bayern need to win this match not only for the bragging rights.