Squad Watch: Week 9. News Flash.

A quick look at what happened in the Polish football at the weekend.

Goalkeepers:

Artur Boruc (Celtic Glasgow)- 90 minutes against Rangers
Lukasz Fabianski (Arsenal London)- 90 minutes against Chelsea
Wojciech Kowalewski (Iraklis Thessaloniki)- end of season
Tomasz Kuszczak (ManUtd)- on the bench against Man City
Sebastian Przyrowski (Polonia Warsaw)- 90 minutes against GKS B., note 6
Lukasz Zaluska (Dundee United)- 90 minutes against Aberdeen

Defenders:

Barosz Bosacki (Lech Poznan)- not in the squad against Slask, injury
Dariusz Dudka (AJ Auxerre)- Ligue 1 didn’t play
Seweryn Gancarczyk (Metalist Kharkiv)- 90 minutes against Metalurg
Pawel Golanski (Steaua Bucharest)- 90 minutes against Dinamo Bucharest
Tomasz Jodlowiec (Polonia Warsaw)- 90 minutes against GKS B., note 6
Adam Kokoszka (Empoli F.C.)- not in the squad against Ascoli
Marcin Komorowski (Legia Warsaw)- 45 minutes against Wisla, note 5
Marcin Kowalczyk (Dinamo Moscow)- 84 minutes against CSKA Moscow
Michal Pazdan (Gornik Zabrze)- 90 minutes against LKS Lodz, note 4
Piotr Polczak (Cracovia Krakow)- 81 minutes against Odra, note 5
Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht)- 90 minutes against Roselare
Jakub Wawrzyniak (Panathinaikos)- not in the squad against PAOK, doping
Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lech Poznan)- not in the squad against Slask, injury
Michal Zewlakow (Olympiakos Pireus)- end of season

Midfielders:

Tomasz Bandrowski (Lech Poznan)- 90 minutes against Slask, note 6
Rafal Boguski (Wisla Krakow)- 66 minutes and an assist against Legia, note 6
Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund)- 73 minutes and a goal against Karlsruher SC
Roger Guerreiro (Legia Warsaw)- 90 minutes against Wisla, note 4
Jacek Krzynowek (Hannover 96)- 85 minutes against Eintracht
Mariusz Lewandowski (Shakhtar Donetsk)- 90 minutes against FC Charkov
Wojciech Lobodzinski (Wisla Krakow)- on the bench against Legia
Radoslaw Majewski (Polonia Warsaw)- 90 minutes against GKS B., note 4
Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan)- 90 minutes against Slask, note 6
Szymon Pawlowski (Zaglebie Lubin)- 90 minutes and two assists against Odra Opole, note 8
Sławomir Peszko (Lech Poznan)-87 minutes against Slask, note 5
Bartosz Salamon (Brescia)- on the bench against Cittadella
Lukasz Tralka (Polonia Warsaw)- 83 minutes against GKS B., note 4
Jakub Wilk (Lech Poznan)- 90 minutes and an assist against Slask, note 7

Attackers:

Pawel Brozek (Wisla Krakow)- 90 minutes against Legia, note 5
Dawid Janczyk (Lokeren)- 90 minutes against Dender
Michal Janota (Feyenoord Rotterdam)- not in the squad against Roda
Ireneusz Jelen (AJ Auxerre)- Ligue 1 didn’t play
Robert Lewandowski (Lech Poznan)- 90 minutes and a goal against Slask, note 6
Lukasz Piszczek (Hertha Berlin)- 90 minutes and an assist against Bochum
Grzegorz Rasiak (Watford)- end of season
Marek Saganowski (Southampton)- end of season
Ebi Smolarek (Bolton Wanderers)- on the bench against Sunderland
Lukasz Sosin (Anorthosis Famagusta)- not in the squad against AEL Limassol
Artur Wichniarek (Arminia Bielefeld)- 14 minutes against Leverkusen
Tomasz Zahorski (Gornik Zabrze)- not in the squad against LKS Lodz, injury
Maciej Zurawski (Larissa)- not in the squad against AEK Athens

Sorry, but because I have to hand in the last chapter of my MA thesis at the end of the week I don’t really have time to carry out any in depth summary. Hopefully this news flash will be able to stimuate any kind of discussion.

Wisla Krakow defeated Legia Warsaw 1:0 and rose to the top of the Polish Ekstraklasa. They are a point ahead of both Legia and Lech Poznan and the championship is currently in their hands. The game was very average with the Legia team proving that they are the potential champion with the least chance of making it into the Champions League. Their style of play doesn’t show signs of any success in Europe.

If he scores, he SCORES! I wrote lately that Kuba Blaszczykowski doesn’t find the net often enough for an offensive player. Fortunately, when he finds it he does it in spectacular fashion.

Lukasz Piszczek quite quickly regained a strong position at Hertha after coming back from injury. He currently plays at right back and does a good job (he earned an assist at the weekend). I wonder if Leo would ever consider playing him at the full back position. Maybe the South African friendlies are the time to find out.

Lukasz Fabianski and Chelsea don’t go well together. Fabian let in four goals (though he’s not entirely to blame for any of them) and received very average notes from the British press. He’s had his fair number of chances this season, but failed to prove that he’s better than Almunia.

Jakub Wawrzyniak tested positively for doping and was excluded from the latest Panathinaikos game. The test was carried out after Wawrzyn returned from the national team games against Northern Ireland and San Marino. The player himself claims that he’s clear. It’s either Wawrzyniak’s stupidity (drugs) or irresponsible handling by the medical staff. Whatever it is, our left back is in deep trouble.

Tomasz Jodlowiec was observed by HSV Hamburg and Eintracht Frankfurt scouts at the weekend. He played well enough to maintain the Bundesliga clubs interest. However, Jodlowiec’s reluctance to leave Poland may soon become legendary so it won’t be easy to lure him out of his warm nest.

Leo Beenhakker failed to see the Wisla vs. Legia game as he opted for the one between Feyenoord and Roda Kerkrade. There’s no better way to spark criticism.

Highlights:

Kuba Blaszczykowski scores in spectacular fashion

Lukasz Fabianski lets in for against Chelsea

Piszczek’s assist

Wisla Krakow vs. Legia Warsaw highlights

Robert Lewandowski scores against Slask