Werder Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf is to enforce drastic measures in a bid to halt his side's slide down the Bundesliga.
After a 23-game unbeaten streak towards the end of 2009, the northern Germany side have lost their last five matches to fall out of contention for European football next season.
And Schaaf is to ring the changes after Tim Borowski and Aymen Abdennour both trained with the reserves yesterday, indicating that they will both be dropped tomorrow night.
However, Schaaf insists leaving Abdennour out is in his own interests.
"He is being judged wrongly and has been made the scapegoat," he said.
"I am considering taking him out of the firing line to protect him."
Peter Niemeyer should come in to replace Borowski while Petri Pasanen would be Abdennour's most natural replacement.
Hertha arrive in Bremen with a slightly better recent record, but a far worse outlook.
They have been rooted to the foot of the Bundesliga almost since day one, although a win and two draws so far in 2010 have allowed them to reduce the gap on the first non-relegation place to seven points.
But their coach Friedhelm Funkel expects to meet a wounded and angry Bremen tomorrow night.
"They are certainly not going to play again like they did in Gladbach (where they lost 4-3)," he said.
"They will have analysed their errors and will be far more concentrated and attack more.
"We have got to be willing to run a lot to force them onto the back foot and not let their attacking football work."
Funkel is without the injured Gojko Kacar and Pal Dardai while there is a question mark hanging over the inclusion of goalkeeper Jaroslav Drobny.
He will undergo a fitness test Friday morning with Sascha Burchert on standby to replace him.
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