German Bundesliga Thread

[irishultra]

Is Luca Toni the most overrated striker in Europe?

He seems to be one of those players who will bang goals in against Karsluhe and the likes but against any team of any sort of strength he is usless.

does anybody think hoffenheim could win the league? they brought in hildebrand, who i think was a quality keeper but seems to have struggled in spain.

[paudie]

would be unbelievable if Hoffenheim won the league but with Bayern losing this weekend the league is wide open.
Purchase of Hildebrand could be crucial for them.

[irishultra]

ha yeah it would be and as well they won tonight against cottbus tonight 2-0. from a german football fans perspective i can see why they hate hoffenheim, but as an onlooker its cool to see, like manchester city in england.

here is a good source for german football btw

http://www.thelocal.de/sport/

Kroos of Bayern Munich has gone on loan to Bayer Leverkusen, he's highly thought of so its a bit suprising but should be good experience for him.

[TheBoss]

I think it is the most exiting league around, loads of goals, teams tend to play open football and stadiums are super and always full.

It is open this season at the moment, but with Ibisevic injured for the Hoffs, they may fade slowly as he was a key player for them. I think Bayern will get it in the end.

Luca Toni is a annoying striker at times, they only thing positive about him, is that he is always in a position to score, whether bad or good game. His movement is one of the best, his finishing at times can be poor but has shown quality finishing.

[irishultra]

totally. my favourite 'tv' league.

how long is ibisevic out for?

[TheBoss]

The rest of the season.

[TheBoss]

Yet again, this league proves why it is the most exiting after the weekend so far.

Arminia Bielefeld 1 : 1 Bochum
Bayern 1 : 2 Cologne
Borussia M. 3 : 2 Hannover
Energie 2 : 1 Werder
Karlsruher 0 : 1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Stuttgart 3 : 3 Hoffenheim
Wolfsburg 2 : 1 Hertha

Hoffenheim missed a last minute penalty aswell.

[stojkovic]

I said before the Euros about how over-rated Luca Toni, Ibrahimalazybitch and Mario Gomez were.

Shocking strikers.

[Dodge]

I think Toni's success in Germany shows the limitations of the league

I'm hoping Hertha win (or failing that Hoffenheim would be cool too)

[TheBoss]

But he was same in Serie A.

[DaveyCakes]

I was at Leverkusen v Bochum yesterday. Not a bad game, Leverkusenplayed some good football but didn't look sharp up front. They missed a couple of abolute sitters. Nice stadium (LTU Arena in Dusseldorf), but a disappointing crowd (26,000). There were 50,000 at Leverusen's cup win v Bayern in midweek.

[Mr Maroon]

I was at Leverkusen's first home match this season, except they were still playing in Leverkusen back then. The stadium was very small by Bundesliga standards. I presume they're playing in Dusseldorf now because their own stadium is being renovated?

[irishultra]

very cool...im hoping to get to the allianz myself before the season is out.

[Pike B]

I think, on the Luca Toni issue, that he is one of those strikers that seems to score lots of goals domestically, whether its Italy or Germany, but when he steps up in Europe or Internationally, he just doesn't cut the mustard. He's not as bad a player as some make out, he's just not a great player.

But look at the history books and you'll see a lot of medals in his CV.

[irishultra]

i'm shocked at the form of Berlin to be honest. Voronin is on fire lately. I watched them live back in October and they seemed pretty average even though to be fair they were pretty high in the league back then.

Wonder what the odds of them winning bundesliga would have been at the start of the season?

PikeB I see what you mean by Toni, its just I feel he limits Klose when they play together. I might be wrong but I think stats show Klose scores far more goals when Toni isn't in the side.

[Pike B]

i'm shocked at the form of Berlin to be honest. Voronin is on fire lately. I watched them live back in October and they seemed pretty average even though to be fair they were pretty high in the league back then.

Wonder what the odds of them winning bundesliga would have been at the start of the season?

PikeB I see what you mean by Toni, its just I feel he limits Klose when they play together. I might be wrong but I think stats show Klose scores far more goals when Toni isn't in the side.
Agreed. I am still gutted that he got Podolski's place. I rate Lucas very high.

[irishultra]

just switched over from rovers vs sligo match to see the latest. wolfsburg beating schalke 2-1..god schalke have been crap this season, same with bremen.

[irishultra]

bayern beat bochum 3-0 today.

[Closed Account 2]

Hertha did it again, somehow getting a 1-0 at vs Leverkusen in Berlin. Bayern and HSV both won but Hoffenheim could only draw in Frankfurt, it looks like they might be slipping away from contention now.

If Hertha can win their next 4 games (away vs Stuttgart, who've dipped in form a little; home vs Dortmund; away vs Hannover; and home vs Werder) then I think the title is theirs. But Bayern only have one difficult match in that time, away at Wolfsburg, so any slip up could be a disaster for Hertha.

[DaveyCakes]

I had a sneaky punt on Wolfsburg at 12-1 last week. They're away at Bielefeld next week and then they have Bayern at home. They've won 11 of their 12 home games this season and drawn the other

[irishultra]

:D ****in hell that 12-1 might have been a stroke of genius.

they destroyed bayern 5-1 and hertha got beaten by Dortmund at home.

grafite takes his goal tally to 20 this season, and dzeko whose being banging them in for bosnia in the world cup qualifcation scored two as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fki56eydPY

[graham_d]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqGxnRdXnrU

This goal is well worth seeing again....

[DaveyCakes]

Stuttgart could have a big hand in deciding it. They're at home to Wolfsburg on the 3rd last day and away at Bayern on the last day.

[gustavo]

I'd love to go to a Bundesliga game , atmosphere looks fantastic at most games

[irishultra]

Hertha after a rocky couple of weeks, bounced back with two wins in two games to put them right back in contention. Poor Hoffenheim its all gone horribly wrong since the winter break.http://i.neoseeker.com/d/icons/a_laugh.gif League winners? Hahahahah.

Schalke warmed up for their match against Hamburg in the UEFA Cup on Thursday beating Bayern at the Allianz, while Hamburg missed the chance to go level on points with Wolfsburg at least for a day after they got beaten by Dortmund.

On the relegation front, Karlsruhe achieved a massive win away to Leverkusen.

Wolfsburg could open up a 5 point gap if they beat Cottbus away, 0-0 atm though.

Edit: 1-0 to energie...:eek: the league is anyones(except for hoffenheim :D)

[green army]

Schalke warmed up for their match against Hamburg in the UEFA Cup on Thursday beating Bayern at the Allianz,

thought it was werder bremen in the semis of uefa cup.:confused:

[irishultra]

crap you're right, my mistake:o

[DaveyCakes]

$^*&(ing Cottbus!!!

[Closed Account 2]

Bayern have now ditched Juergen Klinsmann...

Big weekend now, Wolfsburg v Hoffenheim (2nd May) and HSV v Hertha (on the 3rd) now look like key fixtures.

Wolfsburg have a hard run in, playing Stuttgart, Dortmund and Bremen.
Hertha only have Schalke and HSV in terms of difficult teams.
Bayern have Hoffenheim, Leverkusen and Stuttgart.
HSV have Hertha and Werder (who they will end up playing 5 times in just over a month)
Stuttgart have Wolfsburg, Schalke and Bayern.

I think Schalke and Dortmund have too much ground to make up (both 49 points to 57 points) to win it, although Dortmund have probably the easiest run it.

It's very tight but I think Hertha might just do it!

[Pauro 76]

Very weird timing sacking Klinsmann like that, they still have a shout of winning Bundesliga...

[DaveyCakes]

I think its between Wolfsburg, Bayern, and Stuttgart.

[holidaysong]

Very weird timing sacking Klinsmann like that, they still have a shout of winning Bundesliga...

Very strange that they didn't wait until the end of the season..

[Closed Account 2]

I think its between Wolfsburg, Bayern, and Stuttgart.

Really ? Ruling out Hertha ?? I think they've a chance, they don't look like a great team but they somehow just grind out the results through luck.

[DaveyCakes]

I think Hertha and HSV will draw this weekend, and although they look to have an easy enough run in, I think they'll drop a few more points. How many matches is Voronin suspended for?

[Closed Account 2]

He's out for 3 matches - I think the last one is the HSV match, he already missed Hoffenheim and Werder. As long as they don't lose to HSV I think they will win it. Here is how I think they'll perform in their matches:

a - HSV - DRAW
h - Bochum - WIN
a - Koeln - WIN
h - Schalke - DRAW
a - Karlsruher - WIN

I think Wolfsburg will lose to Stuttgart and draw with Dortmund, on the last day of the season they play Bremen and I think they might draw or lose that one (it will depend on if Bremen are tired from a possible UEFA final 3 days earlier).

Stuttgart play Bayern, Wolfsberg and Schalke (probably too far behind to be realistic contenders) so I can see the Swabians getting draws in those big games and cancelling the opposition out in terms of the title race, leaving the door ajar for the team from the Capital to win it for the first time since 1931 (I think).

BTW looks like Juup Heynckes will be in charge at Bayern now.

[DaveyCakes]

He's out for 3 matches - I think the last one is the HSV match, he already missed Hoffenheim and Werder. As long as they don't lose to HSV I think they will win it. Here is how I think they'll perform in their matches:

a - HSV - DRAW
h - Bochum - WIN
a - Koeln - WIN
h - Schalke - DRAW
a - Karlsruher - WIN

I think Wolfsburg will lose to Stuttgart and draw with Dortmund, on the last day of the season they play Bremen and I think they might draw or lose that one (it will depend on if Bremen are tired from a possible UEFA final 3 days earlier).

Stuttgart play Bayern, Wolfsberg and Schalke (probably too far behind to be realistic contenders) so I can see the Swabians getting draws in those big games and cancelling the opposition out in terms of the title race, leaving the door ajar for the team from the Capital to win it for the first time since 1931 (I think).

BTW looks like Juup Heynckes will be in charge at Bayern now.

Looking at each of those matches in isolation, I'd probably go for a very similar set of predictions, but I just think they'll blow it somewhere along the line, like losing in Koln, although if it's not to be Wolfsburg, I'd love to see Hertha winning it (1931 is right, they also won it the previous year).

I think there could also be quite a few draws between the big guns...it could come down to the last day with Bayern v Stuttgart and Wolfsburg v Bremen (who'll have their reserves out..Possible UEFA Cup final the previous Wednesday and DFB final the following week).

To be hoenst I don't know what I'm thinking, cos I'm panicking at the prospect of Bayern sneaking it!

[Closed Account 2]

I see Magath is in the process of leaving Wolfsburg for Schalke, I think the timing of this news could scupper the big W in their title bid...

I'm still backing Hertha (just) after Kackar got them the draw vs HSV.

[Closed Account 2]

The wheels are coming off the Grafite inspired Wolfsburg Volkswagen!

They lost 4-1 to Mario Gomez (Stuttgart) today and Hertha and Bayern both won.

I think they're still top on goal different (2 more) than Bayern, with Hertha one point behind and Stuttgart 2 points behind. If HSV beat Bremen tomorrow (playing them again!!) then they'll go level with Stuttgart (2pts behind) Dortmund are 5 points off the top, probably a bit too far behind to still be in contention. All teams have played the same number of games (bar HSV who play the match tomorrow) - most exciting European league to watch in years.

I'm still backing Hertha (just) due to an easy run in (except Schalke away)... but it will be a bit Miroslav Klose than I thought!

[DaveyCakes]

:mad::(:ball:

Three matches to go and not one team is even guaranteed a UEFA Cup place

[DaveyCakes]

There's a round of matches midweek:

Tuesday:
Bayern v Neverkusen
Koln v Hertha
Wolfsburg v Dortmund

Wednesday:
Schalke v Stuttgart
HSV v Bochum

[Closed Account 2]

HSV lost twice in 4 days to Bremen, they are now on 55 points and have shocking goal difference (0 - conceeded and scored 43 this season)! I think they are out of it now, they have an easy run in Bochum H, Koln H, Frankfurt A. They may well get 9 points but I don't see the top 3 Wolfsburg, Bayern and Hertha picking up less than 3-4 points so HSV cant catch them. Dortmund might also get 9 points but again it probably wont be enough!

[DaveyCakes]

Wolves, Bayern, and Hertha all won last night

[Closed Account 2]

Realistically Dortmunds defeat in the VW arena now means it's one from 4 (Wolfsburg, Bayern, Hertha and Stuttgart) Stuttgart need to win in Gelsenkirchen (Schalke) tonight to remain in it.

Freiburg are up from 2er Bundesliga and will play in the top flight next season. Wiesbaden and Ingolstadt are down from the 2er to the 3er Liga where they have to play various reserve teams (e.g. Bayern II, Bremen II)

[DaveyCakes]

Union Berlin promoted to Bundesliga II..

[DaveyCakes]

Almost there....

[green army]

wolfsburg won their first german title

[Ciprian Marica]

How fancied were Wolfsburg at the start of the season? What price would you have to got on them with a bookie for example?

[TheBoss]

I think they were 16/1.

[Closed Account 2]

Shocker in the 2er Bundesliga a few days ago:

http://uk.video.yahoo.com/watch/6808284/17697606

[Acornvilla]

lord blessus thats cat :D