Browsing the 1.Bundesliga: Matchday 11

Bayern avoids meltdown, Werder blows

Bad Wiring Edition

Much like a home’s main electrical breaker box, this Matchday in the Bundesliga brought performances where clubs tripped but avoided outright meltdown, circuits were crossed and there was no energy, and some clubs were overloaded and outright blew.  And, since all of the above happened at mein haus, the regularly-planned epistle with enough links to overload your browser’s tab feature will be absent.  Apologies for those looking for copious links to Steve Guttenberg’s best work after Police Academy. 

Demichelis and van Buyten Are Blown Fuses

Bayern Munich entered Borussia Park with expectations of leaving with a full three points.  After consecutive 4-goal performances in league and Champions League action, FC Hollywood rightly felt confident facing a Moenchengladbach side that has shipped the most goals in the league this season.  Die Roten, though, had to rely on a late goal from its captain just to escape with a point in an entertaining 3-3 draw.

The Foals caught Bayern playing flat early and after five minutes had a shock 1-0 lead.  With ongoing injury concerns forcing Louis van Gaal to start Martin Demichelis and Daniel van Buyten in central defense while Anatoliy Tymoschuck held the midfield, M’gladbach  capitalized on the accumulated mash of poor positioning and lead-footing of the trio immediately.

When Tymo missed clearing the ball upfield and M’gladbach forward Raul Bobadilla was able to fly past Demichelis for an early shot in the 2nd minute, this was a sign of things to come.  In the 5th minute, Bayern GK Butt (Ha Ha!) made a poor decision to come off his line early on a Patrick Hermann cross that seemed to float forever and ended in in the top right corner of the goal. Rather than check whether the ball had been inflated by helium, the referee allowed the goal to stand for an elated Hermann, and the Foals were in front.

Mario Gomez–this hurts to say–who has been rather good as of late, equalized for the Bavarians in the 11th minute. Demonstrating its league-worst defending, M’gladbach failed to mark Gomez on a Toni Kroos free kick and the in-form striker headed the ball neatly inside the near post to tie the match at 1.

After the Gomez goal, Bayern seemed to take proper control.  Good attacking pressure in the 37th almost saw Gomez snatch his 6th goal in 3 matches, but M’gladbach GK Heimeroth made an excellent initial save.  The rebound found Kroos for an immediate reply, but the ball skimmed just over the crossbar.  

Bastian Schweinsteiger eventually got the 2nd for Bayern in the 40th minute, as he took a pass through the box by Daniel Pranjic easily to slide the ball past Heimeroth.  Bayern had a 2-1 lead while retaining over 70% possession as the half was approaching.  It appeared Bayern had secured the three points.

A penalty called in the 43rd minute looked to be the end for M’gladbach, but Schweini missed it!  He expertly fooled Heimeroth and carefully bonked the penalty shot off the right post and out for a goal kick.  The half ended with FC Hollywood leading 2-1, but it felt as if the Foals had been given a chance to get back into the match.

One of the key players for M’gladbach in the 2nd half was Sir Michael Bradley the Lesser of Princeton, NJ.  The 1st half saw him positioned more defensively to provide cover for right center back Anderson while Bayern were pressing, but the 2nd half found him bossing the center of the pitch and lending weight to the Foals’ attack in a more advanced position

While RB Tobias Levels charged down the right side and provided crosses into Reus, Bradley the Lesser took the match to Bayern’s soft, nougaty center known as van Buyten and Dimechelis.  His passing efficiency was not great–19 for 32–but his presence and the passes that did connect were effective. 

The equalizer for M’gladbach was right up the gut in response to Bradley’s pressure.  After a bad giveaway by Schweinsteiger in the midfield, 2nd half substitute Igor DeCamargo laced a pass to Marco Reus that allowed him to run with pace past Dimechelis and on to Butt for the Foals’ 2nd in the 56th minute.  

Just a few minutes later, DeCamargo turned from provider to scorer when he latched onto a pass from Reus and around a slow-to-close van Buyten to slot the 3rd past Butt.  After the hour, M’gladbach had a 3-2 lead with only 24% possession!  Break out the Budweiser for the Brazilian-Belgian DeCamargo!

Bayern captain Philipp Lahm spared the Bavarians’ blushes with a goal in the 84th minute to tie the match at 3-3.  Bayern traveled back to Munich having snatched a draw from a victory and saw it drop points to a Foals side that did not give up throughout the match.  

Rather than continuing its climb up to a more respectable position, Bayern actually dropped from 7th to 9th.  Borussia Moenchengladbach remained at the foot of the table but were successful in not increasing its negative goal differential any further–at least, this Matchday.

Borussia M’gladbach v Bayern highlights here

Thomas Tuchel Needs a New Schematic

It appears SC Freiburg read the Dortmund play-book on how to beat Mainz 05.  SC Freiburg dampened the effect of the trademark Mainz wave and sought to break down the Carnival Club defensively by aggressively loading its offensive half with players.  It was a bit of a gamble for the Breisgau-Brasilianers but worked in a 1-0 win at the Badenova-Stadion.

At one point in the 1st half, Robin Dutt’s side played 6 men in front of the Christian Wetklo, which forced Lewis Holtby to play a bit further back defensively.  Holtby had no shots on goal for the match.

Further, good play on the left wing by Freiburg MF Cedric Makiadi and LB Felix Bastians pinned Andre Schuerrle and Marco Caligiuri into their own end.  Combined, the pair notched 1 shot and created no other chances. 

The only goal from the match was due to a penalty called on CB Niko Bungert. As Freiburg CB Oliver Barth–yes, the CB for Freiburg was even charging at the Mainz goal–attempted to cut across Bungert in the penalty area, Bungert pulled Barth’s shirt and forgot to let go.  

Despite Tuchel being a bit peeved about the penno call, it appeared to be a no-brainer and Papiss Demba Cisse easily converted it in the 64th minute for the 1-0 lead.

SC Freiburg continued to press for another goal, outshooting Mainz 14 to 6.  With only 1 total shot on goal, Mainz 05 went away rather quietly in search of the equalizer.  

After beginning the season with 7 straight wins, the Bruchweg Boys have now lost 4 of their last 5–including the DFB Pokal Cup match prior to the Dortmund loss.  Holtby and Co. are aware that the rest of the league has discovered how to defend their style (Warning: German link).

If manager Thomas Tuchel fails to adjust to a league that has adjusted to his side, Mainz 05 will begin sliding out of its Champions League spot .  Having watched Mainz 05 in earlier Matchdays, this was rather a poor showing and one hopes the young side will be able to adapt, as Mainz was playing some of the most attractive football to begin this Bundesliga season. 

SC Freiburg v Mainz 05 highlights here

Low Power Supply in Hannover

There were a few Robert Enke banners flying in the AWD Arena, but there were also a few for Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp.  He is rather dashing, almost Roberto Mancini-esque.  With the loss by Mainz 05, Dortmund was able to increase its lead at the top of the table with a solid 4-0 victory over Hannover 96.

Youngster Mario Goetze–remember that name, he’s good and only 18–was deadly accurate with his passing from the right side of the attack.  Receiving passes right on his foot from Goetze, Lucas Barrios was dancing early against the 96ers backline.  

Shinji Kagawa–another attack-minded dynamo for BvB–took another excellent pass from Goetze, dribbled right along the outer line of the penalty area, and smashed the first Dortmund goal home in the 11th.  

Captain Steve Cherundolo forgot to tell his fellow defenders to pay attention to the fast little Japanese guy who likes to crack shots from distance, apparently.

Despite it being early and despite it being only 1 goal, the match felt as if it already belonged to the league leaders.  Dortmund were running at every loose ball, committing to every offensive move without thinking whilst Hannover looked to have no game plan.  The opening 20 minutes were all Dortmund while Hannover seemed to want to slowly build its attack but forgot how to do it.  

Kagawa had another crack at goal from the center of the pitch–close down center backs!–but Hannover were not penalized further.  Other than some offensive pressure around the 30th minute, Hannover 96 had little to speak of as the 1st half ended 1-0 to Dortmund.

In the 2nd half, Hannover 96 showed a bit of a spark and a greater commitment to tacking, but the result was the same as the 1st half.  Spurts of attack happened but Dortmund firmly and calmly responded as title contenders should.  Yes, Klopp, we are talking about BvB as title contenders–deal with it.

Dortmund didn’t start piling on until late in the match. Barrios added to BvB’s lead in the 72nd, assisted from a cross by RB Lukasz Piszczek–who is playing quite well with Goetze on the right.  Young Poles and Germans working together–Ostpolitik did work!

Just for funs, Hannover CB Karim Haggui earned a red card in 77th minute for kicking Jakub Blaszczykowski in the head–apparently Tunisia and Poland have some reconciliation to work on. 

Oh, and for his trouble, Haggui has been given a 5 game suspension.  Nice work.

The resultant penalty was missed by Nuri Sahin, but, with the 96ers down a man, the points were clearly in Dortmund’s back pocket.  Goals by Lewandowski and Blaszczykowski rounded out the performance for the 4-0 win. 

Hannover 96 v Dortmund Highlights here

Spark Plug Returns for Bayer

Leverkusen maintained its Champions League position with a well-earned 3-1 win over 1.FC Kaiserslautern.  Bayer is now three points behind Mainz 05 for 2nd and only 7 points behind a red-hot Dortmund. 

Lautern opened the scoring with a 15th minute goal by Florian Dick (needs immediate transfer to Bayern Munich to play in front of Butt).  Leverkusen’s wall performed well in deflecting a free kick just outside the box but were too slow to close down Dick, who ripped his shot through the parting players and beyond Adler’s reach. 

There were 2 Lautern players in an offside position when Dick struck the ball and an initial viewing showed one of the offside players with a slight deflection, but the flags stayed down and the goal was given for a 1-0 lead.  Upon replay, it did not appear the offside player did touch the ball in flight, so the call to award looked to be correct.

Sidney Sam brought Leverkusen level in the 38th minute.  Assisted Reinartz off a set piece, Sam smashed the ball into the left corner of goal and made the Red Devils regret not signing him after he spent his last two seasons on loan to the club. The sides were knotted up at 1-1 at the half.

In the 2nd half Lautern pressed in attack but Leverkusen’s defending held well and had several opportunities to take the lead on a counter attack.  However, it appeared no one was at home in the middle of the pitch for Bayer to orchestrate that attack or to latch onto one of the many crosses being served in by either the attacking Sam or RB Daniel Schwaab. 

Barnetta began to assert himself as the 2nd half went on, having several chances on goal while at the other end tracking back to defend well.  There seemed to be a 5 minute spell where Barnetta popped up all over the pitch.

Leverkusen took the lead for good in the 68th.  After a throw in on the right, surprise returnee Renato Augusto crossed right over the face of the goal and, as 1FCK keeper Sippel prematurely left his line to deal with Augusto, he left Patrick “Pants” Helmes free on the far post to to tap in the cross. 

Again, it looked as if Helmes was in an offside position when Augusto crossed, but as with the earlier Lautern goal, the flags stayed down.  2-1 to Leverkusen. 

After the 2nd goal, the match became much more stop and go, with several blows of the whistle for fouls and free kick.  Adler showed why he’s one of the better German keepers with a fine stop on Erwin Hoffer in the 80th minute.  Sam got his brace with a wonder shot in the 84th from 25 yards out.  Helmes had a chance to finish the match at 4-1 but, remembering he’s slightly pants, he fluffed it as only he could.  3-1 Bayer over Lautern, and the Werkself remain in 3rd position (Suck it Tylenol!)

Bayer Leverkusen v 1.FCK highlights here

Laziness Personified

Also on Matchday 11:

Schalke 04 3-0 FC St Pauli

The Royal Blues get a brace out of Raul but it’s not enough–Schalke still in relegation at the end.

Hamburger SV 2-1 Hoffenheim

31 fouls and 4 yellow cards by Die Hoffe and a loss that drops them to 5th.  Hamburg is now closing on the top, up to 6th position.

Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 Wolfsburg

The Eagles are flying behind another brace by Gekas and some serious questions need to start being asked for Wolves.  There is too much talent on the club for it to still be in the bottom half of the table.

1.FC Nuernberg 3-1 FC Koeln

Gundogan with another as FCN are quietly moving up the table.  Like Mainz, FCN are another club with some “young guns” starting to develop.  as for Koeln–new gaffer, same results.

VfB Stuttgart 6-0 Werder Bremen

A thorough demolition of Werder as the Swabians sprinkled goals throughout the match.  Was the midweek Champions League meltdown against Twente a sign of things to come for Werder the rest of the way? 

After Matchday 11: Champions League

1. Borussia Dortmund on 28 points and + 20 GD

2. Mainz 05 on 24 points and + 8 GD

3. Bayer 04 Leverkusen on 21 points and + 6 GD

Europa League: Eintracht & Hoffenheim

Relegation

16. Schalke 04 on 9 points and -4 GD

17. FC Koeln on 8 points and -9 GD

18. Borussia M’gladbach on 7 points and -16 GD