die Tabelle lügen nicht! (10/28)

1. FC Bayern

Nil Away Draw with BVB

For the first time this season, it can be said that they lost the midfield battle. And they were lucky to get out of Dortmund with a point due to this.

2. HSV

1-0 Road Win against Duisburg

They are learning to win without Rafael van der Vaart, which will be important come next year. Vincent Kompany scored both goals in their 2 1-0 wins in the league and UEFA Cup.

3. Werder Bremen

1-1 Away Draw with Schalke

Torsten Frings aggravated his right knee in the game and will miss an additional month after recently returning from injury to the same knee. Fortunately for Werder, their midfield isn’t completely knackered at the moment, so they should manage.

4. Karlsruhe

Nil Road Draw with Hansa

Markus Miller tore a knee ligament two minutes into the game, played the full 90 with a taped knee, made at least two spectacular saves and found out afterwards that he will be out for half a year. The feel good story of the season just went sour.

5. Schalke 04

1-1 Home Draw with Werder

I don’t know what’s more bankable, a 1-0 win for Hamburg or a draw for Schalke. The return of Kuranyi and Pander helped, but they are still missing Krstajic because Sanogo had two prestine chances to win this late for the visitors.

6. Hannover

Nil Away draw with Eintracht

Mike Hanke hasn’t scored in nearly 600 minutes. Dieter Hecking has obviously never played Football Manager; otherwise, he would know this is normal.

7. Wolfsburg

3-1 Home Win against Nurnberg

Somebody got a new bottle of peroxide. I’m looking at you Marcelinho. It’s distracting us all from the Wolves fantastic run of form.

8. Hertha Berlin

2-0 Home Win against Bochum

While the 29 year old Serbian Marko Pantelic might be the focal point of HBS’ offense, the impressive aspect of this is that everyone knows it and he’s still supremely productive. Scored one and caused the own goal against Bochum.

9. Frankfurt

Nil Home draw with Hannover

Between last week’s shellacking by a pathetic Nurnberg side and this inept performance, their strong start might be what keeps them above the dreaded dotted line by season’s end.

10. Bayer Leverkusen

1-0 Away Loss to Stuttgart

It truly pains me to say this, but Rene Adler’s timid approach on a ball that should have been cleared allowed Andreas Beck to steal a point from Leverkusen.

11. Dortmund

Nil Home Draw with Munich

They had a truly inspirational performance against Bayern this week. Were it not for their forwards, they could have easily won 3-0.

12. Stuttgart

1-0 Home Win over Leverkusen

Thomas Hitzelsperger returns from injury and the confidence returns immediately. They may not have deserved to win, but it’s no coincidence that the return of Hitzelsperger saw a change in luck and form.

13. Arminia

1-1 Home draw with Cottbus

Jonas Kamper’s rumblings that he wants to start might make Ernst Middendorp’s job more difficult as he scored to help Arminia avoid an embarrassing home loss to Cottbus.

14. Hansa Rostock

Nil Draw at Home with Karlsruhe

Did what few have accomplished at home against KSC this year: got a point.

15. Nürnberg

3-1 Away Loss to the Wolves

It was a poor week for the Cup holders as they suffered a drubbing by Felix Magath’s men and then got knocked out of the DFB Pokal by lowly Jena.

16. Bochum

2-0 Away Loss to HBS

Going down faster than Stanislav Sestak in the box.

17. Duisburg

1-0 Home Loss to HSV

Have now lost six of seven in the league, and just got dumped from the Cup. Meanwhile trainer Rudi Bommer seems to have no answers.

18. FC Energie

1-1 Away Draw with Bielefeld

They scored their first road goal of the season. At this rate, expect exactly two more this campaign.

die Tabelle lügen nicht! (10/21)

Bayern Munich

2-1 away win against Bochum

Who was the genius that said they weren’t as good with a four-man midfield. Oh yeah, me! They almost got nicked by relegation fodder, and probably deserved to be.

2. Werder Bremen

3-2 home win against Hertha

Klose who? Almeida and Sanogo are proving to be the second best pairing in the Bundesliga…..to, oh, Klose and Toni. But Rosenborg looked spry for once and the goals just keep coming for Werder.

3. Hamburg

4-1 home win against Stuttgart

Ivica Olic, who has been fairly quiet since his pickup last January, scored a first half hat trick to sink holder Stuttgart. The 4-1 win takes Hamburg to third place and proves that they can play a game without a 1-0 scoreline.

4. Karlsruhe

Goalless draw at home against Arminia

Had possession and shots against Bielefeld, but could only turn that into three shots on goal. Their sterling defense was never threatened. And still they look better on the road.

5. Schalke 04

1-1 away draw with Hansa

At this rate, may well set a Bundesliga record for draws. More importantly they are shaky defensively without Mladen Krstajic and Christian Pander, who look set to train this week.

6. Hannover

2-2 home draw with the Wolves

Michael Tarnat blunders to allow Wolfsburg to gain an advantage but uses his to get the surprising Reds an equalizer. A late clearance by Josué kept Hannover from securing their 4^th straight win.

7. Bayer 04

2-2 draw at home with BVB.

Steffan Keißling saved the home side embarrassment with a late goal at BayArena. But it was Adler’s heroics in the first half that even allowed the last gasp heroics.

8. Frankfurt

5-1 road loss to Nurnberg.

Road woes continue as they have now dropped 7 points away to bottom feeders.

9. Wolfsburg

2-2 away draw with 96

Captain Marcelinho and douche bag Dejagah netted a draw with Hannover as the Wolves continue to be a solid road threat.

10. Hertha Berlin

3-2 loss away to Werder Bremen

Berlin seems to be running out of steam after a dazzling start. They have one point in their last four and that was a draw with F.C. Energie. A 95^th minute goal made score line a little more impressive than it was at Weserstadion.

11. Dortmund

2-2 draw on the road with Leverkusen.

Mladen Petric has become the quiet efficient engine of Dortmund, even the Bundesliga. It’s a rather apropos descriptions in the land of Mercedes, BMW, VW and Audi. 2 goals helped Dortmund secure road points.

12. Arminia

Goalless draw on the road against Karlsruhe

Ended a four game skid in the loss column, but didn’t deserve the point. Their bend but don’t break attitude did keep a clean sheet, and may be a harbinger of the end of their leaky defense that has allowed 14 goals since their sterling start.

13. Hansa Rostock

1-1 home draw with Schalke

Midfielder Marc Stein was the eighth player to score this campaign for the newly promoted side. They have only scored 11 goals.

14. Stuttgart

4-1 away loss to HSV

How important is Captain Fernando Meira? Just ask Serdar Taşçi, whose utter incompetence at the back, wasn’t glossed over this week by the one typical bright spot for the failing holders.

15. Nurnberg

5-1 home win against Eintracht.

Are they a better team without Ivan Saenko? Results say yes.

16. Bochum

2-1 home loss to F.C. Bayern

No shame in this weekend’s performance. Scored early with Dennis Grote and nearly grinded out a result, but Bayern was too strong. One of the best defensive performances by a team all season.

17. Duisburg

2-1 away win against F.C. Energie

Duisburg won a six pointer this weekend against even more pathetic Cottbus. Captain Grlic scored their second freekick of the evening against the run of play.

18. Energie Cottbus

2-1 home loss to Duisburg

A late goal by Captain Timo Rost after extended pressure looked just desserts for the bottom dwellers. But Cottbus is proving to have absolutely no luck this campaign.