Schalke emerges as a true contender:
The debate about Schalke’s true title potential has raged on. However, on Saturday, they took a huge step towards the label of ‘contenders’ rather than just talented pretenders. They play a great match against Borussia Dortmund. Schalke defended raggedly in both halves. The first half truly belonged to them as Dortmund took 36 minutes to fire a first shot on target.
Ibrahim Afellay and Marco Höger’s goals gave Schalke a deserved lead. Dortmund came back into the match, but Schalke, despite missing great chances, saw the game out. Lewis Holtby played a good match. Huub Stevens will want to surely downplay his side’s title challenge but they seem to be one of only two contenders to what is seemingly Bayern’s throne.
Freiburg has developed into a very good unit:
Freiburg is seventh in the table. This is surprising to many; however, their position in the table is deserved. They have done well against every opposition they have faced. They recorded a 0-2 win over Wolfsburg. Freiburg is playing better with every coming week and if they can keep up their form, they might be able to challenge for a European berth.
In the Bundesliga, making predictions is simply inane:
The second best defence of the league (Fortuna) conceded five goals on Saturday. The best defence in the league conceded the only two goals they have let in at home. Bremen took apart Gladbach almost too easily. Schalke actually won the Ruhr derby! Stuttgart beat high flying HSV. The team which had only scored two goals so far (Fürth) scored three against Hoffenheim in a 3-3 draw.
One should refrain from making predictions on Bundesliga games. You never know what to expect these days unless you support Bayern of-course.
Frankfurt proves once again that they can dance with the big boys:
Eintracht Frankfurt beat one of the Bundesliga’s best sides, 3-1. Hannover had few answers for a Frankfurt side which is enjoying its football more than ever. Frankfurt is currently Bayern’s closest challengers on 19 points. They are not letting Bayern run away as the difference in points in only five. On the other hand, they are ahead of Schalke by two points.
Frankfurt already came back from a two goal deficit this season to draw against Dortmund. The question now is: can they take on Bayern?
The Bundesliga consists of streaky teams:
The teams in the Bundesliga are awfully streaky. Hamburg had put together a good run but lost to a struggling Stuttgart side 0-1. Frankfurt last week lost to one of the poorest teams in terms of form, Borussia Mönchengladbach. Schalke drew against one of the weakest offences in the league, Düsseldorf, 2-2. Bremen, having lost to Augsburg, won 4-0 this week.
No team at the moment with the exception of Bayern can be called consistent. The only consistency is actually the inconsistency of the sides. Bundesliga sides rarely go on long unbeaten streaks or long winless streaks. Their streaks are rather short-lived.
However, it is this inconsistency which makes the league so special. Long streaks are a small price to pay for the entertainment the Bundesliga provides.
Bayern is officially unstoppable!
Bayern has been the talk of the Bundesliga this season. Their performances have been flawless. They have already broken the record for the larget number of wins at the start of the season. They are on course to break every record there is. Bayern has scored 26 goals in eight games and conceded just twice. The twelve point lead they have on Dortmund is larger than the margin of the lead was at this time last season.
Bayern at-least looked human at the beginning of last season. At the beginning of this season, they look to be forces from another planet. The question now is- can Bayern carry that form to Europe?
