ESPN Soccernet - Correspondents - FC Bayern Munich

Posted by Susie Schaaf on 05/13/2011

"Routed", "thrashed", "manhandled", "crushed", "destroyed"... and my personal favorite... "slaughtered" were all words used to describe injury-ravaged St Pauli's loss to Bayern Munich on Saturday. The 1-8 scoreline, coupled with Hannover's defeat at Stuttgart 2-0, guarantees die Roten at least a Champions League play-in spot for next season. And with Bayer Leverkusen's draw at home with Hamburg (doing what Leverkusen does best), Munich are playing for second place, and direct Champions League qualification Saturday against die Schwaben.

But, before I prattle on about how awesome my team is; the loss, for the Hamburg-based club, meant that they were officially the first team to be relegated to the 2. Bundesliga next season. And that is a blow to 1. Bundesliga football. Why? Simply because they have the best fans in Germany.

Capacity at the Millerntor-Stadion is just short of 25,000. Yet, on Saturday, it still sounded louder than most matches I've heard at the Allianz Arena. And, even after being down five goals, the Pirates fans were still singing, "Zieht den Bayern die lederhosen aus!" And even sang for their team after the match. Cool.

"Das Freudenhaus der Liga" (The Brothel of the League) will be missed for their fans' stance against racism, sexism, fascism and homophobia. They'll be missed for their skull-and-crossbones corner flags. And they'll heartily be missed for their stripper poles in the boxes (strangely non-concurrent with the anti-sexism vibe) ... Get back to first division football soon, please.

Back to how awesome we are...

Much has been argued about in last blog's comments on my remark about how Mario Gomez was in the right place at the right time. Again, in this match, Super Mario showed himself the same, netting his fifth hat-trick (not German, sadly) of the year and most likely winning our only title this campaign: Torschützenkönig.

I can expound, here, on my thoughts when I say that I think that being "in the right place at the right time" is what strikers are supposed to do. They are supposed to make themselves available for passes forward and turn them in to goals. That's their job. Score goals. And one he has done better than anyone else this season. Not that I think that he should've scored a few more, mind you...

Arjen Robben has proved to be the most dangerous player in the second half of the Bundesliga season (but, we all knew that, didn't we?) setting up 3 goals and scoring twice this match. 13 goals and 7 assists in 13 appearances. Stunning to think of what could have been had he been healthy for the first half.

The little flurry that St Pauli managed for seven minutes at the start of the second half was deftly handled by Hans Joerg Butt and the rest of the defence. In attack, Daniel van Buyten added to the scoresheet, heading home on a corner from Robben.

But, the little/big flurry for Bayern at the end of the match proved to be St. Pauli's humiliation. Already up 5-1, die Bayern scored 3 goals in 4 minutes: An unusual header by Robben on a cross from Ribery, a tap in for Gomez on a Robben pass, and a 20 yard screamer by the Frenchman to complete his brace.

So, now, on to Saturday. It is not without some small relief that this season is almost over. Turbulent and frustrating by turns, but rather pleasant in the end. Andries Jonker, as caretaker coach, has given us a wistful glance at what this campaign could have been. Coulda, shoulda, woulda... right? And, as an American girl with a passion for baseball, I look forward to reading box scores and sitting in my unbearingly hot stadium this summer, trying to wash the sweat away with a few cold beers.

But first, Stuttgart. Since we've beaten the Swabian team 3-5 and 3-6 at the end of the first half of this season, it stands to reason that we'll come out of this match with 3 points. Especially at home, and with almost a full squad: Only Breno, Altintop and long-term absentee Olic will miss this final fixture.

I'm sure I'm not the only fan that will have two computers going to simultaneously watch what's happening in the SC Freiburg - Bayer Leverkusen match. And for the people in the Allianz, I'm wondering if they'll be chiming the bell when a goal is scored in the Badenova Stadion. Should Freiburg's Papiss Cisse dump 6 on Leverkusen, and win the goal scoring title ahead of Mario Gomez, I don't think too many of the Bayern Muenchen faithful will mind. A second place finish, in this season that could have been, would be terrific.

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Comments

Posted by Alper on 05/12/2011

Haha true Bayern fanatic, if you really care about what's going on there, while the relegation matchups will be the shizzle on saturday.
I probably will check the Mainz score twice. Halftime and after Dortmund-Frankfurt is over.

Posted by Chris on 05/12/2011

i read that Bayern signed Neuer for 25 million euros. how excited are you for him? do you think that was money well spent?

as for the strikers comment, look at Cavani, Falcao, Chicharito and Gomez - sometimes being at the right place at the right can be a matter of luck for some players but these guys do it every game. Pippo Inzaghi made a career from it.

At some point, they need to be praised for their awareness on the pitch and having that foresight where the ball is going to be. not every goal can be scored like the way Messi, Ibra or Villa does...

Posted by Susie on 05/12/2011

Alper---

I can actually keep track of 5 games simultaneously: Dortmund - Frankfurt is the one televised here. Then Bayern - Stuttgart will be on my desktop. Freiburg - Leverkusen will be on my notebook. Wolfsburg - Hoffenheim on my Android pad. And the Moenchengladbach match on my phone... :)

Posted by Susie on 05/12/2011

Chris---

Bayern's offering 18mil up front for Neuer, and then 7mil in bonuses depending on how well he does at Bayern. Something close to this latest offer is likely to see the deal go through.

Gomez actually does a lot more than just get open and score goals. And yeah, I've criticized him before, but that was for missing sitters.

I liken this arguement to the Berbatov one. While people accuse Berba of being lazy, I tend to think he's an incredibly smart footballer who reads the angles very well.

Posted by Fish on 05/12/2011

I couldn't have agreed with you more about having St. Pauli come back to the 1.Bundesliga, hopefully it will be soon. If Bayern do get a defender in the market this summer (I have heard about going after Boetang) then will they move Luiz Gustavo to play along side schwenie? And what do you think Jupp has in the plans for Toni Kroos next season?

Posted by Susie on 05/12/2011

Fish---

Heynckes is partial to Toni Kroos in DM, and right now, even though I don't agree with the move, I think Gustavo might be the one to go. That is, of course,dependent on who we pick up defensively.

Right now, Contreao from Benifica seems most likely, meaning that we still need to find a central defender.

Posted by Alex on 05/13/2011

Would Boateng even be a good transfer? He can be a world class player, but it seems like he's made of glass with how bad he gets injured.

Posted by Jorge on 05/13/2011

susie, i'm also excited that baseball is here. i also hope that the nfl can get their crap together and make a season happen. being from NC, i do love college football, but nfl has to happen too.

i think that part of being a top striker IS being in the right place at the right time; being able to read the ball and anticipate one's teammates' actions. therefore, i've got no problems with gomez, and i think that next year, the position should be his to lose to olic.

if bayern are able to sign neuer and a top defender or two, they SHOULD be unstoppable next year. their attack line is among the tops in the world, and with that combination, they outta be nearly invincible.

Posted by Adam on 05/13/2011

Hmmm - as Stuttgart have only lost one away game in 2011 and have been the third best club since the winter break, it seems a tad arrogant that you would dismiss this game as an easy 3 points. Maybe you should be looking at it as 1st v 3rd on the ladder (since the winter break), with the biggest difference being that Bayern have already won their coverted CL place and Stuttgart still have a point to prove. I think that it will be a lot closer than you give it credit for. Stuttgart have a lot less injuries and are a lot fitter than the outfit that Bayern faced last year and it would be foolish to take them lightly. Stuttgart still have a calculated chance of finishing 7th on the ladder this season and that would go a long way to dismissing the whispers and regaining some respect after only chalking up 12 points in the opening 17 games and looking like definite relegation candidates. Respect where it is due.

Posted by Susie on 05/13/2011

Alex---

City don't want to let him go. And yeah, he already have enough players that get injured too often.

Jorge---

I'm guessing we might have to wait til after the Pokal final for the word on Neuer to be official. Man, we are going to be amazing. :)

Adam---

Have you seen what we've been doing to opposing competition lately?! Respect where it is due...

Posted by Etienne on 05/13/2011

Gomez has been more than just in the right place at the right time. What he does when the other team has possession is just as important. As the season developed he made a nuisance of himself more and more harassing the opposing team and helping win the ball back, as opposed to passively waiting to be fed. Same kudos go to Thomas Müller and, yes, Miro (when he got the chance to play). Olic, sadly, was missing too much. I'll stop at the forwards.

I'm looking forward to next season. With Neuer in goal and, hopefully, a bit more consistency in the back line, Bayern will be a force to contend with in any competition.

Posted by Mike on 05/13/2011

Sorry, but Sankt Pauli can stay out of the Bundesliga as far as I am concerned. I am not impressed just because they fill up a 25,000 seat stadium every week since just about everyone in the Bundesliga could fill up a stadium that size. The club has an interest among people who could care less about the sport, and just buy their merchandise because they think it is cool. Sankt Pauli is nothing but a cult club that has no business in the Bundesliga, and hopefully will be nowhere near it for a long time.

Posted by Ryan on 05/13/2011

Susie --

Who are you most excited about as far as transfers go this summer besides Neuer?

Posted by Shower of worthless sausage stuffers on 05/14/2011

There is no loathsome squad in football the Bayern Munchen. Nobody outside, and on the worst inside, of Germany can even tolerate these plonkers. It's no surprise to any thinking person that Nazism founded in Munich. What a pile of pants.

Sure, Mike, because certainly Bayern fans aren't a bilious bunch of bandwagon jumpers. A league full of St. Paulis is vastly superior to just one Munchen team of smug whiny twats.

Posted by Shower of worthless sausage stuffers on 05/14/2011

Don't call me dear, Bayern fan (that's most vile epithet I could think of).

Posted by Brett on 05/14/2011

Well put, Mike. TFO said the St. Pauli bar was full of "mentally challenged alcoholics." You nailed the other half of it: how little they care about football.
VfB has been doing well. This won't be a cake walk (but I think they will win). Still, even with a potential 3rd place finish, I'm hopeful about next year (if the wingers can stay healthy). The real problem now is center back. Everybody says we need one, but few offer names. Guys like Vidic, Puyol, and Terry don't grow on trees (although we did let Hummels go). The 25 mil Chelsea paid for Luiz was a bargain. While it's a glaring soft spot, it's not an easy fix. We just need to make the best of Van Buyten, Tymo, Breno, and Gustavo for now.

Last, while others like St. Pauli, I hope Gladbach stays up. They have run the gambit this season with scoring shootouts and several 1-0 nailbiters (wins and losses). Whether safe, dropped, or play vs Bochum or die Kleeblätter for relegation, I've throughly enjoyed watching them this season.

Posted by Susie on 05/14/2011

Dear---

Funny that you should compare Nazism to Munich and Bayern when you obviously have no idea of the club's history. And, if you are indicative of all Sankt Pauli fans, then I rescind everything I said.

Your comments were classes and baseless. And completely without merit, especially after you've been complemented.

I'd love for someone to prove me wrong.

Mike and Brett---

Hope that clears up my position. :)

Posted by adams on 05/16/2011

suisie i heard ur says about my guys.is only God saved the bundesliga in the absent of my best striking striker Olic even though super Mario did the work 4me.and the signing of goalkeeper never wil be good protection for me cuz Olic wil face arena nxt season so my team is now full of stars.like Schwiensteiger,robben,muller,riberry,gomez olic...there among the best players in the world.

Posted by Jennica on 05/24/2011

That's a mold-braeker. Great thinking!

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