First, let me say that any erroneous information in my last blog I will blame wholly on Oktoberfest. Ha! No really, while I try to be perfect always, sometimes I get a little lost in German translation. Entschuldigung.

748. That rather large number is the number of consecutive minutes Manuel Neuer has kept a clean sheet this season, setting club records for consecutive Bundesliga matches and total matches. And while the numbers are impressive, even Neuer admits that he has considerably less to do than he has in the past at Schalke.

Remember when we used to suck against Bundesliga teams in the bottom third of the table? (Granted, it wasn't that long ago with our slip up against 'Gladbach, but I'm inclined to view that as an anomaly thus far.) The problem was never against the big guns; Bayern are always up for those. But, we seemed to lose our intensity against lesser opposition; as if we couldn't be bothered. Saying that, part of the reason is that less-gifted teams tend to play us differently- i.e., parking the bus in front of the goal, 10 men behind the ball, "Oh, hell! They're coming again!" and what will you.