Week Ten predictions
October 29, 2010
Match day nine’s predictions saw the DW pundits increase their week-on-week total with six points. Not such a special tally, but one that included a surprising spot-on forecast of Werder Bremen's 4-1 victory away to Borussia Moenchengladbach.
To fight the unsubstantiated and scurrilous accusations of match-fixing that have been swirling, DW's experts are ready to come clean - the spirits made them do it. They're still under their control, in fact: here are their picks for Week Ten.
Friday, Oct. 29
Bayern - Freiburg
Few would have predicted Freiburg being above Bayern after nine games but the league table doesn't lie. Bayern are suffering a crisis of confidence and fluidity in the Bundesliga, while the Freiburgers are just enjoying their early season ride. Robin Dutt’s men have notched points against their mid-table rivals but have come unstuck against the better teams. Ordinarily Bayern would be included in that latter category, but right now they're adrift in mediocrity. However, at home, with a partisan crowd expecting a return to the status quo, Bayern should edge it.
Prediction: Bayern 2-1
Saturday, Oct. 30
Bremen - Nuremberg
Bremen have managed to steady their ship after a choppy start to the season and are unbeaten in five league games. They still lie in eighth place but show signs of rediscovering the consistency which could see them climb the table. But this is Werder, remember, and nothing can be taken for granted. They can win 4-1 one week and get thumped by the same scoreline the next. Nuremberg are experiencing the pendulum of form; winning one week, losing the next. If it continues to swing, after beating Wolfsburg last week, then Bremen should come out on top in this one.
Prediction: Bremen 3-0
Wolfsburg - Stuttgart
Jens Keller is unbeaten as Stuttgart coach after taking over from the sacked Christian Gross two weeks ago, and the four points his team has eked out in their last two league games have taken them out of the drop zone. Confidence is slowly coming back, boosted by recent Europa League and DFB Cup wins, and while it is still a nascent recovery, VfB do have some momentum at last. Wolfsburg, on the other hand, have lost theirs. Two defeats and a loss have put the skids under their own revival and coming into this match, Stuttgart look to have the edge.
Stuttgart: 1-0
Cologne - Hamburg
The enigma that is Hamburger SV continues to confound. After an impressive start followed by a worrying slump, HSV are rebuilding their campaign by going three games unbeaten. Two wins and a goalless draw against Bayern could have been seen as a solid base to push on, but their 5-2 cup hammering at the hands of Frankfurt in midweek may have released old demons. Cologne, however, appear to have little in their locker which could inflict such a heavy defeat on Hamburg - in fact, any kind of defeat looks unlikely. The bottom club have a solitary win to their name and their second isn’t likely to come this weekend, even with the benefit of home advantage.
Prediction: Hamburg 2-0
Kaiserslautern - Moenchengladbach
Kaiserslautern's last win - the impressive 2-0 defeat of Bayern - seems a long time ago. Indeed since those heady days of August, when Kaiserslautern notched two wins on the trot, all that has followed is a downward spiral of six reversals and a draw, leaving the Red Devils hovering perilously over the drop zone. They got a welcome boost with a midweek cup win - but then again so did Gladbach. However, given that Gladbach slipped to second-from-bottom after their sixth defeat of the season last weekend, little should be read into that. These are two teams in deep, albeit it early, trouble. Their desperation may cancel each other out.
Prediction: Draw 2-2
St. Pauli - Frankfurt
Given they were afforded little chance of staying up this season, St- Pauli's current position in 10th could already be hailed as a triumph. As long as they don't start panicking that last week's defeat to Stuttgart and their slight tumble down the league is the start of their predicted demise, St. Pauli have the guts to slog it out and remain in the Bundesliga. Frankfurt sit a place above them on goal difference with an exact replica of the Hamburg club's record to date. Eintracht come into this game on the back of three wins and a draw so they will be up for it against Pauli. Expect a gutsy battle.
Prediction: Draw 1-1
Schalke - Leverkusen
Things still look desperate for Schalke. Their only victory in the league this season, ground out against Freiburg over a month ago, looks increasingly like a false dawn. A defeat and three draws suggests little has been put right since. Their home form has been pitiful and Leverkusen will certainly fancy their chances when they make the journey to Gelsenkirchen on Saturday. Leverkusen have had plenty of joy on their travels. Unbeaten in four away games with three wins and a draw, it appears to be advantage Bayer. Schalke's revival will have to wait at least another week.
Prediction: Leverkusen 3-2
Sunday, Oct. 31
Mainz - Dortmund
Halloween came early for Dortmund in the DFB Cup on Wednesday. Instead of the treat they might have expected from a fixture against a third division side, they got tricked in a 4-2 loss on penalties at Kickers Offenbach. BVB, who have been on fire in front of goal, will be wondering how they went 120 minutes without scoring and will be hoping they find they find the target ahead of this first-versus-second clash. Mainz, who returned to the summit last weekend, also lost in the cup to Alemannia Aachen so this game is primed for both teams to put their woes behind them. Dortmund will have the added incentive of going top if they win and could take heart from the fact that Mainz's only league defeat so far has come at home.
Prediction: Dortmund 3-1
Hoffenheim - Hanover
Hanover continues to overachieve this season. Up to third after last week's victory over Cologne, they look to have put the brakes on the minor slide which affected them after losing to St. Pauli at the start of October. Hoffenheim, meanwhile, are still challenging at the top end but their own push for the summit has suffered a few hiccups in recent weeks. After three wins on the bounce at the start of the season, it took Hoffenheim until two weeks ago to record their next. Keeping Dortmund at bay in last week's 1-1 draw suggests they've found their balance again but Hanover may edge this to keep their impressive campaign on track.
Prediction: Hannover 1-0
Last week's results: 6 points
Hamburg - Bayern 0-0 (DW Prediction: 1-2)
Frankfurt - Schalke 0-0 (DW Prediction: 2-2)
Moenchengladbach - Werder Bremen 1-4 (DW Prediction: 1-4)
Freiburg - Kaiserslautern 2-1 (DW Prediction: 1-1)
Hanover - Cologne 2-1 (DW Prediction: 1-0)
Nuremberg - Wolfsburg 2-1 (DW Prediction: 1-2)
Dortmund - Hoffenheim 1-1 (DW Prediction: 2-0)
Leverkusen - Mainz 0-1 (DW Prediction: 2-1)
Stuttgart - St.Pauli 2-0 (DW Prediction: 1-2)
Total for the season: 43
Three points for a correct score prediction
Two points for a correct margin prediction
One point for a correct winner prediction
Author: Nick Amies
Editor: Matt Hermann