BL, MD1: FC Bayern München 2 - 2 Hamburg SV

[Trim]

v

Bundesliga 2008/09, Matchday 1
FC Bayern München v Hamburg SV

Stadium: Allianz Arena, Munich
Kick-off: Friday, 15 August 2008, 20.30h

[RunX]

Six non-starters
Toni ruled out of Hamburg clash

Luca Toni again cut a lonely figure out on pitch 5 at the Säbener Strasse on Wednesday morning, turning in lap after lap adjacent to the first team’s bowling-green quality training pitch 1. Some three weeks after tearing a calf muscle, the Italian is still working his way back to full fitness and has already been ruled out of Friday’s Bundesliga opener at home to Hamburger SV. “Luca will still be missing,” Jürgen Klinsmann confirmed.

“Luca needs some more time,” Miroslav Klose warned, “we don’t want him coming back too soon and then picking up another injury two weeks later.” Toni will indeed be given the time he needs for a full recovery, as Klinsmann is not considering him for selection until the away trip to Dortmund on matchday 2. “We’re very hopeful he’ll make it in time for Dortmund.“

Hamit Altintop is another cause for concern with just two days remaining until the HSV clash. “Hamit has a problem with his right ankle,” Klinsmann reported. The Turkey international complained of pain during the Cup visit to Erfurt last Sunday, evidently caused by a surgical plate inserted to speed his recovery from a fractured metatarsal last March. However, he is expected to feature against HSV.

Tim and Marcell back in contention

There was more positive news of Tim Borowski, described by Klinsmann as “a step further“ than Luca Toni in his recuperation from a knee injury, and a contender for a squad berth. “Tim’s completing the full squad programme, he’s not restricted in any way, and he can play on Friday,” commented the coach, although Borowski has some catching up to do after three weeks on the sidelines: “He has plenty of work ahead of him.“

Left-back Marcell Jansen has also returned to contention after shaking off back pain and coming through Wednesday’s session unscathed. “He’s also no longer restricted and could be in the matchday squad,” Klinsmann said. Number two keeper Hans Jörg Butt is also doing well, the head coach reported, and is expected to resume the team schedule next week.

The injury situation is therefore showing signs of easing. “We’re a little bit further on than we were for the Cup tie in Erfurt,” Klinsmann commented. However, Toni, Franck Ribéry, Willy Sagnol, Martin Demichelis, José Ernesto Sosa and Breno remain definite non-starters.

FC Bayern

So, Podolski and Klose in the attack against HSV .

[__-SNAKE-__]

So it begins again huh?

Im not just a little nervous
Im nervous as hell, still cant shake the feeling that somethings wrong.

[Trim]

I'm not very confident either.

[__-SNAKE-__]

Could it be that you're thinkin what Im thinkin?

[Trim]

Originally Posted by __-SNAKE-__

Could it be that you're thinkin what Im thinkin?

Definately. I'm very much worried about our defence.

[RunX]

Our defense is crapy without Demichles , thats our problem..
Will see tomorrow ..

[__-SNAKE-__]

Im worried about our playing style too, I hope we dont go out there and play crappy english style football.

[Trim]

Predictions: v Hamburg (H, BL)

[Dragoen]

I wouldn't worry so much if I were you. Hamburg has lost their best player and they didn't perform very well either in their cup match.

[Trim]

I just hope Lell doesn't start. He has been horrible.
(Btw, I've warned you guys that Klinsi was planning with him as a starter, the pre-season matches and the Cup match clearly point at this).

I hope Klinsi realised this 'weakness' and doesn't start Lell anymore. I think he will start tomorrow aswell, as I don't think Jansen is fit enough to return so quick and play from the first minute. Would have been awesome if he's fit enough to start though.

(Out of topic a little, but I think playing Lahm in the right sucks so much. We've seen how much effective he is on the left, he's totally a different player on the left. It would have been awesome to bring in a good RB in January, seeing that we won't bring anyone else this summer. Lell sucks, and Sagnol can't be considered anymore.)

Did Kroos play in the centre and Zé Roberto in the left wing against Erfurt? Can someone tell me?

[RunX]

Did Kroos play in the centre and Zé Roberto in the left wing against Erfurt? Can someone tell me?

As i see , I think yeah ze roberto was all the time on the left of the midfeld ..
Klinsman Formation was 4-1-2-1-2.
Van Bommel was a DM , Kroos CAM/CM .

[RunX]

MATCH PREVIEW/

The time has come
Champions fired up for Hamburg opener

In the three years since Bayern moved to the Allianz Arena, the Bavarians have lost just three of their 51 home Bundesliga fixtures. One club bears most responsibility for the blemishes on FCB’s otherwise near-invincibility, and that club is Hamburger SV, who have won two and drawn one of their three league visits. The same HSV are in Munich on Friday for the official opening fixture of the 46th Bundesliga season (live in English from 8.15 pm on FCB.tv Web radio).

“It’s high time we brought their run to an end,” declared Miroslav Klose as the champions go in search of a first victory against Hamburg at the Allianz Arena. Bayern’s overall recent record against the northerners could do with a polish: FCB have won only one of their last six meetings with HSV, and both last season’s fixtures ended in draws. “We have to change this,” agreed Jürgen Klinsmann ahead of his first top flight game as a coach. As a player, he never lost at home to HSV.

Just 90 days after hoisting the championship shield to an adoring crowd at a victory parade in central Munich, Bayern and their new boss are the focus of intense interest and speculation. Klinsmann himself is revelling in the situation. “We’re really looking forward to the match and the new season,” he said. The former Germany coach took the helm in Munich some seven weeks ago, a period he rates as “very positive. The work is hugely enjoyable. Now we want to harvest the first fruits of our labours.“

Klinsmann and his men have been hard at work in recent days ironing out the defensive errors which caused last weekend’s DFB Cup first round tie in Erfurt to evolve into a knife-edge affair. “We can’t be conceding three goals against Erfurt. That has to stop,” remarked Philipp Lahm. It was still too early to expect the Euro 2008 stars to be running at 100 percent, Klinsmann repeated, “but we’ll see more and more results of our work with every passing week.“

The coach described Hamburg as “a very good benchmark. We start against very high calibre opponents.“ Munich sent scouts to watch HSV win an international tournament hosted by Arsenal in London, and their Cup victory over Ingolstadt last week. “HSV have very good individuals and are already looking impressive,” reported Klinsmann, “it’ll be a very tough task.“

However, noted Tim Borowski, it should not be an insoluble problem: “I’m absolutely convinced we’ll play well on Friday and come off the field as winners.“ Injuries and the Olympics mean Luca Toni, Franck Ribéry, Willy Sagnol, Martin Demichelis, José Ernesto Sosa and Breno are unavailable, but Klinsmann refused to consider that as an early excuse. “The team we have is perfectly good enough to make a positive start,” he insisted.

The same statement could equally have come from the lips of HSV boss Martin Jol, although the newly-installed Dutchman must find a way of compensating for the loss of influential playmaker Raphael van der Vaart to Real Madrid. “Replacing players like Van der Vaart isn’t easy,” commented Jol, who appeared for Bayern in the 1978-9 campaign. Despite their superstar’s departure, Hamburg were not be underestimated, warned Lahm. “They’ll be much less easy to predict now they’re no longer dependent on one individual.“

HSV also appear comfortable with the Allianz Arena. “Three matches and no defeats? I like the sound of that,” smiled Jol on learning of his new team’s record. The champions are certainly expecting “a very tricky match“ (Borowski), but the players are suitably fired up for the start of the new campaign. “We’d like to be top of the table from the start, just as we were last season,” commented Lahm, “if we play to our potential, we’ll definitely win the match.“ The final word was left to Klose: “It’s time we gave a good display and won convincingly.“

FC Bayern

[Trim]

Originally Posted by RunX

As i see , I think yeah ze roberto was all the time on the left of the midfeld ..
Klinsman Formation was 4-1-2-1-2.
Van Bommel was a DM , Kroos CAM/CM .

Aha, thanks.

I think our line-up will be the same, like against Erfurt:

.............................Podolski....Klose.... .......................
................................Kroos............. ............................
..Zé Roberto....................................... Hamit Altintop..
............................Van Bommel (C)..............................
..Lahm............Van Buyten....Lucio.......................Lell..
.................................Rensing.......... ...........................

Or, possibly:

.............................Podolski....Klose.... .......................
..Kroos/Schweinsteiger.....................Hamit Altintop..
....................Zé Roberto....Van Bommel (C)...............
..Lahm/Jansen......Van Buyten....Lucio......Lell/Lahm..
.................................Rensing.......... ...........................

[Oliver_Kahn]

Originally Posted by Trim

I'm not very confident either.

So go from "too optimistic" to not very confident in a matter of a day?

Anyway, I really don't agree with Dragoen, it's true Hamburg lost their best player, but they still have a very solid side and considering our shit defence, Olic and Zidan should have plenty of chances to score. Plus, I heard Kompany has been called up from the Olympics, which makes HSV's defence probably more solid than ours. Also, we don't have Ribery and Toni, Klose has been atrocious for ages and Podolski has been abysmal since joining Bayern, so I'm really not confident.