Bundesliga, Week 1: Five Takeaways From Opening Weekend

Aug 27, 2012 - The first matchday of the 2012-13 Bundesliga season is in the books and what a fantastic first round we had. Whether it was the title favorites playing like champions, clubs not performing as well as they should, or big wins by newly promoted sides, the first weekend had something for everyone.

Oh. It had everything except scoreless draws. We don't do that in the Bundesliga.

The new guys sure know how to score

The transfer market has always been away for clubs to strengthen their side, but this summer looks like it was goalfest for the Bundesliga clubs. There were 22 goals scored in the Bundesliga this weekend, and players at new clubs scored 11 of them. Without looking up the stats for Europe's other major leagues, I'm thinking that this percentage is quite high.

The highlight of these goals must be Bas Dost's last minute goal in Wolfsburg's big win over Stuttgart at the Mercedes Benz Arena. Dost made the estimate €9 million move from Heerenveen to Wolfsburg, and it was believed that Magath's side got a steal at that price. If we judge forwards on goals, then Dost looks like he's going to be a great signing. He already has two goals in two matches, and Magath's rebuilt Wolfsburg side looks like they'll be quite good this season.

Nice debut, kid

Dani Schahin has spent his entire career in the lower divisions of German football. The 23 year old began his professional career with the Hamburg reserves before moving on to second division side Greuther Fürth in the 2.Bundesliga (including a six month loan to Dynamo Dresden in the 3.Liga).

While both clubs were promoted, Schahin left Fürth this summer for Fortuna Düsseldorf, and the playoff winners must have seen something that Fürth didn't. Schahin came on as a second half substitute in the 60th minute, and he made every second of those thirty minutes count. Just eight minutes after coming on the pitch, Schahin unleashed a rocket into the far corner that the goalkeeper had no shot at saving. He got his brace in the 79th minute with another great shot into the back of the net.

Fortuna may end up on the relegation heap at the end of the season, but for one day Dani Schahin brought joy to an entire city that has waited fifteen long years to be back in the Bundesliga.

article source: http://www.sbnation.com/2012/8/27/3271082/bundesliga-2012-review-week-1

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Dynamo Dresden vs TSV 1860 München Preview

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12BET | Sunderland make £10m Fletcher bid

The offer is understood to be under consideration, with Wolves waiting to see whether Aston Villa decide to firm up their interest in the 25-year-old.

Fletcher’s former club Burnley will be due 15% of any profit Wolves make on a player they paid £7m for in 2010.

Sunderland are short of attacking options following the departures of Asamoah Gyan and Nicklas Bendtner. Fulham and Stoke are also interested.

“We are not getting drawn on offers for players in or out,” Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey told the

“Our best players are not for sale; we want to keep them and build the strongest possible team for the season ahead. We will do everything we can to retain the players we want to keep and continue to look to strengthen with new signings.”

Sunderland suffered defeat by Hartlepool on Friday, with none of manager Martin O’Neill’s three strikers – Fraizer Campbell, Connor Wickham and Ryan Noble – able to find the net.

Fletcher has two years remaining on his contract at Molineux, leaving Moxey in a strong position to negotiate the best possible deal.

No Sunderland striker reached double figures in the goal tally last season, with Bendtner and Stephane Sessegnon the top-scorers with eight.

“We know where the problem is. You just need to look at our scoring record last season,” O’Neill said last week. “This puts pressure on other players to score, either from set-pieces or midfield.

“Eventually centre-forwards have to weigh in and, at the moment, you would want to know who and when someone is going to score 15 goals in a Premier League season.”

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12BET | NFL Hall of Fame Game, Week 1 preseason odds are out

Football season is so close you can smell the jockstraps.
The NFL Hall of Fame Game and Week 1 of the preseason are next week and sportsbooks are already posting spreads and totals for the first round of tuneup games.
A few online markets have posted odds while the LVH Sportsbook in Las Vegas has odds available for most of the Week 1 tilts. Here’s a look at the early lines for the 2012 NFL preseason:
Hall of Fame Game
Arizona Cardinals vs. New Orleans Saints (-3, 34.5
)Week 1

Washington Redskins at Buffalo Bills (+2,35)
New Orleans Saints at New England Patriots (N/A)
Pittsburgh Steelers at Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5, 34)
Baltimore Ravens at Atlanta Falcons (-2.5, 34)
Green Bay Packers at San Diego Chargers (-2.5, 37)
Denver Broncos at Chicago Bears (-3, 33)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Miami Dolphins (-2.5, 33.5)
New York Jets at Cincinnati Bengals (-1.5, 33)
Cleveland Browns at Detroit Lions (-3, 36)
New York Giants at Jacksonville Jaguars (-1, 33.5)
Arizona Cardinals at Kansas City Chiefs (N/A)
Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers (-4, 33)
Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers (-1.5, 35.5)
Tennessee Titans at Seattle Seahawks (-2.5, 34)
St. Louis Rams at Indianapolis Colts (Pick, 33.5)
Dallas Cowboys at Oakland Raiders (-1.5, 34)

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