Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Bundesliga, Week 1: Five Takeaways From Opening Weekend


HANNOVER, GERMANY - AUGUST 26:  Lewis Holtby of Schalke celebrates the second goal during the Bundesliga match between Hannover 96 and FC Schalke 04 at AWD Arena on August 26, 2012 in Hannover, Germany.  (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Bongarts/Getty Images)
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

0 comments:

Post a Comment