Superleague 2011/12

all news you want to post and what about a prediction...

ok, I give mine. For the title, I see a very tight race between Basel, Zurich and YB which can depend on details like injuries etc... The transfer market this summer is very important. They need a squad which can handle both European Cups and championship in autumn and a good winter preparation for the finish in spring. I guess, everything will be decided after the winter break once again. Basel has an advantage at the beginning of the season that they're already qualified for the Champions league and can prepare the start in the season. But my guess is that YB could be the team to beat this season. With Gross, they surely will have more defensive stability and they seem to have a very good squad next season.

So, I put

1. YB
2. Basel
3. Zurich


For 4th and 5th, I see Sion as often and Servette. Sion is expected to fire the coach at some stage of the season as usual and will not always have the full concentration on the league. For Servette, I hope that the contracts for the SL are confirmed as early as possible and that they don't go for last second transfers. Tough, there is more stability at Servette than at Sion and with the enthusiasm to be back in SL, I think they can get 4th place. So, i put

4. Servette
5. Sion

behind, Lucerne and GC should be sure. GC should be improved with regards to last season. At Lucerne, M.Yakin is a good coach but he has a very difficult mission as some players won't like Hakan's brother being the coach and he and his friends like Gygax having special rights. This will be a broken squad at some point of the seaon which might avoid them playing for 4th place. I put them on 6th, tough

6. Lucerne
7. GC

Behind I say Lausanne, Xamax and Thun. Thun has lived above their possibilities many season with very good coaching by Yakin last season. And with Proschwitz. Both have left and they need to find a new mixture. Lausanne will struggling but I expect them to stay in SL. I see Xamax going down with the Chechens. This has written desaster and bankruptcy at the end of the story written all over it.

8. Lausanne
9. Thun
10. Xamax (bankrupt)

....

 

the schedule is out

http://www.football.ch/sfl/cm/Spielplan%20ASL%202011-12%20Phase%201.pdf

early start and YB-Basel and Servette-Thun in first round

 

hm, the situation at Servette is not funny either as lots of contracts are expiring on June 30 like Esteban, Baumann and Nater and have not been renewed yet. Also Alves or Yarteys contracts have not been signed yet. Also the staff of the youth teams have contracts expiring at the end of June. And no new players have been really signed except Patrao as additional keeper.

as every year, the chair is a bit provocating and doing things at his rhytm. But he should stick to his commitments and extend the necessary contracts as soon as possible.

At this point, the big part of the transfers should have been arranged already

 

YB on their side have sold Lulic and Doubai for an estimated total of 7mio, but still don't have money to get Ben Khalifa on loan as the 7mio are to cover the stadium bill...

now, they're thinking of selling Dudar and Jemmal... hm, that's a bit risky. They need at least one of them. I'd like Dudar to stay as he has often been decisive, but also Jemmal

their investors should give the money to get Ben Khalifa on loan especially after the 7mio earned for the two transfers

 

in two weeks the season starts and the only contract signed is Pizzinat

Joao and Carlos Alves have only oral confirmation of a new contract (although this counts as contract under swiss law) and have to sign yet. Not sure if Yartey has signed now. Esteban should sign a contract this morning.
Baumann and M'Futi tonight.

for Schneider and Nater no news so far. Schneider still could be used as backup and Nater has been really good at the end of the last season. He should get a new contract imo. Although, if Servette plans him as sub and not for the first team

 

btw, Feinundouno scored vs Servette yesterday and Hajrovic scored 5 for GC

Servette should play Benfica on July 10

 

Ben Khalifa already played a first time for YB yesterday when they played a half vs Biel and Thun and lost both

today, Ben Khalifa is playing from the beginning in the test vs Frankfurt

 

well, I more or less keep my prognostics, but Xamax could mix up things if the chechens stay some time and maybe challenge the top 3 in the best case. For Sion, let's see whether they get Gabri. At YB, they seem to have a nice mixture between young players like Affolter, Costanzo, Ben Khalifa and Tosetti and more experienced ones like Farnerud or Silberbauer. But I'm especially interested in seeing how Ben Khalifa and Tosetti will do this season.

 

FC Lucerne supporter and billionaire Sawiris buys 12.5% of their shares

competition is going to be rough this season with YB improving their squad, Sion as well, Lucerne having more financial means, Xamax with the Chechen billionaires and Servette and Lausanne back in SL. GC also trying to get back up again.

and Thun who have not really improved their squad, but with Challandes and a lot less known defenders are still in the battle and could surprise again

 

some friendlies:

tonight:
YB – Hertha BSC (19.30: Brühl, Grenchen)
Xamas - Arles-Avignon (19:00, Payerne)

tomorrow:
FCZ – Dortmund (18.00, Galaspiel Uhrencup: Brühl, Grenchen)
GC - Hertha BSC (19.00, GC Campus, Niederhasli)
Sion - PSG (Mouret)
Thun - 1.FC Köln

July 10: Servette-Benfica (21.00, Stade de Genève)

Juli 11:
BSC Young Boys – West Ham United (18.00, Uhrencup: Brühl, Grenchen)
FC Basel – Hertha BSC Berlin (20.30: Uhrencup, Brühl, Grenchen)

Juli 12:
St. Gallen – Dortmund (20.15, AFG Arena, St. Gallen)
Xamax - Qatar (Chatel St-Denis)

Juli 13 2011:
FC Basel – West Ham United (19.30, Uhrencup: Brühl, Grenchen)

Juli 16 2011:
St. Gallen – Southhampton (19.00, AFG Arena, St. Gallen)

 

YB – Hertha BSC (19.30: Brühl, Grenchen) 4:2 (Silberbauer (pen.), Degen, Ben Khalifa, Degen)
Xamas - Arles-Avignon (19:00, Payerne) 1:0 (Veloso)
FCZ – Dortmund (18.00, Galaspiel Uhrencup: Brühl, Grenchen) 1:1 (Drmic)
GC - Hertha BSC (19.00, GC Campus, Niederhasli) 2:0 (Freuler, Paiva)
Sion - PSG (Mouret) 3:2 (Obradovic, Afonso, Prijovic)
Thun - 1.FC Köln 2:2 (Hediger, Rama)

 

Servette-Benfica 1:1 (Vitkieviez) a goal from Yartey which should have counted was disallowed for offside, but in general I'm still concerned about all the headers lost especially in defensive set pieces... Ok, Baumann is still not 100% fit. But we could need one or two more tall guys

for the rest, very good match by Yartey

 

YB-West Ham 2:1 (Schneuwly, assist Ben Khalifa, Affolter, assist Costanzo)
Basel-Hertha 3:0 (Frei penalty, Frei, assist Tembo, Frei, assist Streller)

 

hm, Sion currently can not used the new players as the SFL means the transfer ban is not over yet contrary to Sions opinion

the tribunal arbitral du sport has to judge first before they are allowed to play. it should decided this week. however, even if they would be allowed to play, it's probably not in time for the first match vs Zurich. this concerns all new players such as Gabri, Glarner, Gonçalves, Feindouno, Mutsch...

on the one hand CC has lots of energy and saved Sion, but if CC could be a bit wiser sometimes (not firing all the coaches all the time, find a solution for Tourbillon, transfer ban, etc..), Sion could be in even much a better position

 

yes, will be an exciting season. Basel, YB and Zürich in this order for the title. Then Sion if all the new players are qualified. At Lucerne, Hakan Yakin is fitter than ever and they're playing in their new stadium! Xamax has finally found two strikers and will be interesting to follow. GC also would like to move up a bit. And Servette, Lausanne and Thun will fight for the survival. Servette and Lausanne bring a lot of playing culture back in the SL. Thun has a new stadium and might surprise again and they're back in European competition tonight

YB-Basel

Wölfli
Sutter-Nef-Veskovac-Spycher
Degen-Silberbauer-Farnerud-Nuzzolo
Mayuka-Ben Khalifa

Sommer;
Steinhöfer, Dragovic, Kovac, Voser/Park;
Shaqiri, Yapi, Huggel/G.Xhaka, Zoua;
Alex Frei, Streller

injured: Stocker, Chipperfield, Kusunga. back from injury: Bienvenu. Suspended: Schneuwly. unsure: G. Xhaka

other players who might miss the first round:
Yassine Chikhaoui, Chaker Zouaghi, Béda, Magnin, Chermiti for Zurich, Baumann for Servette
the non qualified Sion transfers, the not yet registered Xamax players. the senegalese players at servette are not qualified yet.

 

will be a very interesting season especially if the main problems are solved for Xamax, Sion, Servette

Servette: Alves has still not signed his contract. the senegalese are not qualified yet. Need of a striker.
Xamax: once the squad is complete and all are match fit, it will be interesting to follow them
Sion: will the court decide in their favor or against? in the first case, they battle for the top 5, otherwise they'll battle to avoid relegation
Lausanne: smallest budget. new stadium not finished until 2015.

the problems are smaller in the swiss german clubs.
Basel: try to keep all the players. maybe one more transfer. Stocker injured and Chipperfield, too.
YB: Affolter long-term out. Unclear situation for Dudar. Central defense could be a problem in the end.
Zurich: no changes but a few question marks. Keeper position unsure. Some players not sure to stay. No transfers without selling a player.
Lucerne: how is the team spirit? Veskovac not really replaced.
GC: still no home stadium and still not good enough to close the gap to the top places.
Thun: new stadium, good spirit. Klose not really replaced yet.

 

the court was giving Sion right and said the transfer ban did not apply for this summer.

however, the new players won't receive the licenses by SFL before Saturday I guess, so will all miss the first match

 

tv rights for SFL are sold to cinetrade => a bit more money for the clubs

 

ouch, Sion's new players can't play until the winter break... at least they have not sold too many players

 

Sion won 1-0 vs Zurich. Only Leoni and Rodriguez convincing for Zurich. Margairaz blamed a lot for his penalty miss

Servette lost 1-2 vs Thun. The first 10mins the tactics were wrong. Alves corrected it after 15mins but Servette didn't manage to turn the match around. Some surprising element was lacking as both Vitkieviez and Yartey were not available.

Xamax lost 0-3 vs Thun. Xamax not in shape yet at all. The goalkeeper worse than the two keepers they had last season. Russian dance music on the screen at half time. Less than 5k people in the stadium although the entry was free. Lucerne much better and with Grüter they have a good wise fitness coach who does not only train with weights etc... Hakan is in very sharp fitness and wants to give his best for his brothers team.

YB drew Basel 1-1. Some absences on both sides. Ben Khalifa with a good match. YB the better team and disappointed about not winning.