Looking at the two teams' current form and places in the standings, I hate to say it, but Schalke have to be favored. Even with our 3-0 win at Karlsruhe on Tuesday, I felt our defense was so shaky that if we'd been playing a better team that night, we probably would have lost 5-3. This is why I think Schalke should be favored. We have been making too many defensive errors and been too weak in midfield for me to honestly expect any kind of result for us from this match. But let me give you the good thing about this. I also felt that way about the match on 12 May 2007. It was the penultimate Saturday of the 2006/2007 Bundesliga season. Schalke came into the Westfalenstadion looking like they were going to finally be Bundesliga Champions after a 49-year wait, while we were limping to the finish of another disappointing season. However, our team found their pride and were determined not to allow those #$%^ers to celebrate in our stadium. We won 2-0 and Stuttgart went on to take the title on the final day. So basically, what I'm saying is, my Derby pessimism can't always be taken seriously. Previous records don't mean much of anything in this Derby, but in 37 previous Bundesliga meetings against Schalke in Dormtund, We've won 17, drew 11 and lost 9. The problem is that four of those nine home defeats took place between 2004 and 2008. Last season, we had to fight back from a two-goal deficit (2-0) to salvage a 3-3 draw with a little help from the referee. +++++++++++++++ Some tidbits: [*] That match we won in May 2007 is the only match in the last eight overall matches we have won against Schalke. Of the other seven matches, we've lost four and drawn three. [*] We have scored at least one goal in each of the last six overall matches against Schalke. [*] As referred to previously, Schalke has won four of the last six matches in Dortmund. [*] Schalke is also undefeated in their last four away matches. Only HSV is currently on a such a run. +++++++++++++ Ironically, the 134th Ruhr Derby will be played on the 45th anniversary of the match BVB achieved its largest margin of victory over Schalke in a Bundesliga match. On 26 September 1964 in Gelsenkirchen, BVB led Schalke 6-0 at halftime before going on to win the match 6-2. It is still the highest halftime scoreline margin in Bundesliga history. What is even more ironic is that future iconic Schalke boss Rudi Assauer played for BVB in that match! LOL!! Bad irony for us is that the 6-0 halftime margin has been equalled twice since we did it. What is the bad irony? Both times we have been the club getting pounded! Hertha BSC Berlin led us 6-0 at halftime on 18 April 1970 before going on to win 9-1. On 29 April 1978, Gladbach led us 6-0 at halftime before going on to post what is still the largest margin of victory in Bundesliga history, 12-0. So I hope on Saturday, Schalke does not get 45 years worth of revenge. By the way. We have gone five Bundesliga matches without a victory. It is the longest such streak in the Bundesliga right now. Here is the Kicker projected lineup for the match: -----------------------------Weidenfeller---------------------------- Owo------------------Subotic-------------------Santana--------------Dede ---------------------------------Hummels-------------------------------- ----------------Kuba---------------------------------Sahin-------------- ----------------------------------Hajnal--------------------------------- ---------------Valdez------------------------------Barrios-------------- I believe there could be differences on a few positions. We might even see Grosskreutz or Feulner on the right as Kuba is sick and Tinga's adductor problems are bothering him again. Dede is still having thigh problems, so we might see Schmelzer at left back. Santana is still having problems with his calf he seemed to tweak in the KSC match. I have seen conflicting reports on Bender. "Kicker" reported that Bender will be able to play. The last report I saw at "Ruhr Nachrichten" says Bender is still sick. If all of these guys cannot play, I think there's even a chance we could see Uwe Hünemeier in central defense with Subotic, which would allow Hummels to remain at sweeper. I also think we'll see Zidan up front with Barrios as we did in Karlsruhe. If Bender can play, they may rest Santana, drop Hummels back to central defense with Subotic and let Bender play sweeper. So many possibilities...... Kicker's projected Schalke lineup: Neuer, Zambrano, Westermann, Bordon, Rafinha, Hoewedes, Pliatsikas, Moritz, Farfan, Kenia, Asamoah Wolfgang Stark will be the referee for the 134th Ruhr Derby. Stark also called the last meeting between BVB and Schalke. That was last season's 1-1 draw in Gelsenkirchen back on February 2nd. Stark also called BVB's 4-0 home victory over Karlsruhe on May 9th. Earlier in the season, he also called the controversial 1-1 home draw against Hannover on 5 October 2008. BVB's overall record under Stark's supervison is slightly positive with ten victories, fourteen draws and five defeats. These points are needed. No doubt about that. BVB is already five points behind the bottom teams in the top five. Even though it is very early in the season, we really cannot afford to fall even further behind if there is to even be a chance of getting something out of this season.
Re: 2009/2010 Bundesliga Match Day 7: Borussia Dortmund v FC Schalke 04 - The 134th Revier Derby! [R Projected Lineups From The Official BVB Website German Bundesliga, 7th Match Day BORUSSIA DORTMUND - FC SCHALKE 04 Saturday, 26. September 2009, 3:30 PM CET (Westfalenstadion) Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller - Owomoyela, Subotic, Santana, Schmelzer - Hummels - Tinga (Großkreutz), Sahin - Hajnal - Valdez (Zidan), Barrios Borussia Dortmund Subs: Ziegler - Öztekin, Dede, Hünemeier, Feulner, Bender, Kuba, Großkreutz, Rangelov, Zidan Doubtful For Dortmund: Tinga (adductor problems), Kuba, Bender (flu-like symptoms), Dede (thigh muscle injury) Out For Dortmund: Kehl (inflammation in adductor region) FC Schalke 04: Neuer - Rafinha, Zambrano, Westermann, Bordon, Höwedes - Moritz, Schmitz - Farfan, Asamoah, Kenia FC Schalke 04 Subs: Schober - Kobiashvili, Rakitic, Altintop, Pliatsikas, Kuranyi, Sanchez, Hanzel Doubtful For FC Schalke 04: Kuranyi (flu-like symptoms) Out For FC Schalke 04: Jones (fitness training), Pander (torn ACL), Mineiro (meniscus problem), Latza (broken foot), Holtby, Moravek (both on international duty at U-20 World Cup) Referee: Wolfgang Stark Expected Spectator Count: 80,552 (SOLD OUT) BVB Website Projected Starting Lineups
Re: 2009/2010 Bundesliga Match Day 7: Borussia Dortmund v FC Schalke 04 - The 134th Revier Derby! [R "We Are So Fired Up" - Klopp Demands Courageous Display From His Team Jürgen Klopp is never at a loss for words. "The home derby is the ultimate game of the season," the BVB coach said in the build-up to the 134th meeting between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04 at the sold-out Westfalenstadion on Saturday (1530 CET, live on Netradio). Dortmund and its football community want a Derby win! "We are so fired up!", confirmed Jürgen Klopp. Click here for the rest of the story.
Re: 2009/2010 Bundesliga Match Day 7: Borussia Dortmund v FC Schalke 04 - The 134th Revier Derby! [R BVB Facing Selection Problems Only two days left until the home game against Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund continue to have selection worries. The Brazilians Dede, Santana and Tinga are injured, the midfielders Bender and Kuba are ill. On Thursday Jürgen Klopp didn´t know who he will have available to face Schalke on Saturday. Click here for the rest of the story.
Re: 2009/2010 Bundesliga Match Day 7: Borussia Dortmund v FC Schalke 04 - The 134th Revier Derby! [R Dede Out For The Ruhr Derby Dortmund: Kehl Still Unavailable – Schmelzer To Replace Dede A flying Dede earlier in the season against Bayern Borussia Dortmund will have to play the 134th Ruhr Derby on Saturday without former Germany international Sebastian Kehl and left back Dede. Kehl continues to suffer from inflammation in the adductor region while Dede is suffering from thigh muscle problems. Marcel Schmelzer will replace Dede at left back. Kuba and Sven Bender are both questionable for the Derby. Both suffered with flu-like symptoms for most fo the week. Whether Tinga will be fit enough to make the match roster after suffering an adductor injury during Dortmund’s German Cup win in Karlsruhe, will be decided just before match time.
Re: 2009/2010 Bundesliga Match Day 7: Borussia Dortmund v FC Schalke 04 - The 134th Revier Derby! [R You guys all know I'm the last person to accept "the referee robbed us" as an excuse. But today, I feel the referee and his assistants ass-raped us. Even if they still don't allow the Barrios goal in the first half, we should have had two penalties in the second half. On one, that blonde, Greek scheiss bastard clearly took out Grosskreutz's ankles. On the other, Howedes CLEARLY shoves Santana as he is going up for a header. I am really pissed off now but not pissed off for the reason I thought I would be. I actually think if we keep playing this way, the results will come. I was not happy when Klopp took Barrios out for useless f#cking Valdez. Barrios might have been tired or something, but I really thought he was going to find a way to score today. I would have brought Valdez in for Tinga. I also would have left Hummels in and brought Grosskreutz in for Hajnal. But that's neither here nor there. I am saddened because we lost the Derby. However, again, I was encouraged by BVB's overall performance. I truly believe Mr. Stark didn't want to decide the match and robbed us thanks to his f#cking cowardice. We had a good goal and two clear penalties disallowed. Again, you guys know I'm the last one to whine and cry about the referee robbing us. But today, the referee f#cking robbed us..................
Re: 2009/2010 Bundesliga Match Day 7: Borussia Dortmund v FC Schalke 04 - The 134th Revier Derby! [R The first bounce was in and should've been a goal. What a travesty.
Re: 2009/2010 Bundesliga Match Day 7: Borussia Dortmund v FC Schalke 04 - The 134th Revier Derby! [R No words needed: But as I said before, even if they still disallow that, Stark still denied us TWO clear penalties!
Re: 2009/2010 Bundesliga Match Day 7: Borussia Dortmund v FC Schalke 04 - The 134th Revier Derby! [R uggggh
Re: 2009/2010 Bundesliga Match Day 7: Borussia Dortmund v FC Schalke 04 - The 134th Revier Derby! [R that was the moment where I started yelling at Klopp so loudly that my neighbours got mad at me. But boy I couldn't care less... and yes, the referee robbed us (although I don't agree on the Santana situation, I don't think that's a penalty). And that makes me sick. Apart from that it's quite shocking to see that players like Moritz, Kenia and Schmitz seemed more experienced and calm than our midfielders...
Re: 2009/2010 Bundesliga Match Day 7: Borussia Dortmund v FC Schalke 04 - The 134th Revier Derby! [R mimimimi Bor Uschi a Schalke war da
Re: 2009/2010 Bundesliga Match Day 7: Borussia Dortmund v FC Schalke 04 - The 134th Revier Derby! [R Yeah. As stated, I didn't like his substitutions. I really thought the way Barrios looked yesterday, he was going to get a goal. We will have to agree to disagree there. From what I saw, Howedes clearly shoved Santana. That's the difference between good coaching (Klopp) and great coaching (Magath).
Re: 2009/2010 Bundesliga Match Day 7: Borussia Dortmund v FC Schalke 04 - The 134th Revier Derby! [R Whats all this headbutt business between Kevin Großkreutz and Manuel Neurer at the end of the game?
Re: 2009/2010 Bundesliga Match Day 7: Borussia Dortmund v FC Schalke 04 - The 134th Revier Derby! [R Ugh....so glad i missed this.
Re: 2009/2010 Bundesliga Match Day 7: Borussia Dortmund v FC Schalke 04 - The 134th Revier Derby! [R Apparently, Großkreutz went and said something to Neuer after Neuer celebrated in front of the Dortmund fans in the Sudtribune at the final whistle. There have been claims that Neuer, who had moved in front of Großkreutz and toward the Scheisse fans, then swung his head backwards to butt Großkreutz in the face. Of course, Neuer claims he's innocent and the DFB did not take up the matter. I don't usually have any tolerance for any player whether he be BVB, Scheisse, or anyone else taunting fans. However, I have no problem with what Neuer did in front of our fans. He was there when the match ended and as he said, he had been taking abuse from the fans and had lighters thrown at him. He turned and raised his arms in triumph. Had he flipped the fans the bird or given any other obscene gesture, then I would have a problem. Had he sprinted the length of the field to taunt our fans, then I would have a problem. But since he didn't either thing, I don't have a problem. I do wish the DFL had looked into the Großkreutz thing though. That, I have a problem with. The photo above is from "Bild" and it does appear that Neuer is swinging his head back to nail Großkreutz. You make the call.
Re: 2009/2010 Bundesliga Match Day 7: Borussia Dortmund v FC Schalke 04 - The 134th Revier Derby! [R I don't know why. The match was competitive. We just didn't win. You would have been pissed off at some of the calls/non-calls though.
Re: 2009/2010 Bundesliga Match Day 7: Borussia Dortmund v FC Schalke 04 - The 134th Revier Derby! [R Grosskreutz said in anTV interview after the game that Neuer hit him with an ellbow and headbutted him. Neuer of course denied everything, while some other players from Dortmund agreed with Grosskreutz (f.e. Sahin). The WDR showed a short film of the incidence sunday night, there is also a private video on Youtube which shows their collision. The photo posted above was as part of that video, completly ignoring everything else. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUy59-zDtxU"]YouTube - Neuer vs. Grosskreutz[/ame] At least for me absolutly nothing happend. Neuer was celebrating with some other Schalke players at the centre of the field, when Grosskreutz moved in. Neuer was standing with the back to him, so he didn't see him coming. They collided and after that were split by their team mates.
