VfB Stuttgart-Deutscher Meister 07 Thread 07/08 part 2 [R]

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

Well... SIEG! :)

That was really a great game yesterday, I was soooo nervous as HSV really pushed the entire second half ans could've(should've) scored an equalizer, but we held on for the win! It wasn't out best performance of the season, but we stayed together as a team, fought hard, and ultimately got the result we wanted.

Ulreich had a brilliant game yesterday, it was the first time since he took Schaefer's no. 1 spot that he was really truly convincing. Made a number of good saves and preserved the clean sheet. My man of the match. Congrats to him! The rest of the defense was occasionally shaky against HSV's strikers, had trouble clearing the ball sometimes and made occasional mistakes - for example when Meira held back the offside trap and allowed Guerrero to go 1-on-1 with Ulreich(thankfully he lobbed it over the bar). Ultimately, they did enough though.

Veh decided to play with just one striker today. da silva got into the team as the fifth starter, he was ok, but didn't have a memorable day. Most of the midfield didn't really. Pardo was poor but gave a good corner for the 1-0 so I forgive him :) , Hitzlsperger didn't do enough all together and lost some important balls and Basturk was again not creative enough. Hilbert had some mistakes but in the end he scored a very nice goal and was always a threat. Cacau I think also played well as lone strikers, he tried to create himself chances and test the keeper as often as he could and I feel he really gave his all today.

Well we'll now remain atleast 6th after this weekend, potentially fifth. That Frankfurt lost was very good for us since that means they are a bit less of a threat now, although we still have to watch for underdogs behind them, like Wolfsburg as well. The small, almost insane hope in the Champions League lives to die another week then, two points to 3rd, 3 to 2nd. But this was the first game of two 'finals' - the next one against Leverkusen follows next week, and we'll have to get a result there as well if we are to keep our dreams alive. And it'll be even tougher than it was today.

But for now, nevermind, i'm just happy my last game in the Stadion for this season turned out to be a success!

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

Player Ratings:

Sven Ulreich: Kicker Rating: 2(MotM)
My Rating: 1.5(MotM)

Arthur Boka: KR: 4
MR: 3.5

Matthieu Delpierre: KR: 3
MR: 3

Fernando Meira: KR: 3
MR: 3.5

Ricardo Osorio: KR: 4
MR: 4

Pavel Pardo: KR: 3
MR: 3.5

Thomas Hitzlsperger: KR: 4
MR: 4

Roberto Hilbert: KR: 3
MR: 2.5

Yildiray Basturk: KR: 4
MR: 3.5

Antonio da Silva: KR: 4
MR: 4

Cacau: KR: 4
MR: 3

Subs:

Ciprian Marica: MR: 4

Andreas Beck: MR: 3

Marco Pischorn: MR: No Rating

[nanni]

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[nanni]

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[Vfbstuttgartfan]

Well, Bremen destroyed Schalke today, and HSV went down 1-0 AT HOME to duisburg in a big upset result.

soo... with a win tomorrow we can move up another spot to fourth and will only be out of the CL spots on goal difference. If we draw, we'll still have made up ground on HSV and Schalke and will have only lost ground to Bremen. And of course we'd stay ahead of Leverkusen.

So if we can get ANY sort of result tomorrow, then I say this will have been a positive weekend, but we cannot afford to lose if we want to continue challenging for the top 3!!! After our win last weekend, tomorrow will be 'Absolutely-Crucial-Game-Against-A-Rival-In-Terms-Of-League-Position-That-We-Cannot-Afford-To-Lose-To-If-We-Want -To-Keep-Our-Dreams-Alive' - part II :)

[benztown]

If we win by 4 goals, we'll be third ;)

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

Leading up to halftime it's 2-0 against VfB.

We played a good first half overall, had our chances, couldn't use them. And then Leverkusen scored a goal just before the break, Ulreich unfortunately was at fault for it. And a minute later they scored the 2-0 and now that's the score going into the cabins. I'm frustrated but that's football.

Chances of us coming back now are very slim, but what can you do? Just hope for the best I guess, this sid hasn't lost in 8 games so it won't give up easily. We'll see what happens, but to be honest i'm now dissappointed and not expecting to get anything out of this anymore.

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

It ended up 3-0. The third goal was also an absolute joke, Rolfes's shot rebounding off Delpierre, back off Rolfes, over Ulreich.

Ultimately a pretty clear loss for us, and we can't say we deserved more. We played a solid first half which is frustrating, then two mistakes by Ulreich gave Leverkusen an imo underserved lead into the half, and not only a lead, but a two-goal lead. We never looked like coming back in the second half and Leverkusen controlled the game very well, giving us practically no chance of coming back.

Ultimately I believe we lost this game due to our inability to convert our chances in the first half, Hilbert's in particular was a must-score opportunity and was prevented only by some excellent goalkeeping by Adler, and due to the two blunder goals we conceded in the late stages of the first half. in the space of 5 minutes, the match was decided against us.

Well, how do we go forward after this? I said we cannot afford to lose if we want to continue challenging for the top 3. We lost and, while hope is not entirely gone, it'll be even tougher after this. In my opinion we should try and forget about this game, keep in mind the 8 game unbeaten streak we had going into this, and try to get as many wins as possible in the coming matches. We really need to secure a top 5-6 placing at the very least, and we'll see whether we can succeed in doing so.

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

Player Ratings:
Sven Ulreich: Kicker Rating: 5
My Rating: 5.5

Andy Beck: KR: 4
MR: 4

Fernando Meira: KR: 5
MR: 4.5

Matthieu Delpierre: KR: 5
MR: 5

Arthur Boka: KR: 5
MR: 4.5

Pavel Pardo: KR: 4
MR: 4

Thomas Hitzlsperger: KR: No Rating
MR: 5

Roberto Hilbert: KR: 5
MR: 4.5

Sami Khedira: KR: 4.5
MR: 4.5

Yildiray Basturk: KR: 4
MR: 4

Cacau: KR: 3
MR: 3.5 (our best)

SUBS:

Ciprian Marica: KR: 5
MR: 4.5

Toni da Silva: KR: 5
MR: 4

Ludovic Magnin: KR: NR
MR: 4

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

In news leading up to Wednesday's mid-week game against Nuernberg, Veh is, following ulreich's terrible display against Leverkusen, supposedly considering making a complete u-turn on his goalkeeper's decision, by perhaps putting Schaefer back between the posts for the coming game.

He said that Schaefer had been training excellently and been acting very professionally since he had been benched, and that he would consider putting him back in the line-up against his ex-club.

I'm not too pleased about this. Ulreich, sure, had a terrible match on Sunday. And he also to a large extent cost us elimination from the German Cup. But young keeprs will obviously make mistakes until they gain enough experience. And we shouldn't forget just 7 days ago he was voted into the Bundesliga Team of The Week and was man of the match in our game against HSV. Furthermore, Schaefer hadn't been playing much better, there was good reason as to why he was dropped, and I also don't know what kind of a message it sends to the team, that we'll be putting back in the line-up te keeper with whom we had such an unsuccessful first half of the season. He wasn't completely at fault for the torrid first half, of course, but he remains a symbol of it, and I certainly wasn't expecting to see him back in the side again this season. but that's football.

Regardless though, I don't get to see the keeper's in training, so i'll trust that if Veh makes another switch, he'll have good reason for doing so, and i'll have faith that it's the right decision.

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in other news, Schlaudraff wants to leave Bayern and we are one of a number of clubs (Hannover, Dortmund, Hertha,...) who are being linked to him. In my opinion, since we almost certainly won't extend Radu's contract, and Gomez's future at the club remains slightly uncertain, I would definitely be pleased to sign this guy, a player who is definitely very capable and could give depth to our side, and even be in the first team if he's in form. I'd rather that Podolski gets sick of the bench and chooses to leave, but i'd take Schlaudraff too personally :)
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Finally, we shouldn't foll ourselves, the game against Nuernberg will be very tough. If you think about it we haven't really performed very well in any of our last 3 matches, while FCN have gotten a draw against Bayern, beaten Frankfurt away and were leading at home to Wolfsburg until the game was called off. They are coming back to their ability in my opinion and if we aren't on form on Wednesday, we won't win.

I personally tip the game to be a highly dissappointing(for us) draw. I hope i'm wrong.

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

Gomez will miss the game... AGAIN :(

Khedira is also gonna have to miss the match.

[Projekt4]

I'm not too pleased about this. Ulreich, sure, had a terrible match on Sunday. And he also to a large extent cost us elimination from the German Cup. But young keeprs will obviously make mistakes until they gain enough experience. And we shouldn't forget just 7 days ago he was voted into the Bundesliga Team of The Week and was man of the match in our game against HSV.

I didn't watch that match but many other Stuttgart matches and I never saw anything that made me believe Ulreich is outstandingly talented and preferable to Schäfer. In general, he is 19 years old, that's just too young for a goalkeeper. I think Veh was a bit temperamental when he dropped Schäfer first.

[footyfan1]

I didn't watch that match but many other Stuttgart matches and I never saw anything that made me believe Ulreich is outstandingly talented and preferable to Schäfer. In general, he is 19 years old, that's just too young for a goalkeeper. I think Veh was a bit temperamental when he dropped Schäfer first.



Dude, Veh had to drop Schäfer. Schäfer was just terrible. And this is coming from a guy who strongly backed Schäfer when he moved to Stuttgart.

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

With Khedira, Gomez and Hitzlsperger out, here's how I'd play tonight:

--------------------Ulreich/Schaefer(Veh's decision here)
Beck---------Delpierre------------Meira------------Magnin
-----------------------Pardo-----------------------------
-------Hilbert----------------------------da Silva--------
-----------------------Basturk---------------------------
-------------Cacau--------------Marica

The goalkeeper question is up to Veh to decide, in defense I think on the whole Beck has been playing better than Osorio for most of his season, so i'd be willing to make him the regular RB starter for the rest of the season. In leftback i'd put Magnin, returning from injury, back into the starting team against Boka. He's simply the better player overall atm.

I think with both Hitz and Khedira out, we'll have to forget playing with one attacker and 5 midfielders. Thus, taking Hitz's spot at leftmid I would pick da Silva - this could be one of his last chances this season to try and cement a starting spot.

In attack, since we probably have to go with two striker, i'd put Marica over Radu. Marica really needs a goal though, only 2 in the whole season is incredibly poor. Hopefully he can help change it tonight!


This is gonna be a very hard game, and we need a result! Good news is that Wolfsburg lost at home to Bochum last night and Frankfurt have to play Bayern tonight, so with a win we could really created a gap between us and the 7/8th placed teams, which would be very important and assurring we make the UI cup atleast.

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

I think Veh was a bit temperamental when he dropped Schäfer first.

Most people wanted Schaefer to be benched, it wasn't just Veh. And Ulreich had done very solidly in the winter friendlies so I can understand why a goalkeeping change was made, hey, I was even a big supporter of the move! (And i'm still not sure that bringing Schaefer back would be the right choice).

[schwabe13]

I listened to SWR 1 "Im Stadion", so I guess we did pretty good :) And that without Gomez..... Still 3 Points difference to third place ..

[footyfan1]

Congrats on smoking FCN guys. Can't say that I'm happy about it, but you guys deserve it.

[benztown]

I listened to SWR 1 "Im Stadion", so I guess we did pretty good :) And that without Gomez..... Still 3 Points difference to third place ..

So now we have to beat Bayern...Frankfurt showed that it's not impossible. With Gomez back on track, we should stand a chance. If we don't beat Bayern, the Champions League will definitely be out of of reach. But an UEFA Cup spot would be great as well after the season we've had (i.e. Schäfer costing us lots of points due to his blunders).

But even that will be hard. If we don't win against Bayern and Leverkusen wins against Wolfsburg, we'll be out of the international spots once again.

[BlinderPassagier]

I'm not sure if we're quite ready for the Champions League yet, but a UEFA Cup spot will sure be nice!

[benztown]

I'm not sure if we're quite ready for the Champions League yet, but a UEFA Cup spot will sure be nice!

After this season, I'd be happy with a UEFA Cup spot. The thing is, if we're about to reach the Champions League, this season will probably be our last chance. Because next year, Gomez will most likely be gone by the end of the season and it's going to be tough to have an impact on Champions League without him.

That having said, at the moment, I don't believe in us getting a CL spot this season.

I hope that Schlaudraff will move to Stuttgart, because that would be a real reinforcement. I'm not completely sold on Simak yet and I doubt that there'll be any other big name that would strengthen our team. So it'll be tough to reclaim our place in the Bundesliga.