VfB Stuttgart - Pushing for Europe, 08/09 Season Thread Part III (R)

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

AUSWAERTSSIEG! :)

Perhaps an encounter with the Bazis tomorrow?

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

AUSWAERTSSIEG! :)

Perhaps an encounter with the Bazis tomorrow?

[benztown]

AUSWAERTSSIEG! :)

Perhaps an encounter with the Bazis tomorrow?

Yeah, I'm cheering for Bayern tonight, so that we can beat them tomorrow :D

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

So, my ratings:

Jens Lehmann: 2.5
Stefano Celozzi: 3.5
Khalid Boulahrouz: No Rating
Serdar Tasci: 3.5
Christian Traesch: 2 - Man of the Match
Thomas Hitzlsperger: 2
Martin Lanig: 3
Timo Gebhart: 3.5
Sebastian Rudy: 2.5
Ciprian Marica: 4
Julian Schieber: 3.5

------

George Niedermeier: 3
Sebastian Riedle: NR




Overall I was very happy with the team's performance, it really pleases me that the team was already functioning in such harmony. It definitely seems like training's been going well over the summer and that Babbel and Widmayer (who let's not forget: does coach the squad half the week) have been coaching well. I'm pleased to see it.

Lehmann was very solid in goal, looking good on every cross and making a good parry against Kuranyi in the last minutes. The central defence also looked good, Niedermeier was again solid after making his entrance. Celozzi was alright but not great, I think it's just a question of time until he's perfectly integrated into the side. Traesch was very, very good though. If he continues playing like this I can't see Osorio beating him to the starting spot.

Hitzlsperger was awesome in midfield, making good passes and distributing the ball well, looking very strong technically and very comfortable an confident on the ball, had a very niuce shot too. Lanig wasn't as good going forward as Hitz but he was still pretty good, and he did a very good job in defending. Gebhart had a few good moments but still seems to try to do too much at times, he's gonna have to work on that a bit. I was happy for Rudy :)

Schieber was invisible first half but looked better in the second. Marica had some good moments but overall was still poor to be honest. Even without Cacau, still seems clear we're in need of that star striker.

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

Yeah, I'm cheering for Bayern tonight, so that we can beat them tomorrow :D

I'd like to play them too, not sure yet if i'll watch their game though, listening to that jackass Pocher is no easy task :D

[benztown]

The second half:

1) Again, Hitz and Träsch have been our best players.

2) Rudy has picked up his game again and even scored. He's our most promising talent right now.

3) Niedermeier with a very solid performance. I hope that we'll soon come to an agreement with Bayern. We should definitely sign him.

4) Gebhart was very active, but not very effective. He still lacks vision, but that can be dealt with in training. That's what this preparation is about.

5) Marica was also active but not effective. He's definitely trying, I'm just not sure anymore whether he'll ever fit into our team. He had one great scene towards the end of the game, but typically, it lead to nothing.

6) Schieber with a better second half after being invisible in the first. He had a couple of good scenes, but nothing that lead to dangerous scenes. His physical strength is what can make him dangerous.

7) Riedle only had a couple of minutes and didn't have any impact, but you can definitely tell that there is some potential by the way he was moving on the field. Give this kid a couple of years and he might be our next star up front.

8) Celozzi with a solid second half, just like Lanig.

9) Tasci was as solid as ever and also initiated some attacks. He should finally extend his contract...

[benztown]

I'd like to play them too, not sure yet if i'll watch their game though, listening to that jackass Pocher is no easy task :D

They really don't want to make it easy to watch that game...:(

[Kingaroo]

How did Lewis Holtby do for Schalke? Good to see Traesch and Rudy do so well too.

[benztown]

The second semi-final is over...what a horrible game. Hamburg won 1-0. So it's us against Hamburg in the final tomorrow.

I am generally very happy that we again have so many young players who knock on the door of the first team.

How did Lewis Holtby do for Schalke? Good to see Traesch and Rudy do so well too.

I didn't really pay attention to him TBH, but he definitely didn't stand out. For Schalke, I'd say that Bordon was their best player. Rafinha and Kuranyi were decent as well and Westermann and Moravek also had a couple of good scenes.

[schwabenland]

According to real madrid sport director Jorge Valdano have Arsenal entered the hunt for Huntelaar after Adebayor leving for Man City According to some pages dated today the have bid 17 £ for Huntelaar. If this is true me will miss him i believe. It's so typical, with Huntelaar on the team we would have won the league this year, beating the hell out of bayern. We still have a chance to win but Huntelaar would've been fantastic. The reason for Wenger turning to the dutchman is that Bordeaux wanted Silvestre as a part of a move for Marouane Chamakh.

[footyfan1]

It's so typical, with Huntelaar on the team we would have won the league this year, beating the hell out of bayern.


That's one hell of an assumption.

Actually, it's f#cking hilarious and ridiculous at the same time!

You couldn't finish ahead of Bayern with Gomez, you think you're going to do it with Huntelaar??

Get real man.

[schwabenland]

That's one hell of an assumption.

Actually, it's f#cking hilarious and ridiculous at the same time!

You couldn't finish ahead of Bayern with Gomez, you think you're going to do it with Huntelaar??

Get real man.

WoW, someone's had too much to drink last night:S Did you think we could finish a head of bayern in 2066/07, NO, no one did!

[benztown]

According to real madrid sport director Jorge Valdano have Arsenal entered the hunt for Huntelaar after Adebayor leving for Man City According to some pages dated today the have bid 17 £ for Huntelaar.

Is there a source to this? I ask because this is the first thing I heard about this.

If Arsenal is indeed in the "hunt", then I guess our chances are minimal. I just hope that this won't delay a decision. If Huntelaar doesn't sign with us by Monday, we should simply call it a day and move on. No more games.

[schwabenland]

Is there a source to this? I ask because this is the first thing I heard about this.

If Arsenal is indeed in the "hunt", then I guess our chances are minimal. I just hope that this won't delay a decision. If Huntelaar doesn't sign with us by Monday, we should simply call it a day and move on. No more games.

Yes, I agree with you. The source was Dailymail. Don't know how reliable they are actually, can't find the page. But deep inside I still feel that Huntelaar would be Stuttgart player, I dont know why but i guess its because wenger says when Eduardo and rosicky comes back from injury the squad is good, and usually when wenger sign a player he does show interest from the start and dont just make the bid 24 hours before the player will make his decition. And then we have spurs, I don't know if they have made an official bid or not, difficult to say, but they already have so many strikers(pav, bent, keane, bentley, defoe) And if they sign klaas it will be theyre highest priced signing in history. I'll say we still are favourites so we shall se by tomorrow :)

[Chimaera]

I don't know that Huntelaar means a title, but I do think the team was getting better at the end of the season with the younger players developing. After a poor start, VfB was pretty strong at the end of the season. A top 3 finish wouldn't be surprising at all. Heck, even without an addition up front, I think most still hope to see that happen.

That said, Bayern should still be the favorite.

[benztown]

Well, the dailymail doesn't strike me as a very reliable source, so I'm still optimistic. Especially since Arsenal has some great strikers...

Bendtner is probably similar in style as Huntelaar and then they also have proven forces like Arshavin, van Persie and Eduardo as well as talent Walcott...

Having said that, should Arsenal really be after Huntelaar, I have no doubt that he'd rather join the gunners...

[benztown]

Stuttgart vs. Hamburg now.

The line-up:

---------------------Ulreich-----------------------
Osorio-----Niedermeier-----Delpierre---Magnin
------------Elson------------Schwarz-------------
Hilbert-------------------------------------Didavi
----------------Bastürk---------------------------
---------------------------------Riedle------------

Interesting line-up...I'm not really convinced that this will work...but we'll see...

[benztown]

After 20 minutes, still nothing has happened. Hamburg a little more active, but both teams on the same level.

Osorio is working hard, but I thought that Träsch was better. Magnin has done nothing whatsoever till now...

I've never seen Didavi, but this kid isn't bad. Bastürk tries to be involved, but to no effect so far. Elson doing a decent job in Hitz' position, where we've never seen him play before.

[benztown]

1-0 for Hamburg now, after a nice shot by Benjamin. Perfectly placed...:(

[benztown]

2-0 Pitroipa

So many mistakes here...Osorio gives the ball away way too easy...then our entire defense just stands by, Magnin cannot clear the deflection and Pitroipa has all the time in the world to choose a corner...