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

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

Part of me wants to join the discussion and start mentioning Pato....

... but maybe it's best I don't do that :D


so yeah, Cacau is back from suspension this weekend, also Khedira is fit again and questions over whether he'll move back into the first 11 or whether Lanig will remain starter for this game. If Khedira is fit enough, in my opinion he should start.

[Equilibrium]

Pato is a class striker too, but he is not as established as either of our main 2 strikers. It's a matter of opinion about this really. I really do believe as a crop of players this is one of Germany's best and Brazil's one of their worst at the moment. That is why I believe Germany would be harder for him.

I still say Gomez will score at least 10 goals more than Pato, so far it's close and seems likely to happen. :D

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

So, Koeln away today.

Won't be an easy team, Koeln have played a good season and don't seem like they'll be fighting relegation in the last weeks. And they're at home. But we're on form, three wins in a row right now, two last-minute winners one after the other. Our morale couldn't be higher. The season is so tight we need wins. So we must go for the 3 points today, and i'm confident we can get them. But it certainly won't be easy against Koeln. Let's not forget they beat us 3-1 in Stuttgart earlier in the season (oh, how useful those points would be now....).

Regarding the squad, Cacau is back from his suspension and should start. Khedira has been back in training and I hope he's fit enough to rejoin the first 11, in place of Lanig. But if he's not 100%, Lanig should start.

Only one other position with any contention really, that's the leftwing. Gebhart has been solid there, but Simak did a good job after coming on as a substitute against Hamburg. Indeed he played a part in creating that vital, vital goal. But i'd stick with Gebhart.

Here's how i'd make it look:
-------------Lehmann
Traesch---Tasci---Delpierre----Magnin
---------Khedira--Hitzlsperger
Hilbert------------------------Gebhart
----------Cacau---Gomez

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

We're up 1-0 at halftime, Super Mario once again with a very nice header following a great Hilbert cross.

But we're far from safe, home and dry, I hope to see us build on this in the second half.

[squidward123]

We're up 1-0 at halftime, Super Mario once again with a very nice header following a great Hilbert cross.

mario gomez, who else? :D;)

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

2-0, who else? ;)

Awesome, boys got the second goal I was hoping for. This should be 3 points now if don't throw it away.

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

and The One gets his hattrick :)

We have really played a very, very good game. And with every performance I start to believe more and more in this side.

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

And we win 3-0. Great job boys :) !

Unfortunately the other big sides won aswell, frustrating to see sides like Wolfsburg be second best for the second week in a row, and still grab another 6 points altogether. But I guess when things are going your way, they really are going your way.

We're up to 3rd now at least, obviously HSV can take the spot back tomorrow but we're putting pressure on them! :)

[Rainer24]

And we win 3-0. Great job boys :) !

Unfortunately the other big sides won aswell, frustrating to see sides like Wolfsburg be second best for the second week in a row, and still grab another 6 points altogether. But I guess when things are going your way, they really are going your way.

We're up to 3rd now at least, obviously HSV can take the spot back tomorrow but we're putting pressure on them! :)


HSV and Hertha can both hop us tomorrow, but I don't think Hertha will do any better than a draw against Werder, so we will only drop one spot if that happens. Can't really see both of them losing, but you never know.

Great game today. Seemed like Gomez was always in position to receive the ball for a great scoring opportunity. Good stuff.

[Equilibrium]

His last 2 goals were just open nets though, even though he probably would have missed both those 2 chances if he was playing for the NT! :D

How on earth did you guys become title contenders, just like 2 years ago.

[squidward123]

His last 2 goals were just open nets though, even though he probably would have missed both those 2 chances if he was playing for the NT! :D

yeah...lol :)

:(

[benztown]

How on earth did you guys become title contenders, just like 2 years ago.

The major difference between 06/07, 07/08 and 08/09...

...here it comes...

...is our goalie.

Hadn't we had Schäfer in our goal in 07/08, we would have been a title contender as well. Although this year I still wouldn't say that we actually are a contender...not after this miserable beginning of the season. However, a top 5 place seems to be quite likely now which I would have never suspected last fall.

[squidward123]

i <3 lehmann he is a legend i love the guy's goalkeeping and personality...

i think he is my fav goalie ever

["Eisenfuß" Eilts]

The major difference between 06/07, 07/08 and 08/09...

...here it comes...

...is our goalie.


IMO the success corresponds a lot more with the change on the bench.
Under Veh Stuttgart sucked and was even worse than us last fall, while
under Babbel the team has a run.

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

Yeah, I agree this season is all about Babbel. He has transformed the team from being a frustrating, uncreative and unmotivated team under Veh into a really really strong side. Kinda like Veh himself did 2 years ag.

As for us being title contendets - well i've been looking at the different possibilities through kicker's 'tabellenrechner' and the only realistic way we could become champions is if we won all 6 remaining matches. Including at home to Wolfsburg, away to Schalke, and away to Bayern on the last day.

[footyfan1]

The major difference between 06/07, 07/08 and 08/09...

...here it comes...

...is our goalie.

Hadn't we had Schäfer in our goal in 07/08, we would have been a title contender as well. Although this year I still wouldn't say that we actually are a contender...not after this miserable beginning of the season. However, a top 5 place seems to be quite likely now which I would have never suspected last fall.


That's bullshit man. Schäfer was one of your problems in 07/08, not the ONLY one.

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

Player Ratings:

Jens Lehmann: Kicker Rating: 3 (28 games played, 3.07 avg. rating)
My Rating: 2.5

Christian Traesch: KR: 4 (13 games played, 11 as starter, 3.50 avg. rating)
MR: 3.5

Serdar Tasci: KR: 2 (26 games played, 3.21 avg. rating)
MR: 2

Matthieu Delpierre: KR: 3 (18 games played, 3.50 avg. rating)
MR: 3

Ludovic Magnin: KR: 2.5 (17 games played, 15 as starter, 4.16 avg. rating)
MR: 2.5

Martin Lanig: KR: 3.5 (21 games played, 14 as starter, 3.57 avg. rating)
MR: 4

Thomas Hitzlsperger: KR: 2.5 (27 games played, 26 as starter, 3.37 avg. rating)
MR: 2.5

Roberto Hilbert: KR: 4 (25 games played, 20 as starter, 3.75 avg. rating)
MR: 2.5

Timo Gebhart: KR: 5 (6 games played, 5 as starter, 4.00 avg. rating)
MR: 4.5

Cacau: KR: 3.5 (19 games played, 15 as starter, 3.59 avg. rating)
MR: 2.5

Mario Gomez: KR: 1 - Man of the Match (27 games played, 26 as starter, 3.24 avg. rating)
MR: 1 - Man of the Match

SUBS:

Sami Khedira: KR: 2.5 (22 games played, 18 as starter, 3.10 avg. rating)
MR: 2.5

Jan Simak: KR: No Rating (16 games played, 11 as starter, 4.12 avg. rating)
MR: No Rating

Ciprian Marica: KR: NR (22 games played, 14 as starter, 4.17 avg. rating)
MR: NR

[squidward123]

dang, khedira has the 2nd best average rating for your team!

[Borussia]

Hilbert became champion in his first season with Stuttgart ... and now it seems that Lanig is gonna follow him. :eek: ;)

Well, if the team continues this impressive run, all should be possible again.

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

dang, khedira has the 2nd best average rating for your team!

Yes, he has been excellent all season. For his age he is really class. I feel he'll have a very, very strong career. Definitely an NT-worthy player.