3-1 on the deflection off Xhaka for an OG. Close to an offside on Woltemade, but it's given. More intense match in the second half. It's been a bit of a brawl since Frimpong clawed one back (56'), but we're back to a two-goal cushion.
Dammit. Back to 3-2. Got a little unlucky there on the set piece, but it still should have been cleared more efficiently. Deniz on for Millot (68').
Dammit. Deflection off Stiller (OG 88'), level at 3-3. What a kick in the teeth. We've been good enough to win today. A couple individual performances have been terrific. Woltemade MOTM for sure, but we've seen real quality efforts all around.
There's just no excuse to concede a goal like that. Schick did his job, but he was marked. Another short circuit on the back line.
4-3 to Leverkusen in full time. Total defensive collapse late. We damn near allowed another one at the death. Of all the frustrating and disappointing matches this season, this one hurts the most.
Injuries are a big part of the problem, of course. And we got a little unlucky on the Stiller own goal. But there was no excuse for the game winner. Boniface laid in an excellent cross, but to allow a center forward to just split two center backs like that and score on a point-blank header is just ... it's inexcusable.
Week 26: 10-7-9 37 points I missed this match because I forgot about it when I saw it wasn't on Saturday morning. VfB had a 3-1 lead but the defense allowed the Leverkusen comeback to steal a 3-4 victory. Goals from Demirovic and Woltemade (Millot assist), and a Bayer own goal. Now sunk mid-table, but another 3 points should see VfB safe from relegation. That is about the extent of this season since they are now well outside Euro qualification. Goals - Assists Demirovic 10 - 1 Woltemade 9 - 2 Undav 7 - 1 Millot 4 - 4 Stiller 1 - 6 Mittelstadt 1 - 5 Rieder 1 - 3 Toure 2 - 1 Leweling 2 - 1 Karazor 1 - 2 Fuhrich 1 - 2 Vagnoman 1 - 2 Chabot 1 - 1 Larsen 1 - 0 Roualt 1 - 0 Diehl 1 - 0 Stergiou 0 - 1 Nübel 0 - 1 Opp own goal 3 Goals scored: 47 Goals conceded: 43 Clean sheets: 4
At this stage of the season, we have 26 combined goals from 3 different strikers. Had that been 26 goals from a single striker, then Bayern, Borussia, and other clubs would be trying to buy him away at the end of the season, ala Guirassy. Better to have the scoring spread out.
I don't mind us sharing goals at all. Leaking goals is our problem. We had issues at the back even before the injury tsunami swamped us. Thankfully, it's such an obvious issue, I'm sure it's a top priority. We'll fix it.
Week 30: 11-8-11 41 points It looks like the time span caught me napping. Updating from Week 26. Week 27 Eintracht 1-0 VfB Week 28 VfL Bochum 0-4 VfB Chabot (Karazor) Demirovic (Karazor) Demirovic (Hendriks) Demirovic (Stergiou) Week 29 VfB 1-2 Werder Bremen Stergiou (Stiller) Week 30 Union Berlin 4-4 VfB Undav (Mittelstadt) Millot (Stiller) Chabot (Stiller) Fuhrich (Undav) Goals - Assists Demirovic 13 - 1 Woltemade 9 - 2 Undav 8 - 2 Stiller 1 - 9 Millot 5 - 4 Mittelstadt 1 - 6 Karazor 1 - 4 Chabot 3 - 1 Fuhrich 2 - 2 Rieder 1 - 3 Toure 2 - 1 Leweling 2 - 1 Vagnoman 1 - 2 Stergiou 1 - 2 Larsen 1 - 0 Roualt 1 - 0 Diehl 1 - 0 Hendriks 0 - 1 Nübel 0 - 1 Opp own goal 3 Goals scored: 56 Goals conceded: 50 Clean sheets: 5
Week 31: 11-8-12 41 points Lost at home against Heidenheim, 0-1, on a goal at 89'. Now more losses than wins. At least VfB should be safe from relegation; the top of the table was rarefied air and this squad doesn't belong, at least defensively. Goals scored: 56 Goals conceded: 51 Clean sheets: 5
St. Pauli is a district of Berlin, right? Scratch that; commentator said it's part of the Hamburg metro area.
True story: back in the day Hamburg was the home of Becks beer. Very good stuff, very popular in the interwar years. But after World War II returning G.I.s wouldn't drink it, so they changed the label to St. Pauli Girl (St. Pauli was quite the red light district) and sales took off. I think St. Pauli may have spun off at some point. I think it was already a separate company by the time I got into the business.
A bit underwhelming, and more than a bit testy. But we should be able to break through if we keep at it. We're much the better side. They're arguably more physical, but not in an effective way. Just punking it out there.
Van der Heyden off on his second yellow at 58', St. Pauli down to 10 men, but Vasilj saves the pen and it remains 0-0. This season is just one frustrating moment after another. Grrr.