Took this poll from kicker and would like to see the general consensus here at BigSoccer. Choices are Schalke 04, Bremen, Hertha BSC, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Dortmund or no one.
Wasnt Dortmund the best team of the second part last season? They could be a real contender. Schalke under Rangnik isnt a threat.
My vote for Dortmund was a complete "fan vote". We would need a "perfect season" to dethrone Bayern. Much like the "perfect season" Bremen had in 2003-2004. I'm not saying it cannot happen, but that it most likely will not happen.
I vote for Hertha because I am SO sure they will get at least 1 if not 2 strikers (Santa Cruz and Borghetti?). But we need to stay really healthy, much like everyone else for that matter.
Hmm I wouldn't be so confident about getting Santa Cruz before the end of this season as he looks likely to stay, as for Borghetti... do you really want him? Excellent with headers but pretty useless otherwise. I can only base my assumptions from the recent Confederations Cup and 2002 World Cup but he doesn't seem like a team player.
I don't see anyone topping Bayern's form right now...not even with the signings Shalke made and the players Bayern lost. I hope Dortmund and Leverkusen do better this season though.
Exactly! I don't see the fascination with Borghetti! Two goals against a not 100% Germany team and he's all of a sudden a rising star? I don't get that. I don't want him anywhere near my club........
I would say Bremen and Schalke definately have what it takes to topple Bayern with Hamburg as the darkhorse but is very much dependent on the kind of season Van der Vaart has for them.
Also scored in WC 2002 vs. TOP STRENGTH Italy and he scored only goal against Brazil. Plus he's better than anything we have at the moment Also I think his style of play would be best suited for Hertha, who win a lot of free kicks and corners. Having Basteurk and Marcelinho fly by people as well have to open up crosses and a big man who positions himself as well as he does will be good. Besides, you can say the same about Koller, except that Koller is much better on the ground than Borghetti. But aerially, they are almost the same (i'll give koller a bit of an edge)
But Borghetti is also in his thirties already right? I guess you do make sense about Marcelinho and Basturk though.
May sound funny, but I am more interested in seeing how teams like Hannover and Hamburg do. See if they can improve a few places this year. Also Koln...How are they going to do? As for competing w/ Bayern....I suspect the usual suspects: Bremen and Schalke. Competing for Europe and possible Dark Horses: Stuttgart and Dortmund Not too much to be surprised about.
with a fit benny lauth and mpenza, hamburg will be pretty damn dangerous if they manage to hold onto van buyten and boulahrouz... especially with the creative forces of jarolim and van der vaart to propel the offense...
Yea that still concerns me though, because we bought Bobic around that age, and you could say that he wasn't what we expected. Ditto for Alex Alves, Wichniarek, Luizao, in fact, any striker not named Michael Preetz in the past 5 years.
No one!! No one will be able to stop the mighty Bayern ever! Or do YOU know any team that has managed that in the last 100 years?? Just look at all the good players they have!! And that's what success in soccer is about right? having good players. And now with Karimi no team has a chance against them. They are too good for the Bundesliga and should play in Italy
I am afraid that no one will be able to seriously challenge Bayern this season (apart from a brief period) when it comes to winning the title. Schalke should come closest, though. But I do take issue with not having Leverkusen up there, too. They should be on a par with the other teams (HSV, Stuttgart, Hertha & Dortmund). I believe Bayer will finish ahead of at least two of these clubs.
Has Leverkusen made any good signings or made any significant changes to their roster to maybe improve their chances for this upcoming season?
I am first going to state I voted NO ONE! But if someone had a chance I would say first Berlin, then Schalke. Schalke I would pick first but they seem to find a way to lose, I just think Hertha has a better chance. I have to mention Dortmund and Bremen have a shot, but I think it is not nearly as good as Berlin or Schalke. Quite frankly next year at this time I feel the same thread will be created for the following year, Who will stop BAYERN? Don't think, just worship Bayern and be surprised if they don't win it.