Bundesliga Matchday 13 predictions

We are about to start a weekly feature here at The Beautiful Game, our Bundesliga predictions.

Eintracht Frankfurt v. Hoffenheim:

Frankfurt have been a major surprise and are unbeaten in their last seven. Hoffenheim seems to be hitting a wall.

2-0

Freiburg v. Dortmund:

Jurgen Klopp's men continue to astound the pundits by outscoring foes 29-7 as Shinji Kagawa has helped Dortmund go unbeaten in their last 11. It's always tough to win in the Dreisamstadion against a fired-up Freiburg side.

1-2

Schalke v. Bremen:

These disappointing Champions League teams have been an embarrassment to the league and to the country. Werder coach Thomas Schaaf just got a vote of confidence, but he needs solid play from his defense. This screams a draw.

2-2

Monchengladbach v. Mainz:

Credit Michael Frontzeck with getting his side off the bottom. Gladbach has been playing well and scoring goals. The storybook season of Mainz has gone south, and traveling to Borussia Park is not a good place to revive it.

3-1

Hannover v. Hamburg:

This is an enticing matchup of No. 7 Hannover against No. 9 Hamburg. Hamburg seems to be getting healthier while the 96ers' luck should run out soon. Hannover will be without the suspended Steven Cherundolo, a U.S. international.

1-2

Nurnberg v. Kaiserslautern:

Der Club was predictably humbled in last week's Bavarian derby, but looks to be the better side here. K-Town is in a serious slide and their road form has been abysmal.

3-0

Leverkusen v. Bayern Munich:

Franck Ribery will likely be back for the defending champions as Toni Kroos returns to Leverkusen. Munich are unbeaten in five, and that figures to continue but Louis van Gaal needs all three points.

1-1

Sunday games:

Stuttgart v. Koln:

VfB have posted some resounding wins for a team that was in the drop zone most of the season. The Swabians have bagged nine goals in their last two games, and figure to add to their total against the league's worst team.

5-1

St. Pauli v. Wolfsburg:

For all the hype about St. Pauli returning to the top flight, someone forgot to tell the Buccaneers to bring their shooting boots. The home side has one goal over four straight matches. Surely, Dzeko and Grafite can muster enough to top that kind of an attack near the Reeperbahn?

1-2

A star is born and he's from the U S of A!!!!

The Beautiful Game told you we were excited about this U.S. team and they backed it up with a tremendous 1-0 victory at South Africa on Wednesday. And a star has been born in the Red Bulls' Juan Agudelo, who scored the winner in the 84th minute after entering as a substitute.

A patchwork group of unproven youngsters mostly took the field in Cape Town against a more experienced side in front of a sellout crowd. And guess what? These guys weren't intimidated.
Eric Lichaj looks like he will become a capable national team player at right back and another red Bulls youngster, Tim Ream, didn't look overmatched. Ream and Clarence Goodson had a surprisingly strong partnership in central defense for the Americans, who are usually terrible in the back.

Substitutes Teal Bunbury and Mikkel Diskerud had their moments as well, and Brad Guzan excelled in goal, although that was not a surprise. TBL thinks that this group could give the U.S. first-teamers a good run, actually.

What do you think? let us know, you could win a prize. Nobody responded last time so our trip to South Africa to watch this match was unclaimed.

Finally

I must be the worst blogger out there.  I created this blog a while ago.  Not only have I not posted anything since, but I also forgot how to get in here to actually write something.  I had to go through the exercise of admitting that I forgot my password and then wait for an email. . . .


Anyway, now that I am here, let's talk football shall we.  Yes my Chicago Bears are 6-3, but let's stick to the other football - The Beautiful Game.  In terms of what I will watch my preferences are as follows:  Barcelona, Real Madrid (even though I hate them), then I will watch almost any EPL game, then Bundesliga.  The other European leagues, not so much.  MLS - almost not at all.  Why though?  I think if I was younger I would sit through the growing pains of the MLS more patiently.  I tend to bash the MLS a lot, but If you compare  where the league was at inception and today, it has come a long way.

Back in 1996, the league started with 10 teams and D.C. United was our first champion.  The league kind of struggled to find its place on the American sports circuit, but it eventually found its way.  Most of the original teams are still in place and the league now has 16 teams.  There is a nice balance of West coast, Midwest, and East coast teams.  Most of the teams play in soccer-specific stadiums now, which makes going to the games (or watching on TV) more enjoyable.  There is much greater star power now compared to the early years with guys like Beckham, Donovan, Juan Pablo Angel, and probably a bunch of good young players that I cannot name.  When I say I cannot name it's because I don't know who they are.  That is not bad for 14 years of existence.

I guess this blog's purpose is to admit to myself, and to the loyal readers of The Beautiful Game, that I am not a good MLS fan and I need to be.  If you look at this league from a larger scope, it is still in its infancy stage experimenting and growing slowly.  The NFL was not always like it is today.  George Halas funded almost all the teams when the league started.  MLS had Anschutz and Hunt to guide the ship.  BTW, if you don't know who Anschutz and Hunt are, you are a worse fan than me!

I am writing here to make my pledge.  I will be a better MLS fan and Chicago Fire fan.  I am going to grow with this league instead of complain about the poor quality of play and lack of creativity by the coaches and the players.  I am going to see it through until it is as popular as the big 4 American sports.  I want it to be the Big 5 American sports.  I promise to do all this, but not until next season.  I am very busy with fantasy football and fantasy basketball.  But come spring time I am getting on this train and I am not getting off until the MLS is compared to the EPL or La Liga!

Who's with me!??!?!

Excited about US soccer

OK that doesn't mean we here at The Beautiful Game believe the US is going to become a world football power all of a sudden. But the young team that Bob Bradley is sending to South Africa to face Bafana Bafana won't include the same Europeans and veterans that many supporters have grown a bit weary of. Instead we get to see Gale Agbossoumonde and Mikkel Diskerud. In addition, Red Bulls wunderkind Juan Agudelo and New York defender Tim Ream have been selected.

Will these youngsters do something in the red white and blue? Will they fall apart and leave our country with no hope whatsoever for the future? Let us here at TBG know what you think and you may win a trip to the game in South Africa!

Meet Shinji Kagawa

Here at the Beautiful Game, we love to give you the scoop on players you haven't heard about. So we want you to remember the name Shinji Kagawa, who is a big reason why Borussia Dortmund is leading the Bundesliga.

Kagawa is a striker/midfielder signed out of the J-league. He's second on the team in goals with five and also had two goals in a Europa League qualifier in his debut with the club.

What's great about the Japanese star is that he has stated that playing for Dortmund is not his goal now that he is Europe. He says he wants to play for Barcelona and La Liga teams are now after him reportedly.

Can you imagine a player from the U.S. saying his goal is to play for Barca?

But I digress. Remember the name Shinji Kagawa. He's a star in the making and one of the The Beautiful Game's top-rated transfer prospects.

Don't hesitate with any comments or questions, please. We love our fans!

Meet Wilfried Bony

You come to the Beautiful Game to learn about the beautiful game, and do we have a scoop for our loyal followers. A big-time player to watch is none other than the Ivory Coast's Wilfried Bony - and you heard it here first.

Wilfried or 'Willy' as we like to call him, currently plays for Sparta Prague. He's been tearing it up in the Europa League with back-to-back braces and five goals overall.

Since many of our blog's followers are in Italy, if you happen to be in Palermo on Dec. 2, Wilfried and Sparta will be there to take on the Rosanero. We guarantee you will see a superstar or your money back!

Red Bulls crash out in stunning fashion

The hopes and dreams of the New York metropolitan area have died again. The New York Red Bulls have been eliminated from the MLS playoffs after one of the best seasons in franchise history. Bobby Convey had a brace to lead San Jose to a 3-1 victory Thursday to overturn a 1-0 loss in the first leg in California.

Juan Pablo Angel tied it before Golden Boot winner Chris Wondolowski put San Jose ahead for good. The Red Bulls had chances to get even but Thierry Henry failed to put an unchallenged, point-blank header on target while Rafa Marquez badly missed the target on a blast from outside the box.

The New York fans and all of New York City and New Jersey are in stunned disbelief. It's absolutely heartbreaking and The Beautiful Game is crushed.