Bundesliga Match Day 6: Preview and Forecast
RB Leipzig is the leader in the clubhouse and -- on paper -- looks to be in for a bit of a fight this week with Schalke 04.
Not so fast my friend!
Schalke may well be improved over last year, but RB Leipzig looks like it is ready to really hang with the big boys of the Bundesliga: Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Between the innovative stylings of Julian Nagelsmann (his coaching, not his wardrobe 😉) and the surplus of great talent (Timo Werner, Yussuf Poulsen, Emil Forsberg, Ibrahima Konate, Lukas Klostermann, Marcel Halstenberg, Willi Orban...do I need to keep going?), RB Leipzig looks ready to finally be taken seriously.
And it can take yet another step toward respectability by battering Schalke this weekend.
Prediction: RB Leipzig 3, Schalke 0
A quick note: First, thanks for reading!! Second, I am not a total idiot (but it's close!)!! Third, due to some work travel I had to run an abbreviated column today. Thanks for sticking with me despite the brevity!
Eintracht Frankfurt 2, Union Berlin 1: Die Adler is coming off an unlikely draw with Borussia Dortmund thanks to a late own goal from Thomas Delaney, but this week should be a tad easier. Union Berlin plays tough as nails, but Eintracht Frankfurt should be able to wrap up three points in this one.
Bayer Leverkusen 3, FC Augsburg 2: Leverkusen has really been a Jekyl-and-Hyde team this season, but one thing to note is how Leon Bailey has never taken that next step with his development that many thought he would have by now. It's not that Bailey is a bad player by any means, but man...he's not exactly panned out to what it looked like he could be. Augsburg, meanwhile is coming off a nice draw against SC Freiburg. While I don't think that Augsburg can win this one, I think they can at least make it interesting.
Hoffenheim 1, Borussia Monchengladbach 1: I think M'Gladbach is a bit overrated this season and Hoffenheim is still trying to find itself and establish an identity. What better way for this one to end with a draw.
Wolfsburg 2, Mainz 1: The Wolves need a win here and Mainz likely is not good enough to stop that from happening. How about a brace from Wout Weghorst?
Bayern Munich 5, SC Paderborn 0: Yeah...Bayern Munich is rolling right now and SCP is not exactly a juggernaut. If Paderborn attempts to actually play instead of parking a fleet of buses on the pitch like so many Bayern's opponents do, this one could get ugly.
Borussia Dortmund 3, Werder Bremen 2: Now this game is juicy. BVB is coming off a tough -- but imminently winnable -- draw against Eintracht Frankfurt, while Werder Bremen has still yet to find its footing this season. With Niclas Fullkrug lost for the season, things won't get easier for Werder Bremen, but there is a ton of talent there. Why it hasn't clicked yet for Florian Kohfeldt's crew is puzzling, but it has better start to come together soon or the pressure will being to mount on the 36-year-old coach.
SC Freiburg 2, Fortuna Dusselfdorf 1: This is a big game for Freiburg and I think they'll pull it out and keep this semi-miraculous run going!
Hertha Berlin 2, FC Koln 2: I have no idea why I think these two squads will tie, but I do. 🤷♀️
Season Record
Previous match day record: 6-3
Season record: 25-20
Perfect calls: 4
