I can’t make this sh*t up

Top of the table drops 2 points on the road in the Bavarian derby, 3rd and 4th place are both defeated, and all HSV can manage is a draw versus a team in the drop zone.  Way to see the big picture and take the bull by the horns. Oh, and Schalke leapt from fifth to third with their victory. 

The Rothosen had to be rescued by came back on a late goal by Paolo Guerrero (82′) against Bielefeld, in a match marred by another HSV player being ejected (see below). Man, I am getting tired of writing this story line. For a bit more detail on their current run (8 draws from 11 matches played), read Jan’s post here. Bottom line: HSV need to stop drawing matches and start winning. I hope that my prediction (that dropping points versus Bielefeld would haunt HSV in the end) doesn’t come true

News:

*Hamburg legend Uwe Seeler has all the answers. He thinks: A) the lads need to stay disciplined during this stressful time of the campaign,  referring to the recent spat of dismissals; B) that the Bielefeld match was the worst HSV have played this season (fortunately, it was not shown on TV in the US, so I missed it, but he’s right); C) Van der Vaart alone is not to blame for the team’s offensive struggles; D) that the club’s directors can’t afford to wait any longer to appoint a new manager.

*During a recent press conference, HSV boss Berndt Hoffman had to vehemntly deny that Louis van Gaal of Eredivise-side AZ Alkmaar was a candidate for manager. Juergen Klopp of Mainz is waiting to hear back from HSV. Sounds like Van Gaal is their man now that Slaven Bilic is out of the question, and that Klopp is their backup (he seems to have been a second choice all along). B-T-W, Van Gaal recently announced he was stepping down from Alkmaar at season’s end.

*David Jarolim earned a straight red Saturday. I can’t describe in words why. You just have to watch the vid here. Let’s just say Jarolim got his money’s worth on that one.

*HSV figure into the BIG match in the Bundesliga this week with their date at Stuttgart. You may have heard there’s a new Stuttgart blog here at The Offside now. Check it out.  

*Finally, a story in Bild about Van Der Vaart feeling the pressure of being the focus of the offense at HSV. The story goes on to say that he feels he’ll find his form soon and that when he played with the Dutch national team last week in Austria (with Clarence Seedorf, Rob van Persie, and Wesley Snijder-but hey, who wouldn’t play well lining up on that side?) that he played well and carefree. All I have to say about that is, RAFA, COME BACK!

Category: Bundesliga, Eredivise, Match Recap, Team News