That’s more like it

By: Chris | February 21st, 2008

A 3-0 beatdown of relegation-bound Bochum in the B’liga and a 3-1 away win at Zurich in the UEFA Cup are the highlights of last week’s action. THAT’S what I’m talking about! We finally got the offense and the defense on the pitch together. Czech international David Jarolim contributed his first 2 goals of the season, a major contribution since he is not a scorer. The final tally should have been 4-0 but a late blast from Vincent Kompany (following a *brilliant* run through the Bochum defense) caught the underside of the crossbar and bounced out. Kompany was The Man in the Bochum match and I am now praying he stays around for a few more years. Performances like that will certainly pique the interest of the giant clubs sooner rather than later.

This week is the return leg with Zurich at the HSH on Thursday, and Sunday HSV travel to Bavaria for a showdown with leaders Bayern (boo! hiss!). The HSV and Bayern drew 1-1 at the HSH in September. Hamburg were the first side to hold Bayern without a victory in the first half of the season. Of note, Raphael van Der Vaart suffered a sprained ankle early in the Zurich match and missed the match with Bochum. He has been training this week and will be held out of tonight’s Zurich tie with the hope that he will be fit for Bayern. His status as of this writing is probably best termed “questionable.”

Timothy Atouba was AWOL after Cameroon’s defeat in the ACN final. Funny, Zidan played for Egypt in the same match and still made it to Zurich. That was enough for the club who fined Atouba 80,000 Euro, and told him to stay away from the team facility. Story here states he underwent some kind of surgical procedure(?) and was recovering after the ACN final, and is now back in the club’s good graces. Not sure what to make of that situation. Atouba is known for being petulent. He’s finally worn out his welcome in Hamburg and I can’t see him staying past this season.

Finally, word is that Fred Rutten of Eredivisie-side FC Twente Enschede is the board’s choice to be the new manager. Huub Stevens is leaving at season’s end to take over at Dutch giant PSV. His wife has been chronically ill for over a year and has been in and out of hospital in Eindhoven during that time.

SWAG Predictions: 2-0 against Zurich with goals from Kompany (Da Man!) and Olic or Guerrero (who is *finally* rounding into form). Sunday’s big match, to me, is the make 0r break match of the season.

If they can manage any kind of result against Bayern, HSV can carry that success with them throughout the rest of the campaign and secure a spot in the CL (qualifying at least). A loss throws them back into the pot with Schalke and Leverkusen for the last CL spot. I am not conceding 2nd place to Bremen, but they are playing really well this season and it will take more than 1 lucky break to knock them out of 2nd place. Overly optimistic (?) prediction : 1-1 draw. Whew.