Defences on top at the Allianz Arena
Bayern Munich v Wolfsburg
Tuesday September 22, 19:00
Live on BT Sport 2
Bayern Munich find themselves in an unusual position five games into the Bundesliga season. Although they have won all five matches, the champions aren't top of the table. With Borussia Dortmund blazing a trail under new coach Thomas Tuchel, the pressure is on as Bayern look to secure an unprecedented fourth consecutive title.
With one eye on this fixture, Bayern coach Pep Guardiola shuffled his pack at the weekend, and despite one or two scares his side ultimately cruised to a 3-0 win at newly-promoted Darmstadt. Arturo Vidal scored with a stunning strike, teenage French forward Kingsley Coman scored his first ever Bundesliga goal, and the underrated Sebastian Rode popped up with a goal and an assist. Joshua Kimmich, a 19-year-old midfielder, looked composed on his full debut, working the ball around smoothly and winning possession back with determination.
Guardiola is likely to restore Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Xabi Alonso, Thiago and Philipp Lahm to his starting line-up. Mario Gotze didn't do enough against Darmstadt to warrant keeping his place, and he looks a shadow of the player that regularly sparkles for Germany.
Wolfsburg have made an unbeaten start to the season, but they aren't playing anywhere near their maximum. Defensively they have been very strong, collecting three clean sheets in five games, but in attack they are still missing the creative thrust of the departed Kevin De Bruyne and Ivan Perisic. Julian Draxler is yet to get off the mark in the league since moving to the Volkswagen Arena, although he did get the winner last week against CSKA in the Champions League.
These teams have kept six clean sheets between them in the Bundesliga this term, and although there are usually plenty of goals when they meet, I think this could be a game where defences are on top. The two sides were evenly matched in the Supercup, which Wolfsburg won on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
The Wolves will look to defend and hit on the counter, but one concern for their travelling fans will be the team's patchy away record. Dieter Hecking's men have won just two of their last eight away games in the Bundesliga, and they have lost all 13 of their games against Bayern in Munich in all competitions.
Although I expect Bayern to win this, I can't recommend backing them at 1.33. Of more interest in the 1.90 on offer for backing No in the Both Teams To Score market, as Wolfsburg have kept four clean sheets in a row in all competitions, and Bayern are chasing a third straight shut-out.
Recommended Bet
Back No in the Both Teams To Score market at 1.90
Organised Ingolstadt to follow successful formula
Ingolstadt v Hamburg
Tuesday September 22, 19:00
Live on BT Sport ESPN
While iconic teams like Stuttgart and Borussia Monchengladbach are languishing at the bottom with no points - Gladbach coach Lucien Favre shockingly resigned on Sunday night - the promoted sides Darmstadt and Ingolstadt are doing superbly. Darmstadt have taken six points from five games, and Ingolstadt's dramatic 1-0 win at Werder Bremen on Saturday means they have collected ten points and are sixth in the table.
FCI coach Ralph Hasenhuttl has taken Die Schanzen from the bottom of the second division to the top flight, and he has done it by instilling discipline and determination in his players. Everyone knows the system, and everyone sticks to the system. The collection of four clean sheets in five matches says it all, and with games against Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg already out of the way, Ingolstadt have every reason to be confident of avoiding the drop.
We should only whisper it, but Hamburg actually look like a proper football team instead of a complete shambles this season, and their annual flirtation with relegation may not come to pass this time around. HSV coach Bruno Labbadia appears to have finally got his message through to his defenders, and clean sheets against Borussia Monchengladbach and Eintracht Frankfurt have arrived as a result.
Ingolstadt will try to keep things tight and nick a win, and bearing in mind that they have already racked up a trio of 1-0 victories, you can't blame them. Backing No in the Both Teams To Score market seems a sensible play.
Recommended Bet
Back No in the Both Teams To Score market at 2.00
Stirring Stuttgart ready to pick up first points of the season
Hannover v Stuttgart
Wednesday September 23, 19:00
Stuttgart have made their worst ever start to a season, with no points from their first five matches, but those results haven't reflected their performances. Sunday's 1-0 home defeat to Schalke was a case in point - Stuttgart racked up more than 20 goal attempts, but found visiting keeper Ralf Fahrmann in sensational form.
There were also promising signs for Stuttgart in defence, as there could be a decent centre-back partnership blossoming between new signing Toni Sunjic and teenager Timo Baumgartl. The players and the sporting director Robin Dutt have defended under-fire coach Alexander Zorniger, and Stuttgart don't look like a team that has lost faith in the boss.
Hannover are a point better off than Stuttgart, but they look to me to be in far worse shape. Coach Michael Frontzeck has been given tentative support by chairman Martin Kind, but he appears to be on borrowed time after Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Augsburg.
Hannover are toothless in attack, and an injury to wide player Edgar Prib has weakened their forward line yet further. New strikers Mevlut Erdinc and Charlison Benschop have scored just one Bundesliga goal between them, and the team relies far too much on playmaker Hiroshi Kiyotake for creativity.
If we look purely at performances so far this season, Stuttgart are streets ahead of Hannover, and I'm happy to back the away win on that basis.
Recommended Bet
Back Stuttgart to win at 2.52
Bayern Munich v Wolfsburg
Tuesday September 22, 19:00
Live on BT Sport 2
Bayern Munich find themselves in an unusual position five games into the Bundesliga season. Although they have won all five matches, the champions aren't top of the table. With Borussia Dortmund blazing a trail under new coach Thomas Tuchel, the pressure is on as Bayern look to secure an unprecedented fourth consecutive title.
With one eye on this fixture, Bayern coach Pep Guardiola shuffled his pack at the weekend, and despite one or two scares his side ultimately cruised to a 3-0 win at newly-promoted Darmstadt. Arturo Vidal scored with a stunning strike, teenage French forward Kingsley Coman scored his first ever Bundesliga goal, and the underrated Sebastian Rode popped up with a goal and an assist. Joshua Kimmich, a 19-year-old midfielder, looked composed on his full debut, working the ball around smoothly and winning possession back with determination.
Guardiola is likely to restore Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Xabi Alonso, Thiago and Philipp Lahm to his starting line-up. Mario Gotze didn't do enough against Darmstadt to warrant keeping his place, and he looks a shadow of the player that regularly sparkles for Germany.
Wolfsburg have made an unbeaten start to the season, but they aren't playing anywhere near their maximum. Defensively they have been very strong, collecting three clean sheets in five games, but in attack they are still missing the creative thrust of the departed Kevin De Bruyne and Ivan Perisic. Julian Draxler is yet to get off the mark in the league since moving to the Volkswagen Arena, although he did get the winner last week against CSKA in the Champions League.
These teams have kept six clean sheets between them in the Bundesliga this term, and although there are usually plenty of goals when they meet, I think this could be a game where defences are on top. The two sides were evenly matched in the Supercup, which Wolfsburg won on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
The Wolves will look to defend and hit on the counter, but one concern for their travelling fans will be the team's patchy away record. Dieter Hecking's men have won just two of their last eight away games in the Bundesliga, and they have lost all 13 of their games against Bayern in Munich in all competitions.
Although I expect Bayern to win this, I can't recommend backing them at 1.33. Of more interest in the 1.90 on offer for backing No in the Both Teams To Score market, as Wolfsburg have kept four clean sheets in a row in all competitions, and Bayern are chasing a third straight shut-out.
Recommended Bet
Back No in the Both Teams To Score market at 1.90
Organised Ingolstadt to follow successful formula
Ingolstadt v Hamburg
Tuesday September 22, 19:00
Live on BT Sport ESPN
While iconic teams like Stuttgart and Borussia Monchengladbach are languishing at the bottom with no points - Gladbach coach Lucien Favre shockingly resigned on Sunday night - the promoted sides Darmstadt and Ingolstadt are doing superbly. Darmstadt have taken six points from five games, and Ingolstadt's dramatic 1-0 win at Werder Bremen on Saturday means they have collected ten points and are sixth in the table.
FCI coach Ralph Hasenhuttl has taken Die Schanzen from the bottom of the second division to the top flight, and he has done it by instilling discipline and determination in his players. Everyone knows the system, and everyone sticks to the system. The collection of four clean sheets in five matches says it all, and with games against Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg already out of the way, Ingolstadt have every reason to be confident of avoiding the drop.
We should only whisper it, but Hamburg actually look like a proper football team instead of a complete shambles this season, and their annual flirtation with relegation may not come to pass this time around. HSV coach Bruno Labbadia appears to have finally got his message through to his defenders, and clean sheets against Borussia Monchengladbach and Eintracht Frankfurt have arrived as a result.
Ingolstadt will try to keep things tight and nick a win, and bearing in mind that they have already racked up a trio of 1-0 victories, you can't blame them. Backing No in the Both Teams To Score market seems a sensible play.
Recommended Bet
Back No in the Both Teams To Score market at 2.00
Stirring Stuttgart ready to pick up first points of the season
Hannover v Stuttgart
Wednesday September 23, 19:00
Stuttgart have made their worst ever start to a season, with no points from their first five matches, but those results haven't reflected their performances. Sunday's 1-0 home defeat to Schalke was a case in point - Stuttgart racked up more than 20 goal attempts, but found visiting keeper Ralf Fahrmann in sensational form.
There were also promising signs for Stuttgart in defence, as there could be a decent centre-back partnership blossoming between new signing Toni Sunjic and teenager Timo Baumgartl. The players and the sporting director Robin Dutt have defended under-fire coach Alexander Zorniger, and Stuttgart don't look like a team that has lost faith in the boss.
Hannover are a point better off than Stuttgart, but they look to me to be in far worse shape. Coach Michael Frontzeck has been given tentative support by chairman Martin Kind, but he appears to be on borrowed time after Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Augsburg.
Hannover are toothless in attack, and an injury to wide player Edgar Prib has weakened their forward line yet further. New strikers Mevlut Erdinc and Charlison Benschop have scored just one Bundesliga goal between them, and the team relies far too much on playmaker Hiroshi Kiyotake for creativity.
If we look purely at performances so far this season, Stuttgart are streets ahead of Hannover, and I'm happy to back the away win on that basis.
Recommended Bet
Back Stuttgart to win at 2.52
