Borussia Monchengladbach v Hannover 96
Saturday November 21, 14:30
After weeks of campaigning by fans and players alike, Borussia Monchengladbach have finally named Andre Schubert as their coach on a permanent basis. Having replaced Lucien Favre in the hotseat with the Foals still looking for their first Bundesliga point after five matches, Schubert has collected 19 points from an available 21, and Gladbach are now just a point off the top four.
I can understand why Gladbach sporting director Max Eberl was reluctant to give Schubert the job too quickly. The 44-year-old had no previous Bundesliga experience as a coach, and a previous spell at St Pauli had been a total disaster.
That background makes Schubert's success this season all the more extraordinary. He has revitalised a group that had totally lost confidence, and has dealt well with an injury crisis which has robbed him of key players like Martin Stranzl and Patrick Herrmann. Not bad for a man who wasn't really sure he wanted the job in the first place.
Young playmaker Mahmoud Dahoud has relished the responsibility Schubert has given him, and players like right-back Julian Korb have suddenly found an extra gear. Attacking midfielder Lars Stindl will get the chance to continue his terrific form against his old club.
Hannover have struggled since Stindl departed, and they have now been shorn of another creative talent. Japanese playmaker Hiroshi Kiyotake missed the start of the season with a foot injury, and he has now fractured the same foot whilst on international duty. Only Ingolstadt and Hamburg have scored fewer goals than Die Roten, and the absence of their set-piece specialist and playmaker is a catastrophe.
Hannover have been better on the road than they have at home, and they are chasing a third consecutive away win, but without Kiyotake they have very little creativity. Gladbach have won their last four home games against Hannover, and it's worth noting that all six of their victories under Schubert have come via a margin of two goals or greater. Against relegation-threatened Hannover, I expect another comfortable victory.
Recommended Bet
Back Borussia Monchengladbach -1.5 on the Asian Handicap at [2.43]
Schalke v Bayern Munich
Saturday November 21, 17:30
Live on BT Sport 1
Such is Bayern Munich's relentless excellence, it's easy to take for granted what they've achieved under Pep Guardiola, and indeed what they did under his treble-winning predecessor Jupp Heynckes. Bayern have played 12 Bundesliga games this season, and have dropped just two points. They have scored 37 goals, and conceded just four. This, by any team's standards, is remarkable consistency.
Bayern are being impressively hunted by Borussia Dortmund, so they need to stay focused. I think they'll collect three points this weekend against a Schalke side that has lost its way somewhat, especially at the Veltins Arena.
Schalke's derby defeat in Dortmund extended their winless run to six matches in all competitions, and on home soil they have won just one of their last five games. They are badly missing suspended midfield fulcrum Johannes Geis, and attacking players like Franco Di Santo and Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting just aren't performing well enough in the Bundesliga, which is putting a lot of pressure on young Leroy Sane.
Although both of the league meetings between these sides last season ended 1-1, it's worth noting that Bayern won the seven encounters before that. With talismanic winger Arjen Robben back from injury and scoring for club and country, Bayern's attacking options look even more impressive than usual, and I think Guardiola's men will win handily against stuttering opponents.
Recommended Bet
Back Bayern Munich -1.5 on the Asian Handicap at [1.71]
Eintracht Frankfurt v Bayer Leverkusen
Saturday November 21, 14:30
Eintracht Frankfurt aren't a team that's usually associated with defensive steel and a high work-rate, but a goalless draw against Bayern Munich a few weeks ago has galvanised them. That stalemate was followed up with another 0-0 draw away to Hoffenheim, a game Armin Veh's men could easily have won had they been more clinical in attack.
Frankfurt have seen their goals dry up, with just four scored in their last eight matches, so Veh is having to rely on his team being disciplined and organised at the back.
Leverkusen are having a mini-crisis, after losing their last three matches in all competitions. They have a huge Champions League game coming up away at BATE Borisov, and I wonder whether coach Roger Schmidt will rest key players this weekend.
Leverkusen have won just five of their 12 Bundesliga games this term, and on the road they have won just one of their last five league games. Although Javier Hernandez is in sensational form (Opta tell us he has scored in his last six games), the attacking unit as a whole has managed just 14 goals in 12 games, which is Bayer's worst tally at this stage of a season since 1982.
Given Frankfurt's new-found grit, and the fact they have lost just one of their last 16 Bundesliga home games, I see no reason to support the struggling visitors at evens.
Recommended Bet
Lay Bayer Leverkusen at [2.0]
Hertha Berlin v Hoffenheim
Sunday, November 22, 14:30
Live on BT Sport 1
Hoffenheim brought in grizzled veteran coach Huub Stevens - The Growler of Kerkrade, no less - to steady the ship after a dreadful start to the season. Stevens has concentrated on defensive basics, and goalless stalemates against Cologne and Eintracht Frankfurt have been the result. TSG are still in the bottom two, but they have at least picked up their second and third clean sheets of the campaign.
Hertha coach Pal Dardai also prizes organisation and hard work highly, and although his side have been more attacking this season than last, they have still kept four clean sheets in 12 league outings. Hertha are fourth in the standings going into this weekend, but their attack will be harmed by the loss of Mitch Weiser to injury. The former Bayern winger has adapted superbly to playing at right-back, and he has been an excellent attacking outlet.
With Hoffenheim bolting every door and window, and Hertha a pretty solid outfit, this could be a close one.
Recommended Bet
Back Under 2.5 Goals at [1.96]
Saturday November 21, 14:30
After weeks of campaigning by fans and players alike, Borussia Monchengladbach have finally named Andre Schubert as their coach on a permanent basis. Having replaced Lucien Favre in the hotseat with the Foals still looking for their first Bundesliga point after five matches, Schubert has collected 19 points from an available 21, and Gladbach are now just a point off the top four.
I can understand why Gladbach sporting director Max Eberl was reluctant to give Schubert the job too quickly. The 44-year-old had no previous Bundesliga experience as a coach, and a previous spell at St Pauli had been a total disaster.
That background makes Schubert's success this season all the more extraordinary. He has revitalised a group that had totally lost confidence, and has dealt well with an injury crisis which has robbed him of key players like Martin Stranzl and Patrick Herrmann. Not bad for a man who wasn't really sure he wanted the job in the first place.
Young playmaker Mahmoud Dahoud has relished the responsibility Schubert has given him, and players like right-back Julian Korb have suddenly found an extra gear. Attacking midfielder Lars Stindl will get the chance to continue his terrific form against his old club.
Hannover have struggled since Stindl departed, and they have now been shorn of another creative talent. Japanese playmaker Hiroshi Kiyotake missed the start of the season with a foot injury, and he has now fractured the same foot whilst on international duty. Only Ingolstadt and Hamburg have scored fewer goals than Die Roten, and the absence of their set-piece specialist and playmaker is a catastrophe.
Hannover have been better on the road than they have at home, and they are chasing a third consecutive away win, but without Kiyotake they have very little creativity. Gladbach have won their last four home games against Hannover, and it's worth noting that all six of their victories under Schubert have come via a margin of two goals or greater. Against relegation-threatened Hannover, I expect another comfortable victory.
Recommended Bet
Back Borussia Monchengladbach -1.5 on the Asian Handicap at [2.43]
Schalke v Bayern Munich
Saturday November 21, 17:30
Live on BT Sport 1
Such is Bayern Munich's relentless excellence, it's easy to take for granted what they've achieved under Pep Guardiola, and indeed what they did under his treble-winning predecessor Jupp Heynckes. Bayern have played 12 Bundesliga games this season, and have dropped just two points. They have scored 37 goals, and conceded just four. This, by any team's standards, is remarkable consistency.
Bayern are being impressively hunted by Borussia Dortmund, so they need to stay focused. I think they'll collect three points this weekend against a Schalke side that has lost its way somewhat, especially at the Veltins Arena.
Schalke's derby defeat in Dortmund extended their winless run to six matches in all competitions, and on home soil they have won just one of their last five games. They are badly missing suspended midfield fulcrum Johannes Geis, and attacking players like Franco Di Santo and Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting just aren't performing well enough in the Bundesliga, which is putting a lot of pressure on young Leroy Sane.
Although both of the league meetings between these sides last season ended 1-1, it's worth noting that Bayern won the seven encounters before that. With talismanic winger Arjen Robben back from injury and scoring for club and country, Bayern's attacking options look even more impressive than usual, and I think Guardiola's men will win handily against stuttering opponents.
Recommended Bet
Back Bayern Munich -1.5 on the Asian Handicap at [1.71]
Eintracht Frankfurt v Bayer Leverkusen
Saturday November 21, 14:30
Eintracht Frankfurt aren't a team that's usually associated with defensive steel and a high work-rate, but a goalless draw against Bayern Munich a few weeks ago has galvanised them. That stalemate was followed up with another 0-0 draw away to Hoffenheim, a game Armin Veh's men could easily have won had they been more clinical in attack.
Frankfurt have seen their goals dry up, with just four scored in their last eight matches, so Veh is having to rely on his team being disciplined and organised at the back.
Leverkusen are having a mini-crisis, after losing their last three matches in all competitions. They have a huge Champions League game coming up away at BATE Borisov, and I wonder whether coach Roger Schmidt will rest key players this weekend.
Leverkusen have won just five of their 12 Bundesliga games this term, and on the road they have won just one of their last five league games. Although Javier Hernandez is in sensational form (Opta tell us he has scored in his last six games), the attacking unit as a whole has managed just 14 goals in 12 games, which is Bayer's worst tally at this stage of a season since 1982.
Given Frankfurt's new-found grit, and the fact they have lost just one of their last 16 Bundesliga home games, I see no reason to support the struggling visitors at evens.
Recommended Bet
Lay Bayer Leverkusen at [2.0]
Hertha Berlin v Hoffenheim
Sunday, November 22, 14:30
Live on BT Sport 1
Hoffenheim brought in grizzled veteran coach Huub Stevens - The Growler of Kerkrade, no less - to steady the ship after a dreadful start to the season. Stevens has concentrated on defensive basics, and goalless stalemates against Cologne and Eintracht Frankfurt have been the result. TSG are still in the bottom two, but they have at least picked up their second and third clean sheets of the campaign.
Hertha coach Pal Dardai also prizes organisation and hard work highly, and although his side have been more attacking this season than last, they have still kept four clean sheets in 12 league outings. Hertha are fourth in the standings going into this weekend, but their attack will be harmed by the loss of Mitch Weiser to injury. The former Bayern winger has adapted superbly to playing at right-back, and he has been an excellent attacking outlet.
With Hoffenheim bolting every door and window, and Hertha a pretty solid outfit, this could be a close one.
Recommended Bet
Back Under 2.5 Goals at [1.96]
