Derby Day

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What Spurs fans can expect from Lewis Holtby

First of all: He’s better than Marko Marin. Way better. Lightyears better. They don’t even play in the same universe. Beyond that, Lewis Holtby really is an above average Bundesliga midfielder. Extremely versatile, good on the ball and, of course, still young enough to improve in the future. The 22-year-old pulled of a few ‘man of the match’ performances at the start of this season, but failed to impress in the later stages of the Hinrunde.

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That brings us straight to his main weakness: inconsistency. Holtby furthermore is a fairly slow player, which almost bawls for adaptive difficulties in a high speed affair the Premier League is. From a mere sporting point of view however, signing an new contract at his current employer would have made sense for both parties.

As a Schalke fan, I am certainly relieved seeing him to leave the club. Holtby recently revealed quite a agent-driven personality and seems to overrate himself. His noncommittal attitude admittedly could fit into this Premiership world of make-believe.

The son of a British soldier is a keen Everton supporter (like his father). So you should look forward to loathsome Lewis exchanging French kisses with Tottenham's badge after scoring his first goal.

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RIP Alex Alves

The former Hertha striker tragically died from leukemia today - at the age of only 37. He was best known for his flamboyance and of course this tremendous 55 yards strike which was voted 'Goal of the Year' in 2000:



Gone but not forgotten.

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Gender Equality at German Non-League Grounds

It is one of the phenomena of the non-league scene that hasn't changed since my childhood days – female football fans often have to pay considerably less at the gates than their male counterparts. Interestingly, this oddity approximately starts below the Oberligen (level 5) and can be observed throughout the country.

For example, women only have to pay € 1,50 at Westphalian level 6 side SV Holzwickede. Men not entitled to any reduction have to settle up four times that price:

Once, twice, four times a lady

Sometimes, attending games is even a completely costless affair for the fair sex ("Frauen haben freien Eintritt"):

Dreams are free... it's making them come true that costs so much.

As much as I understand that kind of pricing policy at swinging clubs and discos, I am not able to do the same in this case. What's the benefit for the clubs? Quite apart from the fact that this line of action is veritable unrighteousness.

Feel free to send any valuable information to our address.

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Felix Wiedwald and the worst red card decision ever

What a villainous assault:
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Screen derby: Roman Neustädter vs. Marco Reus

Prior to last Saturday's Revierderby between Dortmund and Schalke, Former Mönchengladbach teammates Marco Reus and Roman Neustädter already did a simulation of the eagerly anticipated matchup with FIFA 13.
As we all know now, in ze real life Schalke come off better for the first time since early 2010. On the Xbox however, the game ended with an amicably draw.

Full time: Silly Baseball Cap City 1-1 Silly Baseball Cap United.

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From Düren to Hero: Andreas Lambertz

Lambertz in 2004 vs. GFC Düren

American sportsfans have it good: A rebound is a rebound is a rebound. An RBI …

In football, however, it's always a bit tricky when it comes to individual statistics. To this day, no one could give me a convincing explanation of how a "Zweikampf" (mixture of tackle and 50-50) is exacty defined. Where do short passes stop, where do long passes begin?

Ever since the emergence of companies like Opta or Impire, statistics evaluation has been transformed into an absurd record hunting business.

NEW RECORD: four headed goals in seven games with unwashed ears. You name it.

Despite that, no football player has ever gained promotion with the very same club from level 4 of the league system to the Bundesliga, having played in each of these divisions.

Well, at least until matchday three of the current season. Hats off to Fortuna Düsseldorf's skipper Andreas "Lumpi" Lambertz!

An achievement not to be expected from a narrow-chested midfielder cutting his way through the lowlands of Oberliga Nordrhein in 2004.

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Coldplay and Leon Andreasen – Never meant to cause you trouble

A spider web and it's me in the middle

Having last played in April 2010(!), Leon Andreasen's cinderella-esque return into Hannover's first team was _the_ story of the still young 2012-2013 campaign. The Dane even managed to score the team's first goal of the season at St. Pats' (Europa League qualifier).
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28 months of suffering seemed to have come to an end. Well, at least until yesterday's 4-1 Bundesliga victory over Nuremberg. Andreasen had to come off after twisting his knee at one of the many uneven spots of an really awful pitch – traces of a Coldplay concert four days ago.

The 29-year-old had to be substituted after just 9 minutes when the score was still 0-0. So worst of all, he maybe had to witness Hannover's deafening goal celebration song a mellowing four times: "Viva La Vida!" by, ehm, Coldplay.

Please don't get me wrong: Coldplay may be shite, but how the heck does one get the idea of arranging an open-air stadium concert during one of the busiest stages of the season with loads of mid-week matches?

Andreasen however was brought to the hospital with a suspected cruciate ligament rupture, which has now been confirmed. We wish him all the best.

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