Matchday Eight: Razing Christmastown

It’s hard to dislike Nürnberg. A picturesque city whose architecture acts as a living tour through Western history and culture, its Christmas markets are what all tales of Holiday magic spring from. Culturally, the city played a major role in the German Renaissance, and today, culture not being what it used to be, Nürnberg continues on as an epicentre of glee and wonderment with the International Toy Fair. Once they even knew something about winning at football. But lately, “der Club” are looking more like “der Club-footed.” There is trouble in Christmastown and if a picture is, as they say, worth a thousand words, then a picture of Michael Oenning as he appeared watching today’s routing of his struggling team would make for 1000 largely unprintable words.

The Nürnberg side showed from the outset that they were desperate to keep Leverkusen from finding the back of their net. Too desperate. And it was that desperation that made for the sort of defending that put them down 1-0 on a perfect free-kick from Toni Kroos with just 2 minutes on the clock. The Werkself kept possession easily from that point, with a brief showing of fight from the visitors that was soon knocked out of them. Kroos, looking to double his successes for the day, was brought down in the box at 28 minutes, and our captain handily converted the penalty. It was right then that the skies darkened over Nürnberg. Barely through to halftime and if it wasn’t yet clear to that they were doomed, a third goal for Leverkusen, selflessly handed to Derdiyok by Kießling in the 34th, definitely sealed that prognosis. When a battered Judt was helped off the pitch by the Nürnberg medicos, the dread was such that it looked as though they might be taking him to the locker-room to put him down.

After the break, Leverkusen toned down their forward assault somewhat but didn’t play strictly defensive footy. They’d already proven the pitch was theirs, but still made opportunity for themselves up front and Kießling put the screws to his former club at the 68th minute. Next weekend, he’ll have plenty of time to carve that notch in his Bundesliga belt while less successful strikers play the World Cup qualifier against Russia. Adler, who’ll be wearing the NT Number 1 jersey, should be well rested for that clash after having what was essentially a day off today.

With a 4-goal lead, Jupp Heynckes was secure enough in the day’s achievements to let some of the Werkself Irregulars stretch their legs, swapping on Gekas, Reinartz and Sinkiewicz for Derdiyok, Barnetta and Friedrich, respectively. Gekas twice missed our fifth (or would that be once missed our fifth, then missed what would have been our sixth?) but this match was in the books and Bayer 04 was back in leadership position on the Bundesliga table. On Sunday, Hamburg will have to wholly have their way with Hertha to leapfrog us again. Hertha haven’t been putting up much of a fight in the Bundesliga this year, but who knows what tomorrow holds? Our part, however, is done. Matchday eight gets wiped off the Victory Beard and now we sit back and watch how the others make out.

We did not face a footballing juggernaut today. There are considerably tougher challenges ahead, and no doubt a few surprises, but an eight-match unbeaten streak is the best season start in club history and the stuff (if I’m not mistaken, which often I am when dealing with stats) of our Champs League years. Of our almost Deutsche Meister years. Sure; it’s much too early to speak on how the season will end. Even the squad and coaching staff are hesitant to start talking with bravado. But the tempo, the control, the sheer dominance of our squad today made the case for Leverkusen’s rightful place at the top of the table and spoke a warning to Hamburg- our next opponents and table-topping dance partner:

Hold back the edges of your gowns, ladies. The Werkself are coming for you.

Category: Bayer Leverkusen Team News