It doesn't pay to count your chickens

So I was listening to HR3, the local radio station, on the way to the game on Saturday, and the idiot practically guaranteed defeat for Eintracht by pointing out the best ways to get to the satdium from the A3 from an Easterly direction, and then thanking Cottbus for leaving the three points behind on their way back. Of course, Eintracht crashed to a 3-1 defeat, sustaining three sucker punches on the break (ably assisted by the useless Alex Meier for the first one - him scoring was the only positive thing he managed for 90 minutes) and losing Christoph Preuß to a very nasty injury that is really not safe for work - you have been warned.

Things for Frankfurt to note: Marcel Heller is wasted on the wing. Get a 4-4-2 going and let him attack with Takahara. First time crosses work - witness the goal. Faffing about in the corner doesn't work. Köhler - the opposition notices when you always check back on to your left foot. So stop it. If the opposing goalie is easily rattled then rattle him. Stop poncing about.

Luckily there are teams that seem to be as inept as Eintracht at the moment but let's start at the top. Schalke managed a nervy 2-0 home win to Monchengladbach to maintain their two point lead over Werder, who managed a workmanlike 1-0 home win over Nürnberg. Stuttgart scored 4 goals in the first half to win away in Hamburg and stay third, whilst Bayern didn't let up either, scoring two screamers to beat Hannover 2-1 and stay in contention in fourth.

Apart from Monchengladbach who now appear doomed, Bielefeld drew 1-1 away in Berlin and Mainz lost 3-2 away to Wolfsburg. These are now the only teams below Frankfurt in 18th, 17th and 16th respectively. I would be happy if the season ended now. Amazingly, Bochum beat Leverkusen 4-1 away (three goals in the first 22 minutes!) and Dortmund beat Aachen by the same score away.

The relegation battle therefore still goes up to 7th place (!) where VfL Wolfsburg currently reside with 35 points - Mainz have 30 in 16th, and Eintracht 31 in 15th. I'll try for some more in depth analysis later, but I am still thoroughly peeved with the game, result and general all round play on Saturday. Why oh why did I end up in this town and not in Münich?! For the rest of my sins, I also support West Ham, but that's a story for another day!

The current table

Update! Hertha Berlin have sacked their coach Falko Götz for the second time - this time for the recent run of poor results.

Finishes a striker would be proud of

and refereeing that belonged in the playground.

Never the less, well played Bayern (and especially Van Buyten and Rensing) to haul back Milan twice and take a great result back Munich next week.

And they might meet Liverpool in the final.

CL quarter final time

After being unceremoniously dumped out of the Champions League 5-2 on aggregate last year by a rampant AC Milan, and helped on by a defensive display of extraordinary ineptitute by Lucio, tonight is Bayern's first chance of revenge.

They've already won in the San Siro this season, beating Internazionale 2-0 in the group stages, but that will probably count for little this time around. For a change there will be a full house in Milan, 90% of which will be baying for German blood. Is there any reason to think they will get it?

The Italians have hope. Both Mark Van Bommel and Oliver Kahn are suspended tonight, the former for being sent off against Real Madrid in the previous round, the latter for issues discussed previously, and Bayern will miss the Dutchman's niggly presence in midfield. In Michael Rensing, München have one of the Bundesliga's top young 'keepers and now he has the chance to prove himself on one of the biggest club stages in the world.

However, Milan were lucky to come away with a 1-1 draw at home to Roma at the weekend, whereas Bayern comfortably beat Schalke 2-0. AC coach Ancelotti is still unsure of his best formation, and Ronaldo is ineligible for this game, having already played in the CL for Madrid this season. Moreover, the pressue is on the Italians as this is the only competition they have left to play for - the Serie A title is bayond them and they went out of the Cup to Roma in January. Bayern, on the other hand, still have hopes of a third consecutive Bundesliga title, although it has to be said that this is the one they crave.

It should be a football feast to savour.

The perplexing mystery of the last 10 minutes

For outright bafflement, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes (coming to a movie theatre near you soon!) has absolutely nothing on Eintracht Frankfurt. In particular, Frankfurt’s complete and utter inability to hold on to hard earned leads away from home, especially going into the final ten minutes.

Since the turn of the year, Eintracht have played away from home 5 times. In four of those games, they have led until well into the second half, and yet contrived to throw away the lion’s share of the points on every single occasion. Up 1-0 and then 2-1 against VFL Wolfsburg, they drew 2-2. Up 2-1 against Bayer Leverkusen, they conceded in the 91st minute. It was 1-1 against HSV until the 77th minute (they lost 1-3). 2-0 up against Nürnberg until the 81st (!) minute. 2-2. And, on Saturday, leading 1-0 against last place Mönchengladbach, they contrived to concede yet another equalizer in the 89th minute, prompting trainer Freidhelm Funkel (literally translated as Freedom Helmut Spark – I love the German language!) to go nuts and get himself sent off.

We all know that if my Auntie had balls she’d be my Uncle, but even my basic mathematics tell me that Frankfurt have thrown away nine points in their last five away games. If they had held on then not only would they be safely away from the relegation zone, they’d be challenging for a UEFA Cup spot! Instead, all Eintracht fans are in the middle of a ‘Zitterpartie’ (trembling party), and wondering whether they’ll beat the drop. Now just two points off the drop after Bochum beat Hannover and Bielefeld beat Dortmund, the next game against Cottbus on Saturday, just one point and one place ahead of Frankfurt, takes on all sorts of significance. Especially in a league where every team from 7th place is basically scrapping it out against relegation, 5th and 6th going head to head for the last UEFA Cup spot, and 1st to 4th the CL places.

Of which, Bayern were never in trouble against Schalke (2-0), Stuttgart kept up their challenge against Aachen (3-1) and Bremen could only draw 0-0 away against Cottbus. Elsewhere, Leverkusen beat Mainz (3-1) to stay ahead of Nürnberg in the race for fifth, who beat Berlin (2-1).

A lot of fans will be praying this coming weekend. All Adler (Frankfurt’s nickname) will be pointing their eyes and clasped hands heavenwards, and hoping that, somehow, Frankfurt can overcome their away day blues and get those vital three points at home this weekend.