01. Bayern takes on Getafe tomorrow. They really need to pull it together or Getafe could pull up the upset of the... season. The aggregate as it stands is 1-1, but Getafe have the away goal currently. Bayern will be, once again, without van Buyten. He hasn't been available the last couple of games due to a knee injury an is not available for tomorrow. Or at least that's what I keep reading. Klose will get the start alongside Toni, which is not surprising at all.
02. Podolski is still frustrated by his position at Bayern, but after his last performance, he needs to grab some more bench time. Again, consistency is everything and he is not. At least Klose creates opportunity for the team as a whole on a consistent basis. I often feel like watching Podolski play is much like rolling the dice. You're always eager to see how it lands, but never know if you're going to be happy or frustrated.
03. The rumor mill is going strong. This time it has Milan eying the duo of Schweinsteiger and Lell. Evidently they are prepared to offer Lell a good bit of money, but he says its not about the money made rather it's about the quality of sport so we'll just have to wait and see what comes of this and all the other transfer rumors gearing up. Aside from Milan, it is also rumored that Arsenal would like to get their hands on Schweinsteiger.
04. And back in the rumor mill is one Willy Sagnol. It appears that Aston Villa is interested in him. Again, we'll see what happens. Willy has been sort of transparent lately so we'll see what happens.
05. Remember I told you all that Kahn was pretty ticked off that Klinsmann showed up at the last UEFA match. Since then, Ottmar has come out and said that Klinsmann asked if it would be a problem for him to attend, Ottmar said no way and gave him his blessing to be there. Sometimes, Kahn needs to just be quiet. ;P
06. It appears that I am not the only one on the Mark fan wagon that thinks the ref gave him an unfair yellow/red. Oliver Kahn and Ottmar Hitzfeld have come forward to say that they don't think anyone else would've been given the yellow/red. That his first yellow was a foul, the second one was not. Ottmar went so far as to criticize the ref as well. "I watched the game between Chelsea and Manchester City last night. If Mr. Weiner had been the referee, there would have been 35 yellow cards shown" Hoeness quipped. Kahn is on board too. "He has been branded. Everybody thinks now, ‘Foul, ah, Mark van Bommel, we have to react twice as much. I don’t think he would have got a red card internationally. In the Bundesliga, the referees whistle a little too often." And Mark, well you know Mark.... "Of course I have a bad reputation, I play to the limits in the game."
07. Speaking of Ottmar, he has now stepped forward to set a record with 192 matches as head coach. Ottmar has taken Bayern to a nine point lead atop the standings in the Bundesliga. The win against Bochum put him ahead of former coach Udo Lattek. Ottmar will reach 199 before the season is out which will be the new benchmark.
08. Keep an eye out... Pimp My Player coming ala Bayern style. ;)