"Schalke have only trailed at the break on three occasions in the league this season, and Bayern took 81 minutes to break them down in the reverse fixture."
Lay Bayern in the Half Time market at 1.62
Bayern Munich v Schalke
Saturday February 04, 14:30
As usual, Bayern Munich are top of the pile in Germany, but it would be remiss of me to suggest that they are firing on all cylinders. Carlo Ancelotti's side needed a piece of late magic from Robert Lewandowski to win in Freiburg, and then they survived a jittery finish to win in Bremen last weekend.
Rather than controlling games from start to finish in the way that Pep Guardiola's Bayern often did, this version is relying on moments of individual brilliance. Fortunately for the Bavarian giants, they have players who can provide such dramatic interventions. Douglas Costa rescued a flat display at Darmstadt with a rocket of a shot, Lewandowski's wonderful goal gave his side an undeserved victory in Freiburg (Arjen Robben's words, not mine), and Robben scored a brutally-struck opener at the Weserstadion.
Schalke have had a rollercoaster of a season, with injuries hampering their progress throughout. The Royal Blues were awful in last weekend's defeat at home to Eintracht Frankfurt, but I'd always back their defence to be competitive. For example, they held Bayern at bay in the reverse fixture for 81 minutes, before Lewandowski and Joshua Kimmich delivered two late blows.
Schalke have only trailed at the break in three of their 18 Bundesliga games, and although I suspect Bayern will eventually wear them down, it might take a while. Schalke's strongest area is at centre-back, and they have conceded just eight first-half goals, a record only eclipsed by Bayern. The league leaders are trading at 1.62 in the Half Time market, and that's a price I'm willing to oppose.
Recommended Bet
Lay Bayern in the Half Time market at 1.62
Saturday February 04, 14:30
As usual, Bayern Munich are top of the pile in Germany, but it would be remiss of me to suggest that they are firing on all cylinders. Carlo Ancelotti's side needed a piece of late magic from Robert Lewandowski to win in Freiburg, and then they survived a jittery finish to win in Bremen last weekend.
Rather than controlling games from start to finish in the way that Pep Guardiola's Bayern often did, this version is relying on moments of individual brilliance. Fortunately for the Bavarian giants, they have players who can provide such dramatic interventions. Douglas Costa rescued a flat display at Darmstadt with a rocket of a shot, Lewandowski's wonderful goal gave his side an undeserved victory in Freiburg (Arjen Robben's words, not mine), and Robben scored a brutally-struck opener at the Weserstadion.
Schalke have had a rollercoaster of a season, with injuries hampering their progress throughout. The Royal Blues were awful in last weekend's defeat at home to Eintracht Frankfurt, but I'd always back their defence to be competitive. For example, they held Bayern at bay in the reverse fixture for 81 minutes, before Lewandowski and Joshua Kimmich delivered two late blows.
Schalke have only trailed at the break in three of their 18 Bundesliga games, and although I suspect Bayern will eventually wear them down, it might take a while. Schalke's strongest area is at centre-back, and they have conceded just eight first-half goals, a record only eclipsed by Bayern. The league leaders are trading at 1.62 in the Half Time market, and that's a price I'm willing to oppose.
Recommended Bet
Lay Bayern in the Half Time market at 1.62
Augsburg v Werder Bremen
Sunday February 05, 14:30
Live on BT Sport
Werder Bremen are deep in relegation trouble, but there was something encouraging about the way they pushed both Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich hard in a pair of 2-1 home defeats. The Bremen attack is really starting to click - Max Kruse is scoring goals now that he is fit, and Serge Gnabry's progress after a period of stagnation at Arsenal has been a big boost. New signing Thomas Delaney has also hit the ground running after his switch from Copenhagen, giving the Werder midfield some added bite.
The problem, as it always is with Werder, is the defence. The northerners have the worst rearguard in the top flight, having leaked 38 goals in just 18 games. In three of the last four calendar years, Bremen have conceded the most goals in the Bundesliga, so this is a chronic issue.
Augsburg are more circumspect, although they are trying to play more attractive football now under new coach Manuel Baum. The Swabians have the second-worst attack in the league, having scored just 15 goals, but even they should find some gaps to exploit against leaky Werder.
Werder have played 18 Bundesliga games this season, and 16 of them have seen both teams score. That's the outcome I'm predicting this weekend.
Recommended Bet
Back Both Teams To Score at 1.88
Eintracht Frankfurt v Darmstadt
Sunday February 05, 16:30
Live on BT Sport
Torsten Frings could hardly have picked a tougher way to start his Bundesliga coaching career. As Viktor Skripnik's assistant, he successfully fought a tense relegation battle last season, but was jettisoned along with Skripnik earlier this term. He is now trying to take the Bundesliga's bottom team to safety.
I said at the start of the season in this column that I felt Darmstadt had the weakest squad in the Bundesliga, and that they would finish bottom of the standings. I've seen nothing to change my mind, and last weekend's shambolic 6-1 home defeat to FC Koln reinforced that view. After that defeat Frings was understandably furious, and he slammed the lack of commitment shown by defender Florian Jungwirth, who has since moved to the MLS.
Ahead of this Hessen derby, Eintracht Frankfurt are on a high after an excellent 1-0 win at Schalke. A well-worked free-kick saw Alex Meier score the only goal of the game, and then Frankfurt did what they do best, restricting the opposition with a superb defensive display. All three of their chief centre-backs, Jesus Vallejo, David Abraham and Makoto Hasebe, are having excellent seasons.
Frankfurt have won three of their last four home games in the league, and they haven't been beaten at the Commerzbank Arena since April. Bayern Munich were held here, and Borussia Dortmund were beaten. Even in the high-pressure environment of a derby that means a lot to both sets of fans, the Eagles should have no problem against a team that is desperately short of quality and confidence.
Recommended Bet
Back Eintracht Frankfurt -1.0 on the Asian Handicap at 2.10
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