Canucks in Germany - April 2010 Edition

[Guest Ed]

More lower league action as the Regional Leagues try to catch up on all those postponed games from Feb/Mar.

In the Regional League Nord, Riley O'Neill opens the scoring and SV Wilhelmshaven go on to a 2-1 win over hosts FC Oberneuland in a match rescheduled from the weekend of 13-14th Feb.

In the Regional League West, Massih Wassey has a back problem and misses a 0-0 draw between his side FC Schalke 04 and Waldhof Mannheim, another make up game, from the first weekend in March.

[Guest Ed]

For those unfamiliar with the Bundesliga, this writer is very informative. Latest article addresses the lack of familiar teams stting atop the Bundesliga year after year (unlike the EPL for instance).

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=770148&sec=europe&root=europe&cc=5901

[Guest Ed]

Haven't been able to find a decent game report but Energie Cottbus' U19's were ousted from the DFB Junioren Cup (Junior FA Cup) on Sunday, losing in the semi-finals to Hoffenheim.

Would have been nice to see Latendresse-Levesque in a big final.

[Guest Ed]

Friday

Bundesliga 1

With Mohamed still suspended, McKenna starts again in central defence as FC Koeln (8W-10D-12L - 34 pts - 13th) visit VfL Bochum (6W-10D-14L - 28 pts - 15th). With just 4 games left in the season, Koeln still are not completely safe from relegation and could put Bochum in jeopardy with a win.

Saturday

Bundesliga 1

Borussian Moenchengladbach (10W-7D-13L - 37 pts - 11th) travel to take on hot FC Schalke 04 (17W-7D-6L - 58 pts - 2nd) on Saturday, with Friend still out injured. Stalteri likely out of the game day 18.

Bundesliga 2

FC St Pauli (18W-4D-8L - 58 pts - 2nd) are away to FC Union Berlin (9W-11D-10L - 38 pts - 11th) with Jonathan Beaulieu-Bourgault potentially with the 18 man travelling squad.

FSV Frankfurt (8W-8D-14L - 32 pts - 16th) have a real relegation battle ahead for them as they travel to take on Hansa Rostock (9W-5D-16L - 32 pts - 15th). A win for Frankfurt would be massive as they trail Rostock, the last 'safe' team, by just goal differential. Looks like Nik Ledgerwood will start on the bench for this game.

Sunday

Bundesliga 2

FC Energie Cottbus (11W-7D-12L - 40 pts - 10th) hope to keep things rolling after 3 wins in a row as they are away to Rot-Weiss Oberhausen (11W-4D-15L - 37 pts - 14th) with Adam Straith expected to start at right back.

[Guest Ed]

With McKenna wearing the armband again at centre back, FC Koeln are off to a 1-0 lead over hosts VfL Bochum, 20 minutes in.

A comfortable 2-0 win at the end. FC Koeln are on a bit of a run of late, with 3 wins and a draw in their last 5 games. Not a bad time of year for that.

[Guest Ed]

I think we have our right back going into the future. Check out Adam Straith, one minute into these highlights!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-fiv0YoSGg

[tmcmurph]

I think we have our right back going into the future. Check out Adam Straith, one minute into these highlights!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-fiv0YoSGg

Sweet moves. No wonder they paid for him. Smooth, quick feet, good control, confident. If he can keep progressing like this then he has serious potential for CMNT for sure.

[yomurphy1]

^ Cap him Please!!! Those moves were dirtyy and he's 6'2.

[Mazha]

Great mid-field moves, and wasn't that Straith as well with that cross-field pass that lead to the Cottbus first goal?

[BearcatSA]

I think we have our right back going into the future. Check out Adam Straith, one minute into these highlights!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-fiv0YoSGg

That's one confident kid! If he's consistently that comfortable on the ball, that's massive. It would be great to see him on the radar of a bigger Bundesliga 1 club, wouldn't it?

[Guest Ed]

'Gladbach lose to FC Schalke 4-1, no Canucks involved.

Big win for FSV Frankfurt 2-1 over Hansa Rostock, Nik going 90 in midfield.

Adam goes 90 at right back for Cottbus but they lose 4-1 away to RW Oberhausen.

Surprising 2-1 loss for FC St Pauli to Union Berlin, no JBB.

[FCH]

Some pictures from Saturdays game Hansa-Fsv Frankfurt. Not sure if Nick is captured in one or two of them. It still hurts like hell.

http://www.bornheim.net/fsv/

[masster]

Straith gets a poor score of 5:

http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/2bundesliga/spieltag/2-bundesliga/2009-10/31/938579/spielanalyse_rot-weiss-oberhausen-101_energie-cottbus-78.html

Ledgerwood gets a 4 and a yellow card:

http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/2bundesliga/spieltag/2-bundesliga/2009-10/31/938586/spielanalyse_hansa-rostock-3_fsv-frankfurt-1295.html

[jpg75]

The weird thing is that Straith has had more than his fair share of 4,0 - 5,0's this season, yet he's in the Cottbus squad every week...

http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/2bundesliga/vereine/2-bundesliga/2009-10/energie-cottbus-78/54890/spieler_straith-adam.html

[masster]

On average, Ledgerwood has probably been worse!

http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/2bundesliga/vereine/2-bundesliga/2009-10/fsv-frankfurt-1295/30995/spieler_nikolas-ledgerwood.html

[jpg75]

On average, Ledgerwood has probably been worse!

http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/2bundesliga/vereine/2-bundesliga/2009-10/fsv-frankfurt-1295/30995/spieler_nikolas-ledgerwood.html

Oh geez, yeah, Nik with a 4.25 avg compared to 3.94 for Straith.

[Guest Ed]

Just a couple of lower league updates:

Riley O'Neill goes 90 up front with SV Wilhelmshaven in a 2-0 loss to SV Babelsburg in the Regional League Nord on Friday.

In that same league, JBB goes 90 in midfield as FC St Pauli reserves are beaten 3-0 by Hamburger SV reserves on Saturday.

In the Regional League West, Gianluca Zavarise subbed out of midfield at the half as his VfL Bochum reserves are beaten 4-1 by FC Koeln reserves on Friday. Massih Wassey goes 90 minutes as an attacking left side m/f in a scoreless draw between his FC Schalke reserves and SC Verl on Saturday. Maycoll Canizales and Alex Elliott are absent from their respective clubs as SC Bonner beat Mainz 05 reserves 1-0 on Saturday.

In the A-Junioren Bundesliga Nord/Nordost division, Julian Latendresse-Levesque is the keeper for Energie Cottbus U19's as they lose 1-0 to Hannover 96. And Srdjan Gajic goes 90 minutes as a right-sided midfield in a 5-0 romp for RW Erfurt over Holstein Kiehl.

In the West division, Jaineil Hoilett scores the opener for Mainz 05 as they go on to beat Hoffenheim 3-2 in their quest to repeat as U19 German champions.

[Mazha]

Don't forget, Straith turned 19 just 7 months ago and has already managed 18 starts in Bundasliga 2 matches.

His ave. might not be that great but, not too bad for a non-European teenager. More games; more confidence.

[nolando]

Don't forget, Straith turned 19 just 7 months ago and has already managed 18 starts in Bundasliga 2 matches.

His ave. might not be that great but, not too bad for a non-European teenager. More games; more confidence.

...and Ledgerwood is already 25 which seems hard to believe since he's only fared in three games for the MNT and he's been talked about so often around here

[Keegan]

...and Ledgerwood is already 25 which seems hard to believe since he's only fared in three games for the MNT and he's been talked about so often around here

Ledgerwood needs to step it up if he ever wants to be a Canada regular or he is going to be passed over by all the youngsters coming up

[jpg75]

Don't forget, Straith turned 19 just 7 months ago and has already managed 18 starts in Bundasliga 2 matches.

His ave. might not be that great but, not too bad for a non-European teenager. More games; more confidence.

I just find it odd that a young player would keep getting a chance to play when he keeps getting rated so low. Guess the manager is trying to show faith and sees the long-term benefit of playing him...or the people rating at Kicker have it out for him ; )

Ledgerwood has had a flat career trajectory and that usually means he's not going to get much better than he is - which is a fringe B2 player.

[Guest Ed]

Kicker does rate players low and if you lose a game, your rating suffers. There's not a big difference in the ratings of the Cottbus defenders who have seen the bulk of action.

2. Bundesliga Topspieler 2009/10

Pl. Spieler Verein Position Spiele benotet Ø Note

1 Brzenska, Markus Energie Cottbus Abwehr 28 28 3,55

2 Burca, Ovidiu 29 29 3,74

3 Bittroff, Alexander 19 17 3,76

4 Straith, Adam 20 18 3,94

Stand: Do. 22.04. 07:03 Uhr

[frank_e]

Don´t make the mistake to look to much on the rating. I fully agree that for Adam it is a big success starting so often this year with only 19 years. Coach Wollitz will build up a new team with an ooutlook and it seems that he plays a good role.

Nik is a team player, always in duty of the team and scored at the Betzenberg. As a coach I would be happy to have such a player in my squad. He never complained and plays his role whereever he was lined up...

[Keegan]

Don´t make the mistake to look to much on the rating. I fully agree that for Adam it is a big success starting so often this year with only 19 years. Coach Wollitz will build up a new team with an ooutlook and it seems that he plays a good role.

Nik is a team player, always in duty of the team and scored at the Betzenberg. As a coach I would be happy to have such a player in my squad. He never complained and plays his role whereever he was lined up...

No question he is a valuable player to a club team because he is so versatile im just worried that won't matter as much for a national squad who will always be able to call up replacement players I wan't to see him on Canada but he needs to be more than just a versatile player he needs to be an impact player

[Guest Ed]

Weekend Preview

Friday

Bundesliga 2

FC St Pauli (18W-4D-9L- 58 pts - 2nd) face TuS Koblenz (7W-8D-16L - 19 pts - 17th) as the Hamburg side try to maintain their precarious hold on 2nd place (1st 2 spots earn automatic promotion to Bundesliga 1). JBB might be with the side as it is a home game.

Saturday

Bundesliga 1

Borussia Moenchengladbach (10W-7D-14L - 37 pts - 12th) have it tough as they host league leaders FC Hollywood Bayern Munich (18W-9D-4L - 63 pts - 1st). Rob Friend may start depending on how the coach lines up Reus (strker vs midfield) and whether he starts both Bobadilla and Coulatti up front.

In the late game, a tough opponent for FC Koeln (9W-10D-12L - 37 pts - 11th) as well as they are away to Werder Bremen (15W-9D-7L - 54 pts - 3rd). Despite his solid appearances at the back in the last two games, Kevin McKenna will likely start on the bench as Mohamed is back from suspension.

Sunday

Bundesliga 2

Nik Ledgerwood will be on the bench it seems as FSV Frankfurt (9W-8D-14L - 35 pts - 15th) host red-hot FC Augsburg (16W-9D-6L - 57 pts - 3rd). Frankfurt are desperate to stay ahead of Hansa Rostock who they beat last week in their huge relegation battle but Rostock have it even worse as they are away to first place Kaiserslautern.

Monday

Bundesliga 2

Energie Cottbus (11W-7D-13L - 40 pts - 10th) host their leg of the Brandenburg derby as FC Union Berlin (10W-11D-10L - 41 pts - 10th) come to town. No lineups as yet but expect Adam Straith to start.