Do you guys think Hamburg can win the title off Bayern with a steal? Why?

Why has Hamburg been so succesful this year?

Hm, I think Bayern has the easier games towards the end and I can´t see Hamburg win all the last 4 ones, although I would like to see the HSV on top at the end.

Hamburg has invested a lot of money and they have bought really good players. It was foreseeable that they will play a great season.

I would be nice to see HSV knock Bayern of their merry little post, but the likelihood that it will happen is very slim, neither of them have other commitments in cups anymore (apart from Bayerns Duetscher Pokal and thats after the end of the season), so they will both concentrate entirely on the league matches and I can't see Bayern dropping 2 games this late in the season....... saying that stranger things have happened in the later weeks of the bundesliga before.

As for why Hamburg are so good this year I reckon is because they took their time to rebuild correctly over the last couple of years and each season have brought a new KEY player in as building blocks to success.... They didn't do it in one big bang and wonder why they have a team of stars that don't seem to be playing as a team, this is a story that's seen way to often imo. If you look at it over the past couple of seasons they have spent their money intelligently.... didn't spread it too thin and try to cover the gaps with quantity instead of quality. They bought in Van Buyten a couple of years ago with Lauth, then chocked up the midfield with Trochowski and van der Vaart and filled up the back with Atouba. Adding these players to the talent that they already had, it makes for a pretty good team that has been a while in the making. Good Planning

I can see it happen that Hamburg catch us, you never know, they are in the zone this season and they can do it. On the other hand I can't see Bayern lose that 4 point gap with 4 games left.
Take Hamburgs remaining fixtures out of consideration, Bayern are absolutely able to win 3 of their last 4 games.

23.04.06 17:30 1.FSV Mainz 05 : FC Bayern München
03.05.06 20:00 FC Bayern München : VfB Stuttgart
06.05.06 15:30 1.FC Kaiserslautern : FC Bayern München
13.05.06 15:30 FC Bayern München : Borussia Dortmund

I mean, with trips to 2 relegation troubled teams left and home games for the leagues best home team vs Stuttgart and Dortmund who should both be beaten IMO Bayern should win the race.

As for Hamburg, they still have to play against three top 6 sides which is obviously the more difficult run-in compared to Bayern.

22.04.06 15:30 Hamburger SV : Bayer 04 Leverkusen
02.05.06 20:00 1.FC Köln : Hamburger SV
06.05.06 15:30 Hertha BSC Berlin : Hamburger SV
13.05.06 15:30 Hamburger SV : Werder Bremen

It all speaks for Bayern, but you never know.


I think Hamburg are that good this season because they spent good money over the last years.
In their goal they can choose from 2 decent guys.
In defence, they brought in van Buyten&Boulharouz for the centre back position, Atouba who didn't made it at Spurs at left back and Demel who didn't made it at Dortmund is an excellent backup for the RB and CB positions.
In midfield van der Vaart and Trochowski brought in more creativity, more fresh spirit. De Jong should be a dominant central defensive midfielder in a couple of years. The rest with Wicky or Beinlich brings in the needed experience.
The big problem is still the attack even Lauth and Ailton score lately, they lack a consistent goal getter IMO.
Barbarez, the old man, is still top class and sets up his teammates big time this season.

But it's not just the new players, it's also the new mentality, I call it "Bayern Munich spirit".
They don't play too well several times but score their 1-0 and control the game afterwards out of their quality defence, prime example was last saturday vs Duisburg. Just as Bayern did vs Bielefeld the same day.
That's what can make them serious contenders, maybe not this year but in further years.

I really believe that hamburg can still pull of the league win. Im not even just saying this because I want them to but there is still a chance for Bayern to drop a few stray points here and there. Lately they have not been on their best form. Hope to see Hamburg to take the league.

Hamburg has a great opportunity but only if they keep pushing Bayern. Had they won on the weekend i'd be leaning more towards them but they let that one slip. It's been refreshing to see them push so hard, I was reading an article earlier in the season about van der Vaart and Hamburg, it was interesting but shows that any club can make a title push regardless of history, it's about the spirit.

Well, it's a 5 point difference now with 3 games left.
I can't see Bayern get just 4 or fewer points out of their last matches as they have a pretty nice late run-in with 2 home games.
Hamburg on the other hand should have won last saturday, looking on their trips to red hot Cologne and Uefa Cup fighting Berlin I can't see them win all 3 games. But that's what it takes to keep the chance alive.

So I think the race is pretty much done and that Bayern will either win the title after the match with Stuttgart or at latest after the game at Kaiserslautern, depending on Hamburg's result at Cologne.