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David and the Bayern Giant

11/30/2014

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It is Saturday and Berlin finds itself under a cool grey blanket of cloud.  My outside thermometer says just 1°C and I suspect visiting Bayern will get a reception in the Olympiastadion today that is at least as cool.

Layers of clothing have been made ready for this afternoon and it appears my better half is going to be wearing everything!  Having said this, and although it will be an annoying number of "red ants" there, it will be great to see the Olympiastadion full to capacity.  I'm so looking forward to the atmosphere.

There is no need to say much about our chances against Goliath, he is a big and ugly opponent but hey, David did it in the old testament so why not here in Berlin?
A few hours later -
Well, David did not bring down Goliath this time but he had a pretty good stab at it and the atmosphere lived up to expectations as well!

You can see and hear a small sample of what it was like in the video clip shown here - please turn the volume right up to get the full effect!!  

Hertha only managed to have about 21% of the possession and only one shot at goal but they kept the Bavarian giant under wraps apart from the decider that came from Robben in the 27th minute. Hertha worked hard and fought hard right up until the end. Bayern, for all their possession were limited to just the one goal by Hertha players closing them down. Having said this, Thomas Kraft did a great job between the posts and plucked parried and blocked for all he was worth - and he's worth quite a lot!

This all leaves the bottom half of the table pretty tight. Although Hertha are only three points from the bottom of the table they are only two points from the middle of the table as well. Every single point could be vital with so little separating so much in terms of survival. Aiming for at least a point away at M'Gladbach is a must. To do that Hertha must defend as well but also, they must score. Fingers crossed!

Here are a few photos to give you a snapshot of the afternoon.

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Visiting a Goat and hosting a giant

11/24/2014

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Hertha were away to Köln on match day 12 after a terrible run of form where they lost to Hannover '96 at home and away to SC Paderborn but also Armenia Bielefeld in the DFB-Pokal. 

The game was shown over the Internet in the UK on BT Sport which meant UK based fans could at least see the match clearly. 

The importance of bringing home points to Berlin could hardly be emphasised enough bearing in mind Hertha will be facing Bayern, M'Gladbach and a wounded Dortmund before the winter break.  Although the Old Lady came home with all three points even a die-hard Hertha fan would struggle to say the match was pretty.  Hertha did score twice but the shots picked up wicked deflections on the way in.  Not pretty but did any Hertha fan care?  I think not! 
PictureFive points from the bottom but t could be worse

The win lifts Hertha just three points clear of the drop zone in the table.  This is especially true as Hertha are hosting the giants of the Bundesliga Bayern München during match day 13. 

I'm not sure I want to mention that it's match day 13 - "unlucky for some" but it's too late - I just have!  Come what may, I'll be there and whatever the outcome I'll be there to cheer on the old lady against BVB as well.

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25 Jahre Mauerfall - the weekend

11/8/2014

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As I have said in my previous post this weekend is the 25th anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down.  You would have to have been living on the moon not to have realised as the international press are all over Berlin like a rash.  Twitter is alive with photos of balloons from countless locals and visitors alike.  I intend to add a few photos of my own to the slideshow below to give a snapshot of the weekend if you're not able to be here. Enjoy!
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This weekend the balloon goes up

11/5/2014

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This weekend sees the 25th anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down. I can remember people saying at the time "this will change everything", and indeed it has. Some would argue not all the changes are for the good. On one side the costs were astronomical and the other the loss of a way of life with guaranteed work and healthcare. Few would miss the darker side of the old east however.

Celebrations and commemorations are planned for the 9th with balloons marking the route of some of the wall. It should be quite spectacular over the weekend and I will expand on my normal football theme on this occasion and a few photos will appear after the weekend.

As for Hertha, what a truly appalling week they've had. Being knocked out of the DFB Pokal by third tier Bielefeld and then the away loss to newly promoted Paderborn on Sunday was not the run up to the celebrations in Berlin any fan would have hoped for.

On Friday evening Hannover '96 visit the Olympiastadion to face a Hertha that has sadly, when playing away, appeared more invisible than invincible. At home however they more confidence, score goals and fight back with gusto. Perhaps the wall of sound from the fans will help drive them forward.

H'96 are five points and seven places above us in the table so this will not be easy. They are no struggling Hamburg so you would be optimistic indeed to hope for another 3:0. We will have to fight for this to secure three more vital points. With the next two matches coming up we may be heading for a lean spell with Bayern being Bayern and BVB becoming increasingly desperate. Dortmund's luck will change sooner or later but let's hope it will be later! It may be hard to get anything from those two games and then it's Hoffenheim before Christmas. With tough games at home and an away form that leaves much to be desired there is a lot of work to be done.

Hertha could have difficult times ahead but they have tremendous support and that counts for a lot. If needs be we'll have to blow them over the line from the stands! If not, the balloon may go up in Berlin in more ways than one.

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