Look out! Bochum is in real trouble. With 4 games and 12 points to play for in this campaign, they sit just 3 points ahead of Arminia Bielefeld with a dwindling +5 goal difference. Undoubtedly Marcel Koller saw tonight’s fixture at home against Hannover 96, the only side not to win on the road this season, as a win that would have almost assuredly have put them out of reach of the relegation zone. Unfortunately his team forgot to show up. His central pairing of Yahia and Maltritz was terrible, his midfield seemed uninterested and his attack lacked an industry. Hannover on the other hand, made two solid first half goals count as they relied on the brilliance of Robert Enke to keep their lead during a late surge by Bochum. Hannover won handily 2–0, on goals by Bruggink and Balitsch, and find themselves safe for the season.

With three of their four remaining games on the road, Bochum, who has won only two away all season, will be hard pressed to find any points in tough away fixtures in Berlin, Hamburg or Koln. Their only home match will be against Eintracht Frankfurt, but with four losses in a row, there is reason to worry about that match as well. So with few points to be seen in the final four games, both Arminia Bielefeld and even Borussia Monchengladbach could squeak by them.

Say Bochum only have one more point in them all season, then the two other relegation candidates mentioned above only need 4 and 5 points respectively to pass them. With both having easier run-ins, it is quite possible. Gladbach have Cottbus and Leverkusen road games, where there is a possibility of points as well as a home match on the final day against Dortmund, who may not show up if Europe isn’t a possibility. Meanwhile, Arminia have an away match as well to Leverkusen (and who can’t win at the LDU?*) as well as home ties with Hoffenheim and a now safe Hannover.

I find it hard to see where Bochum can hold off Arminia. Bochum might be faced with hoping that the great escape artists Energie Cottbus fall apart and stay one behind them. Of course Cottbus face Karlsruhe this weekend and that faint hope could soon be gone.

It’s no wonder that the Bochum faithful were so harsh on the players tonight.

* The answer: Bayer Leverkusen

The Deutsche Presse Agentur released a poll yesterday about predictions for the upcoming season. Bayern Munich was the unanimous favorite of Bundesliga coaches to repeat as champions. The most common reason given was the quality of Jürgen Klinsmann’s squad. What follows is a hasty translation of what each of the 18 gaffers had to say about Bayern Münich beginning with Klinsmann himself and the rest following in alphabetical order:

Jürgen Klinsmann (Bayern München): “Our own expectation is that we will be German champions. Titles are expected at Bayern.”

Edmund Becker (Karlsruher SC): “Bayern Munich are the favorites. Schalke and Bremen could try to exert some pressure on them from behind.”

Christoph Daum (1. FC Köln): “The title goes through Bayern Munich, because they have the best personnel by far. After that probably comes Schalke and Bremen, while I’m very excited about Wolfsburg, who have invested a lot in new arrivals.”

Lucien Favre (Hertha BSC): “Bayern Munich, because they have the best squad. Schalke and Werder will try to make life hard for them.”

Michael Frontzeck (Arminia Bielefeld ): “Bayern Munich have, by a wide distance, the best squad. Six national team players sit on the bench there. Bremen, Hamburg, Wolfsburg and Schalke will be on their tail.”

Friedhelm Funkel (Eintracht Frankfurt): “Bayern Munich, because they have the strongest squad, professional management and the best prerequisites. ”

Dieter Hecking (Hannover 96): “Last year I said Schalke, this time even I’m betting on Bayern Munich. I hope, however, that their dominance isn’t so marked.”

Martin Jol (Hamburger SV): “Bayern Munich are favorites for the championship every season.”

Jürgen Klopp (Borussia Dortmund): “Bayern are always the favorites. They have the most options and the best squad. I’m really thankful that Jürgen Klinsmann introduced to the public training methods that we Bundesliga coaches have been using for years. It’s that old song: If 12 sandbags in Mainz are knocked over, no one’s interested. With the national team or at Bayern a single grain would suffice.”

Marcel Koller (VfL Bochum): “The usual suspects will be playing for the championship: Bayern Munich, Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen, maybe a surprise team as well. But Bayern are the clear favorites. They have the best quality squad.”

Bruno Labbadia (Bayer Leverkusen): “Bayern are, considering both the quality and quantity of their players, the best positioned.”

Jos Luhukay (Borussia Mönchengladbach): “Bayern München!”

Felix Magath (VfL Wolfsburg): “Bayern Munich will be champions. We want to affirm our pre-season position and reach an international competition once again.”

Bojan Prasnikar (Energie Cottbus): “My tip is Bayern Munich. They haven’t lost any key personnel and strengthened their squad. There isn’t another team in the Bundesliga with access to such a high quality, balanced squad.”

Ralf Rangnick (1899 Hoffenheim): “I think that Bayern, as usual, will get the title.”

Fred Rutten (Schalke 04): “Bayern Munich are always favorites in the Bundesliga, but Schalke have progressed well over the years and are always playing near the top. We want to do that again this year.”

Thomas Schaaf (Werder Bremen): “Bayern are once more the class of the league. But all the teams who were at the top last season have a shot again at the title.”

Armin Veh (VfB Stuttgart): “Bayern Munich are the odds-on favorites. Whoever has the biggest budget and spends the most money is favored. That’s how it is in this business.”