By the Power of Grayskull…
By: Jan |
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…I have the power! Read the rest of this entry »
Category: Team News
the countdown for our captain’s return home quickens
By: klaus | 2 Comments
Köln moved to the planning stage of next year following a season ending 1-1 draw against Bochum at RheinEnergie Stadion. With thirty-nine points, Köln finished only a point behind Christoph Daum’s goal and can now look forward to Lukas Podolski’s return home.
Köln was once again without Milivoje Novakovič and Faryd Mondragón in the starting eleven with Adil Chihi and Thomas Kessler standing-in for the veterans. The visitors took the lead eighteen minutes in as Matias Concha sent a long diagonal cross from the right into the box that Diego Klimowicz got between Mišo Brečko and Pedro Geromel to head in. Köln was gifted the equalizing goal as Chihi’s corner from the right skipped into the box and was inadvertently headed into his own goal by Antar Yahia. Throughout the remainder of the match, Christoph Daum’s side had the majority of the scoring chances although the intensity level was definitely low and the match ended as a draw.
With the season complete, the countdown has went into high gear as our captain is coming home!
Category: Team NewsKöln plays spoiler against HSV
By: klaus | 3 Comments
Köln moved closer to Christoph Daum goals of forty points with a 1-0 defeat of Hamburg at Volksparkstadion. The victory simultaneously brings the two match slide to an end but also stakes Köln’s claim as the “spoiler” as the result pushes HSV’s once brilliant season on the verge of disaster as they have now slipped out of a spot in European football.
Once again Thomas Kessler was handled the goalkeeping duties with Faryd Mondragón out but Köln was further challenged without top-scorer Milivoje Novakovič, Pierre Wome and Youssef Mohamad. Surprising because of the poor quality defending Köln scored the only goal of the day nine minutes in as Kessler’s long ball down the middle was left unchallenged and after bouncing Fabrice Ehret held off Collin Benjamin for the ball and fired the ball in from twelve metres. How this evaded attention of both Guy Demel and Joris Mathijsen was surprising however the key fundamental error of proved to be the catalyst of Köln’s goal. For the balance of the match HSV were unable to press into the final third and picture perfect defending of Köln didn’t allow a single notable attempt challenge Thomas Kessler’s day.
Next Saturday RheinEnergieStadion will be the setting for the final match of the year as Köln welcomes Bochum.
Prior to the weekend, I wanted to thank those who have visited the blog and make you aware that I will be making my final post shortly after the game along with a summary.
Category: Team NewsKöln starts break early against Hoffenheim
By: klaus | 1 Comment
After last weeks victory over Bremen, Köln responded with a lifeless 2-0 loss to Hoffenheim. The best thing said of the match was the weather and with three remaining matches Christoph Daum will need to spark his side or May will play out like a series of forgettable friendlies.
Coming into the match Hoffenheim were in the midst of long win-less run but despite these problems, Köln laid back in a conservative approach. Comfortable with that approach the match was void of highlights till two minutes for the hour when Hoffenheim’s Sejad Salihović drove free-kick in from twenty-five metres to make it 1-0. Ten minutes later it was 2-0 as Demba Ba hit the back of the net from just outside the area. Down by two goals, Taner Yalçın, Adil Chihi and Kevin McKenna came into the match but still Köln lacked the fire to get back in to the match.
Category: Team Newseasy win
By: klaus | Add Comments
Köln eased closer to Christoph Daum forty-point target with a quiet 1-0 victory over Bremen at RheinEnergieStadion. The results ends a four match losing streak as Köln heads into the final four match-days of the year.
For the match Christoph Daum made a series of changes with Nemanja Vučićević, Kevin McKenna, Wilfried Sanou and Marvin Matip into the starting eleven. The match was clearly not of the highest level as Bremen was dealing with a Diego, Torsten Frings, Diego, Hugo Almeida and Mesut Özil out of the lineup in lieu of their UEFA Cup playing demands. After a few respectable chances by the visiting Bremen-side, Köln was able to slow down their advances and virtually left Faryd Mondragón undisturbed for the balance of the day. After a missed chance after the break Köln scored the winning goal at the sixty-first minute as Nemanja Vučićević’s cross was redirected in by Milivoje Novakovič from close range. Although future scoring chances by Köln came up short, Bremen made no threatening advances and match ended at 1-0 for the home side.
Category: Team NewsNemanja Vučićević led comeback falls short
By: klaus | Add Comments
Köln’s difficult Rückrunde play continued losing 2-1 to Hannover on Saturday. While on the surface relegation concerns might seem out of the question, with remaining matches against in-form Bremen, Hertha and HSV Christoph Daum’s side will need to grind out some tough points to avoid a late season catastrophe.
Köln started the match very positively and without Robert Enke leading Hannover the course of the day could have been much different. Tactical plans took a significant turn nineteen minutes in as against the general flow of play Christian Schulz sent a textbook long diagonal cross to a spot with Leon Andreasen showing incredible touch to volley softly in. If not enough to shelve Christoph Daum’s plans, twelve minutes later Arnold Bruggink sent Andreasen in alone on Faryd Mondragón and in quickly made it 2-0. Right after the break Nemanja Vučićević created the needed goal as his crossed as nodded in by Milivoje Novakovič. The goal ignited Köln, primarily through the work of Vučićević but they could not find the equalizer and lost 2-1.
Koln welcomes Bremen to RheinEnergieStadion next Sunday in need to points. Per the Hannover performance Nemanja Vučićević who went through some rough spots this year should return to the starting eleven.
Category: Team NewsStuttgart beats Geißböcke
By: klaus | Add Comments
April has been a tough month for Köln as they lost their third straight match, dropping 3-0 to Stuttgart on Saturday afternoon. Before a sold-out RheinEnergieStadion, die Geißböcke got off to a fast start with Milivoje Novakovič coming close to scoring only two minutes into the match before Ludovic Magnin cleared his header off the line. Still looking strong, Köln was creating the majority of attacking chances early but Stuttgart’s finishing was perfect. At the sixteenth minute Mario Gómez scored the first of his three goals with a close-range header of Roberto Hilbert pin-point cross. Visibly dejected Köln, looked for the equalizer but as the match wore on Stuttgart grew comfortable in defending and taking advantage of the counter-attack. Ten minutes after the break Pedro Geromel was outplayed for the ball by Cacau and after a missed challenge by Derek Boateng the Brazilian crossed to Gómez for goal number two of the day. With nineteen minutes left Thomas Hitzlsperger set Sami Khedira free on a perfect through-ball and with Gómez running to his left, he fed him the ball as ‘keeper Faryd Mondragón went to the ground for a simple finish.
Category: Team NewsGeißböcke lose in Dortmund
By: klaus | Add Comments
Christoph Daum’s goal of forty points will have to wait another day as Köln lost in Dortmund 3-1 on Saturday.
The match started well for die as they were clearly the aggressor. After an early attempt by Milivoje Novakovič was saved Köln took the lead ten minutes in as Fabrice Ehret moved into the area before side-footing the ball back to Nemanja Vučićević for a perfect finish to the far corner from fourteen metres. However after the goal the momentum slowly tipped in Dortmund’s favour and at times Faryd Mondragón’s goal seemed a shooting gallery target. The match was level at the twenty-ninth minute of a poor set-piece defending as Serbian international Neven Subotić broke free off his mark as sent nodded in Alexander Frei’s corner. Dortmund took the lead just before the fiftieth minute as Tamás Hajnal unleashed a powerful volley from outside the box after Mišo Brečko’s clearance of Alexander Frei’s cross came directly to him. Dortmund’s defending were now in-charge of the match as they wouldn’t allow Köln a decent opportunity to level. Finally with nine minutes left in the match any chance for points ended as Pedro Geromel scored a own-goal via a cross from Frei that looked to be heading wide.
Köln “welcomes” Stuttgart to RheinEnergieStadion on Saturday as they enter the final seven weeks of the season.
Category: Team NewsGeißböcke lose 2-0 to Leverkusen
By: klaus | Add Comments
Geißböcke supporters were handed another bitter derby loss as they fell 2-0 to Leverkusen. The loss leaves Köln mid-table and while ahead of Christoph Daum’s goals, they face difficult matches against Dortmund and Stuttgart over the next two weeks.
Without fail the match was tightly played and in the first forty-five minutes neither side had a significant attempt. If an when Leverkusen was able to launch a prospective effort Köln ‘keeper Faryd Mondragón was able to deal with it perfectly. After an extended period were both squads were limited in the final third Leverkusen broke through six minutes past the hour when what looked to be a harmless run of play exploded for a goal. A ball into the box for Simon Rolfes was played off to just as he met a challenge, to Stefan Kießling, who then scored to the opposite top corner from seven metres out. Needing extra attackers Herr Daum called Nemanja Vučićević and Adil Chihi into the match with under twenty minutes remaining but at the seventy-sixth minute Pedro Geromel was adjudged to bringing down Stefan Kießling and the spot was pointed to with Patrick Helmes converting. Geißböcke was unable to find a way back following the second goal and lost 2-0. It was a tough ending to the match because excluding the single run of play goal, Köln had worked their tactical plan perfectly and showed great solidarity.
Category: Team NewsLeverkusen in der Rückrunde nicht so stark
By: klaus | Add Comments
Derby day has arrived for Köln as Leverkusen visits. Trainer Christoph Daum’s job is nearly done as he has Geißböcke in perfect position for next years Bundesliga climb as Poldi arrives from Bayern.
Long before that there is another matter, starting with Köln “assisting” Leverkusen with its continued fall since the start of the Rückrunde. Once hopeful of winning a European spot they are the worst team in the Bunesliga since the restart are within striking distance of Die Geißböcke.
Köln’s only absences are Marvin Matip, Pierre Wome and Manasseh Ishiaku but they will need to careful of a highly motivated Leverkusen side trying to salvage anything from the year. “Atitude” is everything for this as Herr Daum said and rest assured nothing will be spared in this war.
Category: Team News
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