New Coach But no Change of Fortune for Red Shorts

Hamburg has changed managers but it cannot change playing personnel and, therefore, one expects the Red Shorts to suffer another German Bundesliga defeat when they visit Berlin to play sixth-placed Hertha on Saturday.

Bruno Labbadia paid the price for Hamburg’s winless start to the German Bundesliga, the Red Shorts losing four divisional games on the spin since Ingolstadt held them to a 1-1 home draw in the opening round. Former Hoffenheim coach Markus Gisdol is the new Hamburg boss – German Bundesliga teams tend to make snap hiring decisions – but he does not have the ability to transform the Red Shorts starting line-up because of the transfer window being shut until January.

Labbadia lost his job because, basically, Hamburg is a very ordinary side that is going to have to fight for its German Bundesliga life. According to influential magazine kicker’s detailed player ratings, Hamburg has been the worst team in the German Bundesliga this season, whereas the publication ranks Hertha seventh out of the division’s 18 sides.

Hertha and Hamburg have had three common German Bundesliga opponents and two of those collateral form lines – the ones featuring Freiburg and Ingolstadt – favour the Blue-Whites. The third involves Bayern Munchen and, while it favours Hamburg, one is inclined to place greater emphasis on the other German Bundesliga collateral form lines because the Bavarians are head and shoulders above the majority of their domestic rivals and their matches can become blow outs.

Marathonbet is offering odds of 2.06Bet €100 to win €20653/50Bet £100 to win £206+106Bet $100 to win $2061.06Bet HK$100 to win HK$2061.06Bet Rp100 to win Rp206-0.9434Bet RM100 to win RM206  about Hertha posting its third consecutive German Bundesliga home victory over Hamburg when one was expecting the Blue-Whites to be well into odds-on territory across the board. Hertha won last term’s corresponding German Bundesliga fixture 3-0 and Hamburg has not score a goal in Berlin since 2012.

Just two positions separate Bayern Munchen and Koln on the German Bundesliga ladder but one expects the gap between the teams to be quite stark when the top-of-the-table Bavarians host the Billy Goats at the Allianz Arena on Saturday.

Seven of the 18 German Bundesliga teams have fired off fewer shots than they have had to defend and Koln is the highest ranked of them – the Billy Goats have a German Bundesliga shots difference of minus 12, whereas Bayern Munchen is on plus 53. German Bundesliga analysts have been praising the quality of Koln’s defence but surely the Billy Goats are going to slide down the ladder if those numbers are any guide. And that slide may start in earnest this weekend.

Bayern has conceded one goal in its five German Bundesliga games and, at home to a Koln side that may not pose much of an offensive threat, the Bavarians are worth supporting at odds of 1.83Bet €100 to win €18383/100Bet £100 to win £183-120Bet $100 to win $1830.83Bet HK$100 to win HK$183-1.20Bet Rp100 to win Rp1830.8300Bet RM100 to win RM183  with Paddy Power to post another win to nil.

Finally, there is a crystal clear argument for backing both teams to score when Leverkusen and Dortmund clash in a heavyweight German Bundesliga bout on Saturday, a wagering option that is available at odds of 1.57Bet €100 to win €15757/100Bet £100 to win £157-175Bet $100 to win $1570.57Bet HK$100 to win HK$157-1.75Bet Rp100 to win Rp1570.5700Bet RM100 to win RM157  with several bookmakers, including BoyleSports and Paddy Power.

Both sides have scored in four of Leverkusen’s five German Bundesliga matches and eight of the Factory Team’s last nine divisional games spanning the summer break. Leverkusen has played eight matches across all competitions this season and eight of them have not featured a single clean sheet.

Three of Dortmund’s five German Bundesliga games have seen both teams score and, generally, the Black and Yellows struggle to shut out strong sides such as Leverkusen.

Tips Summary

Hertha Berlin to beat Hamburg
Saturday 1st October, 14:30 GMT
Odds: 2.06Bet €100 to win €20653/50Bet £100 to win £206+106Bet $100 to win $2061.06Bet HK$100 to win HK$2061.06Bet Rp100 to win Rp206-0.9434Bet RM100 to win RM206

Bayern Munich to Win to Nil
Saturday 1st October, 14:30 GMT
Odds: 1.83Bet €100 to win €18383/100Bet £100 to win £183-120Bet $100 to win $1830.83Bet HK$100 to win HK$183-1.20Bet Rp100 to win Rp1830.8300Bet RM100 to win RM183

Dortmund v Leverkusen – Both Teams to Score
Saturday 1st October, 17:30 GMT
Odds: 1.57Bet €100 to win €15757/100Bet £100 to win £157-175Bet $100 to win $1570.57Bet HK$100 to win HK$157-1.75Bet Rp100 to win Rp1570.5700Bet RM100 to win RM157