New Shirt, New Sponsor, New Season….New Optimisim??
After 104 days the Bundesliga is back for the 52nd season! There was the little thing about the FIFA world cup to tide us all over during that time so this football summer was a little more bearable than others.
12 months ago Hannover opened their season, coincidently also against Schalke. The feeling 12 months ago was distinctly different, we were playing Euorpa League football for the second consecutive season and had a real feeling that we could beat anyone. Mirko Slomka had Mame Diouf and Ya Konan scoring goals for fun and Huszti providing assists like there was no tomorrow! Despite not playing the best that day we were helped by an early sending off for Schalke and went on to win the game by 2 goals (Hustzi and Diouf) to 1 (Szalai)….and also by 10 men to Schalkes 9 men. Belief was high for the coming season. Alas, a managerial change during the christmas break and a couple of loan signings saw us secure another season in the Bundesliga and finish a respectable (if not disappointing) 10th place.
This summer Hannover have been busy “wheeling and dealing” with 9 new players coming in and 5 players returning from loan. However, the main talking points are who has left. Mame Diouf gone to Stoke, Ya Konan gone to Al-Ittihad, Huszti gone to Changchun Yatai and not to forget Captain America, Steven Cherundolo retiring after 15 years at the club. Can we cope without these players? Who will be our playmaker? Who will score all the goals?? These questions and many many more will be answered over the next 9 months and 34 game days.
The atmosphere walking through Hannover heading to the stadium was in stark contrast to 12 months ago. The belief seemed to not be there, there was no overt shouting and singing on the streets and in the buses and trains. Fans making their way to the stadium not sure what to feel; fear…joy…anxiety…trepidation at playing one of the perennial “big boys” in German football, or all of the above.
Entering the stadium 20 mins before kick off and the we were greeted to a sea of Blue and White. The Schalke travelling support was immense, they had taken up their allotted allocation and about 4 times more. The whole south-west corner was drenched in blue that extended into the west stand and there were blue shirts dotted through the stadium. Looking at the team sheet for Schalke and the fear started to grow, world cup winners and experienced internationals everywhere. The joy that I had coming back “home” to the HDI arena after 104 days started to turn to trepidation.
Despite all the new signings, there was only 4 changes from the team that ended last season with the 3-2 win against Freiburg. If new club captain Lars Stindl was fit, that number would only be 3. People were wondering if new signing Joselu can take the place of Diouf, Ya Konan or Huszti, personally I was hoping he would take over from all 3 but only time will tell.
The game kicked off and upper section of the North stand seemed to be a bit empty. The Ultras, in protest of the board, are boycotting the professional team and starting to support the U23’s instead. The normally loud, singing, atmosphere-inducing Ultras were gone, instead some empty seats and like an orchestra without the conductor the normally vocal home support was overshadowed by the thousands of Schalke supporters who were signing and shouting and boy were they singing and shouting. Now my trepidation is turing to fear.
The first half was a tight affair with only a few set pieces for Hannover looking like only way for Hannover to get on the scoresheet. With no real open chances I started to focus on the two new arrivals I had high hopes for, Joselu and Mikko Albornoz. While Albornoz was relatively ineffective there were some glimpses of Joselu and what he is capable of. I liked what I saw, nice movement, few tricks up his sleeve. His link up play was smooth and he seemed to be on the same wavelength as his teammates and in 36th minute some nice play between Edgar Prib and Joselu saw the latter free on the edge of the box to take his first shot in anger as a “Red”. This time he pulled his shot wide. Still we had no organising singing from the home fans. Shortly before half time a superb turn and shot from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar brought out a wonderful save from our world champion goalkeeper, Zieler. That was the only shot that troubled either goalkeeper in the first 45 mins. So 0-0 going in at the break and that was probably a fair result.
They say that football is a game of two halves and how true that is after the mostly dull 0-0 opening 45 mins, it only took 90 seconds to break the deadlock. Some slow defending let Schalke free down the left and clinically show Hannover how to play simple football leaving Zieler no chance and the simpliest of tap-ins for Huntelaar. Now my fear is turning to anxiety “How many will they get now? Has the flood gates just opened?” The home support which was quiet before got even quieter and the Schalke fans turned up the volume on their chants. I was starting to think I was watching an away match. Now Schalke are on top and looking to extend their advantage and are pushing hard for a second. Something has to change. 60 mins and Korkut makes a change. One debutant for another Albornoz who has probably played better games, comes off and on comes Hiroshi Kiyotake. What a change! Kiyotake is like a dog with a bone and his energy and determination has an effect. Bittencourt, had an excellent game, regains possesion beats his defender for pace and delivers an exquisit ball for Edgar Prib who does excellently to steer the ball into the bottom right hand corner.
1-1 and game on…and still no singing.
3 minutes later Edgar Prib turns provider and is allowed to advance nearly half the pitch before laying the ball off to Joselu and from outside the box…BANG!…. GOAL! 2-1. The stadium erupts not quite beliveing what has just happened from 1 down to 2-1 up in a matter of minutes. My seat is in a directly line with the flight of the ball and the minute he hit it….I was out of my seat jumping up and down. Now the home support was singing. My trepidation had turned into belief then immense joy in the space of 3 minutes.
My personal man of the match must go to Prib for his contribution today but honorable mentions must go to Bittencourt and Kiyotake.
“Football is a funny old game that is not played on paper” and it is days like this that I thank God it isn’t. 3 points, unbeaten at home…bring on the Europa League! “Auf gehts Hannover!” and bring on the next visitors to the HDI Arena and it’s a big one… friendly derby Vs HSV (Hamburg)
Hannover 96 2 -1 Schalke 04
0-1 Huntelaar 47 mins, 1-1 Prib 67 mins, 2-1 Joselu 70 mins
hannover96homegames 