A Christmas Wish for Every Bundesliga Team
The Bundesliga may have shut its doors, turned off the lights and hung up its boots for another winter break, yet that doesn't mean we can't look back over the season that has been so far and predict what may come following the league's return in January.
As each club prepares for anything but a break, with friendly tours and training sessions planned on each available date, we take a look at what every side will hope for on this special time of the year.
A Christmas wish, if you will, for each of the Bundesliga's 18 teams.
Augsburg: More of the Same
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As perhaps the real surprise package of this current Bundesliga season, we begin our list with a side who will be more than grateful for what they've already received so far this year.
Augsburg, initially tipped to struggle this year by fools and fans alike, currently hold sixth place in the German top division under everyone's new favourite manager Markus Weinzierl.
With nine wins, eight defeats and exactly zero draws to their name so far, the Bundesliga's second Bavarian side will be hoping for exactly more of the same come January.
Bayer Leverkusen: A New Goalscorer
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Bayer Leverkusen may be sitting pretty in third place under new manager Roger Schmidt and his new brand of uber-attacking football, yet their is one glaring chink in their gung-ho armour. Stefan Kiessling isn't scoring nearly enough goals.
With just three to his name so far this season, Schmidt will be slightly worried why neither he or new signing Josip Drmic(also on three) have failed to thrive under this new system.
The club's form hasn't been effected by such shortcomings, the likes of Karim Bellarabi and Heung-Min Son have both pulled more than their fair share of goals this season, but should the Factory Squad begin to falter the knives will be out for these underperforming strikers.
Bayern Munich: A Rival
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Bayern Munich will spend this Christmas with a somewhat smug look on their face. And it wouldn't be undeserved.
Calculated, commanding and altogether dominating in every aspect of their game, the Bavarian giants have once again taken to the Bundesliga with the utmost respect and disposed of every challenger who dared to stand up to them.
Should Pep Guardiola wish for one thing this Christmas it would be some genuine competition, to allow his side to keep on their toes and prepped for what he will undoubtedly prioritise this season; the Champions League.
Bayern need to keep their teeth sharp and their side incentivised between now and May and they can't do that if each domestic opponent falls to their feet.
Borussia Dortmund: Everything
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Borussia Dortmund are in all sorts of trouble. Seventeen matches have passed so far this season and there they sit rock bottom of the division, level on points with Freiburg as they stare relegation in the eye.
Yet to ask fans what they would change about this side is a somewhat moot point; everything about this team isn't working and perhaps a complete change across the board is exactly what's needed.
From the creaky defence that once broke records for fewest conceded goals from one season to the next, the midfield that once carved up its opponents each week, to the roster of goalscorers who should be doing exactly that up front; Dortmund look utterly useless in each department.
Borussia Moenchengladbach: Champions League Football
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For a brief moment in time this season, many of us expected Lucien Favre's Borussia Moenchengladbach to pick up momentum and go on to challenge Bayern to the Bundesliga title this season. As the weeks have gone on and results have worked against them, it now looks as though that second place spot will belong to Wolfsburg.
However for Favre chasing third place is exactly where he would have hoped to have been come the turn of the year. Gladbach have solid foundations, a squad full of exciting talent and a talented manager but they desperately need an automatic Champions League spot this season if they hope to push on as a club.
Eintracht Frankfurt: A Five-Year Extension for Haris Seferovic
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Signing for the Eagles over the summer from Real Sociedad, Haris Seferovic has quickly established himself at Eintracht Frankfurt and has now pushed himself into the running for Bundesliga signing of the season.
Playing as a striker, if not on the left wing, the Swiss international has amassed an incredible seven goals and five assists in just 16 Bundesliga games according to Transfermarkt and will surely attract the interest of all sorts come the summer transfer window.
He may still be working through his initial three-year deal at Frankfurt, but this club have to sign him up to an even longer deal. Now.
FC Cologne: A Consecutive Win
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Cologne will be somewhat happy with how things are going so far this season. As they reach the half-way stage of the Bundesliga campaign, the recently promoted side sit comfortable in mid-table in eleventh place.
However, one aspect of the team's performances that will trouble Peter Stoger over the course of his winter solace is the manner in which this club can't nail down any consistency.
The Billy Goats may be winning matches, but they're not doing it from week to week and it means things are all slightly more nervy than they really out to be.
One win in their last six games of 2014, for example, would suggest a lot more work is needed on this team.
Freiburg: A Win
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Perhaps one of the daftest and somewhat most obvious suggestions in our list today, but the Bundesliga basement boys essentially need to start winning some games if they hope to fight their way out of relegation.
But there is some reason behind this blunt assessment.
Christian Streich's side have only managed to pick up two wins this season and have faced defeat six times as well, yet the black forrest side have managed to claim a point in nine of their opening 17 games of the season.
If they could only turn some of those draws into a few more wins then they wouldn't be anywhere near the situation they currently find themselves in.
Hamburg SV: A Pierre-Michel Lasogga Goal
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Pierre-Michel Lasogga has only scored two goals in 16 Bundesliga games this season. A grand total of one every 600 minutes of playing time for the German striker, according to Transfermrkt.
To put this into context, we're talking about a player who managed to rack up 13 in 20 last season and 10 in 30 for his youth team at Wolfsburg. This is a man who can score goals by the truck load, yet for some reason he simply isn't doing that this season for Hamburg.
Unfortunately for the northern side, there aren't many alternatives up front at the moment with Artjoms Rudnevs and Nicolair Muller also struggling with form. Hamburg need Lasogga scoring if they hope to start winning games again.
Hannover 96: A Few More Draws
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Hannover have, remarkably, been one of the unexpected good-news stories of this current Bundesliga campaign as new coach Tayfun Korkut continues his renovations at the Lower Saxony club.
Yet if there is one criticism, and therefore one wish, from fans of the club it would be that they held out and drew a few more games.
An odd thing to say at first, but when we consider that Hannover have won and lost exactly seven games so far this season and only drawn three it gives the accurate impression that Korkut's side are rather hot or cold from one game to the next.
Hertha Berlin: Another Central Defender
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Hertha Berlin may not be sitting as poorly in the league table as other relegation candidates, with 18 points from 17 games so far and two or three teams keeping them away from such dreaded spots in the table.
Yet they are still one of the most vulnerable teams in the division this season, with 35 goals conceded already and only Werder Bremen sitting below them in the defensive record tally in the league.
The form of Fabian Lustenberger has done something to relieve such stress at the back, yet Jos Luhukay has very other options to rely on. Hertha need another central defender if they have any hope of tightening up their defence and staying in this division.
Hoffenheim: Holding on to Roberto Firmino in January
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According to Transfermrkt Roberto Firmino has scored six goals and created eight assists in just 18 games for Hoffenheim this season. A truly devastating run of form that has propped up the club's Bundesliga performances so far in this campaign.
Yet as sure as fans of the small club are sure of their Brazilian talent's ability, they are also well aware of just how many clubs would love to sign Firmino should the opportunity present itself in January.
Hoffenheim may be sitting pretty in seventh place with the potential for European football next season, but all these fans want right now is for their star playmaker to stay.
Mainz 05: Thomas Tuchel
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It all started so well for Kasper Hjulmand and Mainz this season. Thomas Tuchel was gone, the club was in emotional turmoil, yet here came a new manager who briefly showed the Carnival Club how to celebrate again.
An opening round of eight games undefeated in the Bundesliga and all of a sudden Hjulmand was the new fan favourite. Yet nothing lasts forever, and as sure as anything in the Bundesliga Mainz's performances began to falter.
Nine games have now since passed since their win over Augsburg in late October, which was in turn their last victory of 2014. Mainz are in trouble and have now began longing for their former leader once again.
SC Paderborn: A Return to Winning Ways
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Remember when Paderborn were the surprise package of this Bundesliga season? From the side who'd never ventured a day in the Bundesliga sprung a team that toppled Hamburg and then Hannover in their first few weeks in the campaign.
Yet unforutnately for Andre Breitenreiter's side, such surprise results have all but dried up and the club have began circling the drain of Bundesliga form without a single win in their last seven matches of 2014.
Perhaps another restart will do this club the world of good in January. Either that, or a rough few months wait in store for the Bundesliga minnows.
Schalke 04: A Proper Manager
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On paper Roberto Di Matteo looks like a Bundesliga manager; An experience player, with the slick, cool look who just happens to speak fluent German. "A young, exciting coach for a club with ambition," some might have said when he arrived at Schalke.
Unfortunately the former Chelsea star is anything but. At least not one to the standard and experience that the Gelsenkirchen club so desperately need right now.
Constantly changing formations, altering tactics and swapping personnel as he relentlessly tries to figure out what to do, Di Matteo looks puzzled and truly lost on the Schalke thrown and surely won't last the season.
VfB Stuttgart: A Settled Coach
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If we were to count Huub Stevens' two stints at Stuttgart separately, we would find that the Bundesliga side have employed four separate managers over the course of this calendar year.
A crazy situation for any club to endure, considering the upheaval and mayhem that tends to follow the sacking and hiring of a new head coach, but one that this troubled, relegation-fighting club could have certainly done without.
However Steven has only lost one game since arriving back at the club and is certainly due some much needed time and patience if the club hope to move back up the table.
Werder Bremen: A New Contract for Davie Selke
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There is only one name on everyone's lips around the northwestern city of Bremen these days: Davie Selke.
A product of Werder Bremen's renowned youth academy, this 19-year-old phenomenon has burst on to the scene at the struggling club this season and truly pumped some hope into a side who looked all but resigned to relegation.
Selke may have a contract until 2018, according to Transfermrkt, but the club should make sure they sign him up to the best, water-tight deal they can afford before other clubs come knocking.
Wolfsburg: A Bundesliga Title
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Perhaps the most farfetched of all the possible gifts handed out over the winter break, although if you were to ask a Wolfsburg fan what they wanted this year there would be only one answer: that league title.
And the Wolves by all accounts are in a fantastic opportunity to reach out and grab the coveted Bundesliga trophy—perhaps their best since winning it in 2009—as they sit 11 points off Bayern in second place.
It would certainly be one for the record books, but Wolfsburg look determined and geared up for a fight with the Bavarian champions come May.
