He lurks. He is patient. Praying on naivety, choosing the right moment, he makes him move. He rarely misses an opportunity. You might wish he were not there, but ignoring him doesn’t make him any less real.

The bogeyman is no other than the team people love to hate – Bayern Munich. The Bavarians are adept at snatching titles at the last minute. Ask Leverkusen. Or, for the crowning glory of the bogeyman’s triumphs, ask Schalke.

However, in sixth place, with an indifferent start to the season, Munich are hardly cruising. Dutch coach Louis van Gaal has yet to have the expected impact. A 2-1 away victory this weekend was enough to see off Freiburg, but problems remain.

Most pressingly, and with ample column inches to prove it, are unhappy players. Italian World Champion and top goalscorer 2007/08, Luca Toni, features prominently. Making only his first start of the season this weekend, the striker has previously made appearances in the reserves and the stands.

Other victims of the bench are players such as Turkish international Hamit Altintop, the 10 million euro acquisition Anatolij Tymoschtschuk and current Bundesliga transfer-record holder, at a mere 35 million euro, Mario Gomez.

What causes teams to look over their shoulders, and the Bundesliga to tremble, is the potential that the team have. Players such as Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm are household names for good reason, while a young player such as Thomas Müller, impressively breaking into the first team and benching Gomez & Toni, is expected to get a call-up to the Nationalelf.

Elsewhere in the Bundesliga

With Bayern playing the 500-pound gorilla hiding behind a curtain, other teams have made bright starts to the season. Hamburg and Leverkusen, leading the table and separated by goal-difference only, met in the top fixture of the weekend.

The match didn’t live up to expectations – no fireworks forthcoming. But, conclusions can be drawn. Hamburg will have to find a solution to the loss of strikers Petric and Guerrero to long-term injury if they are to sustain a challenge. Leverkusen on the other hand look to have the defensive steel and ruthlessness to grind out results so sorely lacking in previous seasons.

Meanwhile, Bremen are moving up the table with a confident 2-0 home victory against Hoffenheim. Goalkeeper Tim Wiese saved a penalty and has not conceded a goal for 619 minutes – only 22 minutes off the 21-year old record held by Oliver Reck.

Schalke, under the tight reigns of Felix Magath, beat Stuttgart 1-2. The Swabians are in trouble with young coach Markus Babbel under fire and potentially on an ejector seat.
Cologne ground out a 1-0 victory against Mainz, their first home win of the season. Hertha Berlin remains bottom of the table, loosing 3-0 away to Nürnberg, and coach Friedhelm Funkel loosing his first game in charge.

With many potential contenders for the title, the Bundesliga is living up to its’ reputation as being one of the most evenly-matched leagues in Europe. While it is too early to nominate favorites, hopes are high in fans hearts that this could be their season. Just the way the bogeyman likes.

Results:
VfB Stuttgart - FC Schalke 04 1:2

Werder Bremen - 1899 Hoffenheim 2:0

FC Köln - 1. FSV Mainz 05 1:0

Eintracht Frankfurt - Hannover 96 2:1

SC Freiburg - Bayern München 1:2

1.FC Nürnberg - Hertha BSC 3:0

Hamburger SV - Bayer Leverkusen 0:0

VfL Wolfsburg - Borussia M’gladbach 2:1

Borussia Dortmund - VfL Bochum 2:0