Round seven picks

Week seven is on the horizon and the DW Bundesliga pundits are at it again. After polishing off their Chinese takeaway, Deutsche Welle's experts have cracked their cookies and now have enough to go on to predict the results of the coming games.

Time will tell if they managed to find the confections with the right answers or not - or were able to divine just what "You will witness a special ceremony" might mean, in a football-prediction sense.

Friday, October 1

Hanover - St. Pauli

What a season Hanover is having so far; only one defeat in six games and currently in third place. Mirko Slomka will be looking for another win to add to the four his team has already recorded by beating Pauli at home. After claiming the scalps of Schalke and Werder Bremen - thumping the latter 4-1 - Friday's opponents could be Hanover's next victims. Pauli have had a better run thus far than most had expected but their inconsistency may play against them in this one.

Hannover 2-0

Saturday, October 2

Hamburg - Kaiserslautern

Hamburg have yet to decide which team they'll be this season. Excitement has given way to disappointment as HSV have struggled to build on a confident start. An early challenge for the summit has tailed off and they now sit in eighth. Two wins, followed by two draws and now two defeats suggest Hamburg have problems. Kaiserslautern have not won since they beat Bayern in Week Two and are on a similar trajectory. On paper, Hamburg have more class. On the pitch on Saturday, who knows?

Draw 1-1

Mainz - Hoffenheim

Every neutral's new favorite Bundesliga team continues its remarkable push for the league title with a 100 percent record to date. Mainz have not only failed to drop a single point, they've done it with flair and perseverance too - which spells bad news for Hoffenheim. Mainz are playing like the Hoff did two years ago. The boys in blue enjoyed their own heady spell themselves at the start of the campaign, but cracks are appearing. Mainz will have more confidence going into this game with Hoffenheim perhaps starting to doubt themselves a little.

Mainz 3-1

Moenchengladbach - Wolfsburg

One win in six for Gladbach tells its own story, as do the 19 goals they've already shipped this term. Sitting third from bottom, Gladbach will be hoping that they've at least begun to turn the corner after drawing with Schalke last week, but Wolfsburg should slam the brakes on any recovery. Grafite, on the bench as the season began, is finally back in the side and scoring again, Diego is enjoying himself and Steve McClaren has steadied his ship. Three wins in a row after three defeats suggests victory number four is on the cards for the Wolves.

Wolfsburg 2-0

Freiburg - Cologne

Three wins, three defeats - things could be worse for Freiburg who were tipped by many as relegation fodder this season. They still could be, of course, but sitting in seventh place will at least give them a little breathing space for now. Their defeats have been close, their victories also. Meeting Cologne, the current experts at stifling, suggests another tight afternoon for Freiburg. Better teams have labored against the billy goats and come away frustrated.

Draw 1-1

Nuremberg - Schalke

Schalke's slow recovery continues. Wednesday's Champions League win over a tough Benfica side will give Felix Magath's team a confidence boost, and now that the Royal Blues have put the brakes on their woeful run, Nuremberg will be wary of the visitors on Saturday. Nuremberg - like Schalke - have just one league win to their name so far but won't have the same momentum coming into this game, losing to Frankfurt last week. Schalke should be too much for the home side.

Schalke 1-0

Sunday, October 3

Stuttgart - Frankfurt

Languishing in last place despite recording the biggest win of the season so far, Stuttgart look in big trouble. Memories of their seven-goal haul against Gladbach in week four could be all Stuttgart have to keep them warm in the coming months. With five defeats out of six, the Swabians need to start a winning run - and fast. Last week's 4-1 home meltdown against Levekusen will have heaped the pressure on Christian Gross and his team. Frankfurt are not doing much better, but at least come into this game on the back of a win, which may be key.

Frankfurt 2-0

Leverkusen - Bremen

This clash of two teams capable of scoring and leaking goals in equal measure is almost impossible to call. Leverkusen put four past Stuttgart last week, the same number Bremen shipped at Inter Milan in midweek. Bremen did, however, beat Hamburg in their last league game so the pendulum of their season may swing back for this one. If both teams go for it, we should be in for an exciting afternoon at the BayArena. As we're in the business of sticking our necks out here at DW, let's give Bremen the lion's share of a closely-fought goal-fest - just for the sheer hell of it.

Bremen 4-3

Dortmund - Bayern

Who would have thought that Dortmund would be favorites in this clash of Bundesliga titans so early in the season? BVB have been in electric form and are good value for their second place before week seven's games. In an ordinary season, they might be top but Mainz have been on even better form. Dortmund have what Bayern currently lack: goal scoring options all over the field. Put simply, BVB's players are queuing up to score, while Bayern's strikers can't seem to buy a goal. DW's money is on Dortmund adding to the Bundesliga gloom hanging over the champions.

Dortmund 3-1

Last week's result: 8 points

Cologne - Hoffenheim 1-1

(DW Prediction: 0-1)

Bayern Munich - Mainz 1-2

(DW Prediction: 1-1)

Frankfurt - Nuremberg 2-0

(DW Prediction: 0-0)

Schalke - Moenchengladbach 2-2

(DW Prediction: 2-1)

St Pauli - Dortmund 1-3

(DW Prediction: 1-3)

Stuttgart - Leverkusen 1-4

(DW Prediction: 1-0)

Bremen - Hamburg 3-2

(DW Prediction: 3-2)

Wolfsburg - Freiburg 2-1

(DW Prediction: 2-0)

Kaiserslautern- Hannover 0-1

(DW Prediction: 1-2)

Total for the season: 27

Three points for a correct score prediction
Two points for a correct margin prediction
One point for a correct winner prediction

Author: Nick Amies
Editor: Matt Hermann