Season’s best
May 26, 2009
Super strikers
The choice of strikers is a no-brainer. Wolfsburg's Grafite and Edin Dzeko scored 54 goals between them – more than any other pair of forwards in league history. They are very different types of players, with the Brazilian relying on sheer strength while the Bosnian showcases speed and elegance. But they harmonized perfectly on the pitch, leaving many opponents not knowing what – or more accurately who – had hit them.
Joining them up front is Stuttgart's Mario Gomez. Gomez was instrumental in the southern German team's late climb into the top three, scoring 10 goals in the season's final seven games. He's also supplanted Miroslav Klose as Germany's top striker and is rumored to be headed to Bayern Munich for a transfer fee of 30 million euros.
The magnificent midfield
Anchoring our midfield, as he did so brilliantly for Wolfsburg, is playmaker Zvjezdan Misimovic. The soft-spoken Bosnian had 20 assists and was the man behind the scenes in Grafite and Dzeko's historic goal-scoring streak. A typical Misimovic moment: the 20-meter precision pass he played to Dzeko, which set up the decisive goal in the Wolves' 5-1 thrashing of Bayern Munich this spring.
Joining him is Bayern's Franck Ribery. Hindered by injuries early in the season, the Frenchman still recorded nine goals and 12 assists in 25 matches and was key to Munich's recovery from the failed Jürgen Klinsmann experiment. Bayern's record with Ribery the starting line-up was 17-3-4, while they went 3-4-3 without him. And he was involved in both goals in Saturday's 2-1 win over Stuttgart that clinched Bayern's spot in the Champions League.
In defensive midfield, we'll take Stuttgart's Sami Khedira. The 22-year-old Khedira is one of the most versatile talents in the league, equally adept at playing in a stopper role or in the back four. Yet he also found his way up the pitch often enough to record four assists and seven goals, including two against Bayern Munich in December.
And watching Sami's back will be Schalke's Jermaine Jones. He's the toughest player in the Bundesliga and one of the few bright lights in an otherwise disappointing season for the Royal Blues, who've essentially made him their franchise player. His one major flaw is a short temper, but new Schalke head coach Felix Magath will no doubt sort that flaw out.
Dazzling Defense
Since we're playing with a back three, our defenders have to be reliable, and Mr. Reliable this year was Hertha Berlin's Joe Simunic. The Australian-Croatian won the highest percentage of challenges in the league this season and led Hertha to their best-ever points tally. His ability to dribble his way out of trouble led supporters to chant “Si-mu-nic, football god.”
At his side is Dortmund's Neven Subotic. Dortmund's had the league's worst defense last season; in 2008-9, they were second best, and that was down in part to the Serbian, who learned the game in the US. Subotic also shines in front of opponents' goals. He scored six this season – one more, for example, than Bastian Schweinsteiger.
And speaking of Bayern, Philipp Lahm also makes our dream team. Ask the bosses at Barcelona, Real Madrid or Manchester United which player they'd most like to poach from Munich, and many will mention Lahm before Ribery. Despite being right-footed, he controls the left side of the pitch, and his pace and ball skills make him arguably the best in the world at his position.
Finally, manning the posts is Hertha's Jaroslav Drobny. The giant Czech led the list of Bundesliga keepers in percentage of stopped shots and was the key reason that Berlin won so many close games this season. Case in point: Hertha's 1-0 win over Leverkusen. Drobny foiled no fewer than 11 clear goal chances against what was the league's top offense, allowing Berlin to steal a victory.
So congratulations, guys, for an excellent year, and we hope we see most of you again in 2009-10.
Author: Jefferson Chase
Editor: Chuck Penfold