After a particularly low-scoring week, the DW pundits are hanging their heads in shame after scoring a paltry five points in the match day nine predictions. But Adrian from Toronto's head is a bit lower still - he only scored three. But the scores for the season are still very close (a scant 4-point margin), so both home and guest guessers have much to play for on match day 10.

This week's challenger: Christopher (@TheSpareWheel) in Morocco.

Follow us on Twitter (@DW_Sports) for the next chance to be picked to pick!

Friday, October 21

Augsburg - Bremen

Augsburg recorded their first win of the season last week against Mainz, and while it wasn't enough to get them out of the relegation zone, it will have given the newly-promoted side a boost ahead of this home game against fifth-placed club Bremen. However, Werder had an off week on match day nine, losing 2-0 at home to Dortmund. Augsburg will be advised to batten down the hatches as this is a different Bremen from last season. They won't sulk over defeat as they may have done in the previous campaign. They'll more than likely go for the throat in revenge.

DW prediction: Bremen 3-0
Guest prediction: Bremen 1-0

Saturday, October 22

Dortmund - Cologne

Losing 3-1 in Greece in midweek, Dortmund’s Champions League campaign is all but finished and this will be a test as to how sorry they’re feeling for themselves. Cologne are not the best team to face while moping because, despite their erratic form, players like Lukas Podolski can smell weakness and take great pleasure in preying on teams that appear adrift. BVB will have to harness the yellow-and-black faithful's power and dig out a confidence-boosting home win to keep their title defense on track, and if they can't find their mojo, expect Poldi and Co. to turn a bad week into an even worse one.

DW prediction: Cologne 2-1
Guest prediction: Dortmund 2-1

Nuremberg - Stuttgart

Stuttgart have steadily built up a head of steam over the last few games and took advantage of a sluggish Hoffenheim last week to move into the Champions League qualification spots. The 2-0 home win put them on equal points with third-placed Dortmund and a point behind second-placed Gladbach. Nuremberg may give them an opportunity to consolidate their top four status. The Club’s poor performance last week against Wolfsburg suggested that Nuremberg can struggle against teams in a tenacious mood. So while Stuttgart have been silky at times, they may lack the steel to overcome the challenge of Nuremberg away.

DW prediction: Draw 1-1
Guest prediction: Stuttgart 2-1

Kaiserslautern - Freiburg

Freiburg look in trouble after losing to bottom club Hamburg last week, the only team below them. No club - not even Hamburg - have let in more goals so far this season so they definitely have defensive problems but then again, they've scored more times than the other teams in the bottom half of the table - Cologne the only exception. With this in mind, Freiburg can hope that Kaiserslautern's goal-shy strikers maintain their aversion to scoring while their own defenders take this golden opportunity to put their boots on the right feet. The game might be Freiburg's best chance to stop the rot.

DW prediction: Freiburg 1-0
Guest prediction: Kaiserslautern 2-1

Hoffenheim - Gladbach

If they can’t get a result here, Hoffenheim critics will say their annual descent down the league table is well and truly under way. They'll say they already have that disinterested look about them that seems to settle on the team as soon as the leaves turn brown. Why? Because, despite their exemplary battling draw with Bayern on match day eight, their recent results have included an abject beating at the hands of Cologne and a stumbling loss in Stuttgart last week. With Gladbach still full of the joys of spring - despite the onset of fall - the Hoff could be heading for another slip down the rungs. Gladbach certainly showed their mettle against Leverkusen last week - and were a bit unlucky not to beat them. Against a pre-hibernation Hoffenheim, they could get back to sealing the deal.

DW prediction: Gladbach 2-0
Guest prediction: Hoffenheim 3-1

Hertha - Mainz

Mainz are in trouble. First it looked as though they were just reverting to their more comfortable role as a mid-table irritant rather than a championship hopeful. Now it looks like a full-blown crisis with Thomas Tuchel's side heading to the basement at a rapid clip. A home defeat to Augsburg should have been the wake-up call and we'll have to see whether the alarm bells have been ringing loud enough when they travel to the capital this week. Hertha got spanked by Bayern last week - but then that's not exactly a unique experience. It may have disrupted their rhythm but it hasn't affected their league position much. Berlin have enough resilience about them to brush that defeat off and take advantage of a Mainz side struggling with current realities.

DW prediction: Hertha 1-0
Guest prediction: Draw 1-1

Hamburg - Wolfsburg

The way Felix Magath celebrated the victory over Nuremberg last week, one could have been forgiven for thinking there was silverware on offer for the winners. Wolfsburg have been schizophrenic since Magath returned, one week looking very accomplished, the next playing like a bunch of strangers. This game could be the litmus test for change. Have they turned a corner? Can they build on a win to go on a run of good results? Or will the Thorsten Fink feel-good factor at Hamburg inspire a performance which will send Felix back to the drawing board? Fink will want to harness the optimism around his arrival for his first game in charge. He may enjoy an even loftier status come the final whistle.

DW prediction: Hamburg 3-1
Guest prediction: Wolfsburg 2-1

Sunday, October 23

Leverkusen - Schalke

Schalke were always going to have to accept that the rough goes with the smooth when Huub Stevens returned to lead them. The Dutchman got his tactics wrong last week at home against Kaiserslautern, losing 2-1. Schalke have enough firepower to blow teams like that away but his cautious approach restricted the attack and left his team with too much to do after going behind. Chances are he'll be even more wary against Leverkusen and defense will surely be the order of the day, especially as Schalke are the visitors. Unless Stevens lets his strikers loose, this could be another frustrating day.

DW prediction: Leverkusen 2-0
Guest prediction: Leverkusen 2-1

Hanover - Bayern

Hanover are no longer the surprise package this term after last season's heroics. Opponents are ready for their tight-at-the-back, quick-in-attack act and last week's defeat to Cologne suggested that there isn't much of a Plan B. Despite being at home for this clash, they'll need a Plan B through to Z to cope with Bayern if the Bavarians play the way they did last week. Then again, they still have the quality to replicate the best of last campaign's form - and playing the league's form side would be a splendid time to do so. Let’s be honest here though, it should be a very long afternoon for Hanover and their fans.

DW prediction: Bayern 3-1
Guest prediction: Bayern 3-1

Last week's results:

DW: 5 points

Guest: Adrian (@AdrianSertl), of Toronto, Canada: 3 points

DW total for the season: 57 points

Guest total for the season: 53 points

Three points for a correct score prediction

Two points for a correct winning margin prediction

One point for a correct winner prediction

Author: Nick Amies
Editor: Matt Hermann