Antonio Rüdiger

Yep, no idea at all what his comment is about :lol:

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/antonio-rudiger/ausfaelle/spieler/86202

This says he's had 4 red cards in his career spanning 10 years? Wouldn't call that a red card magnet. (Unless the yellow card suspension is 2 yellows, not the 10 yellow buildup, in which case it's 7 in 10 years)
Mmh, I think you didn't read what I had responded to. It was in jest at Pogue's comment on Rüdiger's future game being hampered if he loses a step. don't get me started on feisty, mad and inconsistent Spanish ref's.
 
Our national team has been mediocre at best for a while, it isn't a good argument to support your point.
I disagree. I believe your national team is on the up, especially since the appointment of Hanzi Flick and it is very possible that Germany would be one of the dark horses for the World Cup later this year.
 
I disagree. I believe your national team is on the up, especially since the appointment of Hanzi Flick and it is very possible that Germany would be one of the dark horses for the World Cup later this year.
Yes, it's on the up. Now it's mediocre, it has been shit.
 
I like him a lot but I'm not entirely convinced of his signing (I wasn't with Alaba either and for the moment he has been a total success).
Are they going to pay him 8/10 net and move Alaba, and are they also going to give Mendy the new contract he is asking for?
If this is the case, it does not fit to have 3 CB of that category + Mendy on the side, and if not, the truth is that I would not like to sell Mendy, unless they value that he gets injured a lot and it is better get funds.
Are you still signing Mbappe? Would a back 3 to make it easier to fit Mbappe and Benz upfront be a possibility?
Yes, it could a possibility, although I don't know if in the long term. It is strange to modify an entire system to fit one or two players
Rudiger actually offers more in attack than Mendy, and we wouldn't really be changing anything. We already play a back 3 the majority of the time we have the ball anyways, this would result in less shifting around of players. And it's not difficult to switch from 3 to 4 on defence either. This also makes it easier to keep Vinicius on the left

Honestly, Rudiger, Tchoumane and a RWB should be our priorities, aside from Mbappé(and if he doesn't come i think we should rather look for a top attacking playmaker instead, someone like De Bruyne)
 
Rudiger actually offers more in attack than Mendy, and we wouldn't really be changing anything. We already play a back 3 the majority of the time we have the ball anyways, this would result in less shifting around of players. And it's not difficult to switch from 3 to 4 on defence either. This also makes it easier to keep Vinicius on the left

Honestly, Rudiger, Tchoumane and a RWB should be our priorities, aside from Mbappé(and if he doesn't come i think we should rather look for a top attacking playmaker instead, someone like De Bruyne)

Nkunku might be a nice fit for you I'd reckon.
 
Nkunku might be a nice fit for you I'd reckon.
In a way yes but i was thinking more along the lines of a Bernardo Silva. An on ball playmaker, somebody capable of consistently unlocking defences
 
In a way yes but i was thinking more along the lines of a Bernardo Silva. An on ball playmaker, somebody capable of consistently unlocking defences

Ah gotcha - well if rumours are to be believed he's keen on a move back closer to Portugal so you might be onto something there.
 
In a way yes but i was thinking more along the lines of a Bernardo Silva. An on ball playmaker, somebody capable of consistently unlocking defences

Some would say.. someone like Odegaard :wenger:
 

The best block I've ever seen. All the best mate.
 
Adios big man.




Good excuse to fish out this gem of an announcement video :lol:

 
Love him always. What a beautiful shithousing legend.
 
If he wants to mail Haaland back after he empties his pockets, please send him to the City of Manchester Stadium
 
I didn't rate him back when he was a youngster at Stuttgart but what a beautiful bastard he's become. Love him.

Would be interesting to see how people rate him compared to Boateng and Hummels.
 
He's absolutely fantastic. Real leader too
 
He's been immense the last couple of seasons. What a great defender.
 
I didn't rate him back when he was a youngster at Stuttgart but what a beautiful bastard he's become. Love him.

Would be interesting to see how people rate him compared to Boateng and Hummels.

Rudiger is a level above surely? The two you mentioned had good primes but has to be Rudiger for his overall defensive quality.
 
From the clown show under Lampard to rock solid CB and arguably best in the world under Tuchel is some transformation.
 
We miss him badly at Chelsea, not just his quality on the pitch but his leadership and personality too.
 
He’s been one of the best CBs in the world for about 2/3 years running now. Immense!
 
From the clown show under Lampard to rock solid CB and arguably best in the world under Tuchel is some transformation.

I do wonder if some of our current players could have somewhat similar transformations under better management, especially Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo. Poch has gotten lots of people honestly thinking these are bad players just like the likes of Jorginho, Rüdiger, Christensen etc. were previously regarded under Lampard's utterly terrible management.

Oh what I wouldn't give to have a Rüdiger in our team right now. Not only because of his talent but his entertaining personality and leadership as well. He came across a very likeable guy in his few columns for The Players' Tribune, always nice to have a glimpse to the actual person behind the footballer.
 
I do wonder if some of our current players could have somewhat similar transformations under better management, especially Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo. Poch has gotten lots of people honestly thinking these are bad players just like the likes of Jorginho, Rüdiger, Christensen etc. were previously regarded under Lampard's utterly terrible management.

Oh what I wouldn't give to have a Rüdiger in our team right now. Not only because of his talent but his entertaining personality and leadership as well. He came across a very likeable guy in his few columns for The Players' Tribune, always nice to have a glimpse to the actual person behind the footballer.
I think that can be the case for a lot of players of various teams.
 
This season he's the best

I didn't want to be hyperbolic but I agree. Also think it goes back further than just this season in all honesty.

The take that he could only perform in a 3-at-the-back is truly dead.

This was always a ridiculous take. His insane 1v1 defending in wide areas was part of the reason Chelsea were so good with 3ATB; he augmented the system and it was never the other way around.
 
Rudiger is a level above surely? The two you mentioned had good primes but has to be Rudiger for his overall defensive quality.

It's interesting as Rüdiger played in the PL and in La Liga during his prime, whereas the other 2 spent theirs in the Bundesliga. International football media doesn't care about the Bundesliga thus no one knows how good Hummels and Boateng were.

In Germany Rüdiger would probably be seen as just below both Hummels and Boateng. But truthfully German football media has also barely grasped how good Rüdiger is. A major factor in that is that he's never really imposed himself and been a reliable defensive leader for the national team. The other 2 on the other hand were amazing for Germany most of the time between 2010 and 2017.
 
It's interesting as Rüdiger played in the PL and in La Liga during his prime, whereas the other 2 spent theirs in the Bundesliga. International football media doesn't care about the Bundesliga thus no one knows how good Hummels and Boateng were.

In Germany Rüdiger would probably be seen as just below both Hummels and Boateng. But truthfully German football media has also barely grasped how good Rüdiger is. A major factor in that is that he's never really imposed himself and been a reliable defensive leader for the national team. The other 2 on the other hand were amazing for Germany most of the time between 2010 and 2017.
Hummels was at the heart of Klopp's impressive Dortmund team, Boateng likewise for Heynckes treble-winning Bayern and together they won the world cup. Meanwhile Rüdiger was only as a young player in the BL where he had an impressive amount of brainfarts. That improved over the years, but only after he left Germany. So a lot of German's will not catch on to that as he is a bit out of sight.
 
It's interesting as Rüdiger played in the PL and in La Liga during his prime, whereas the other 2 spent theirs in the Bundesliga. International football media doesn't care about the Bundesliga thus no one knows how good Hummels and Boateng were.

In Germany Rüdiger would probably be seen as just below both Hummels and Boateng. But truthfully German football media has also barely grasped how good Rüdiger is. A major factor in that is that he's never really imposed himself and been a reliable defensive leader for the national team. The other 2 on the other hand were amazing for Germany most of the time between 2010 and 2017.
Hummels was at the heart of Klopp's impressive Dortmund team, Boateng likewise for Heynckes treble-winning Bayern and together they won the world cup. Meanwhile Rüdiger was only as a young player in the BL where he had an impressive amount of brainfarts. That improved over the years, but only after he left Germany. So a lot of German's will not catch on to that as he is a bit out of sight.

Yep, my thoughts as well. There is some recency bias as people are forgetting how great Hummels and Boateng were for their club teams and Germany from 2011-2016/17, but ofcourse they won't get the same recognition because it was the Bundesliga. Injuries got the better of both of them after that but even so Boateng won another UCL while Hummels is still having great games from time to time (just recently against Atletico and Bayern).

Rudiger hasn't shown the same form for Germany in the meantime. I always thought it's because he can't play as well in a 2 CB system, like he did under Tuchel, but it seems for Madrid he is doing well enough.

That being said, I saw the extended highlights of the game, it was his poor clearance that caused the goal for KdB.
 
Unrecognisable. Thought he was shit for most of his time at Chelsea.
 
One of the best central defenders in the world. I really like him, he looks a nightmare to play against.
 
Put this in another thread, but thought Madrid made a mistake not having him play the second leg last season v City after his impressive showing in the first.