German Football 20/21

I don't watch the game but I get annoyed from seeing Alaba starting and Hernandez on the bench. He's leaving and not even playing well, so why is he starting every match?
 
Who is the "Stefan" commentating on Budesliga TV? Stefan Effenberg? Freiburg just hit the crossbar in the 91st minute and the commentator screamed "Noooo!" Never heard anything like that, it was great
 
Bayern hanging on with 10 men behind the ball against Freiburg at home, never thought I'd see the day. Truly strange season, Freiburg deserved a point.
 
It’s going to be a massive battle for the European spots. Can’t see Union holding on the whole season with Gladbach, Frankfurt, Freiburg and Wolfsburg breathing down their necks. Would be massive achievement though. Stuttgart in with a shot too.

I have a feeling Dortmund might end up in the Europa.
 
Who is the "Stefan" commentating on Budesliga TV? Stefan Effenberg? Freiburg just hit the crossbar in the 91st minute and the commentator screamed "Noooo!" Never heard anything like that, it was great

If the name sounds like Stefan, most likely it's Steffen Freund. He's one of the few Germans that commentate in English. Also going by your description of the "Noooo", I'm very sure it's Freund :)
Effenberg also commentates from time to time. But he sticks to German.
 
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Lucas Hernandez, 3rd most expensive defender of all-time and it's like everyone forgot this guy even exists.
 
Lucas Hernandez, 3rd most expensive defender of all-time and it's like everyone forgot this guy even exists.
Speak for yourself, it's not our problem if the memory storing part of your brain doesn't work
 
What the heck is going on at Schalke:eek:
Cast adrift at the bottom, gonna actually get relegated ? Madness

Christian Gross is their manager :lol:
Guy was useless at Spurs 22 years ago, what on earth is he doing there as manager.
 
Just when I was about to type how Bosz is taking revenge, it's no other than Brandt scoring the equalizer.
It has to be said that Wirtz, awesome youngster that he is, still was singlehandedly responsible, by being overcasual and inattentive with the ball in dangerous defensive positions, for two huge BVB chances, the latter resulting in the goal.

Another thing, really, is that it shouldn't have been so hard to at least find a Leno replacement that maintains the level. Leno has serious mistakes in him, but Hradecky is a disaster waiting to happen.
 
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Not sure what happened to Haaland there with Diaby.
 
All that complaining about Hradecky, I should have saved a paragraph for Bürki..

Wirtz scores.
 
I really hope we don't go near Sancho
Maybe, I still think he's one of the most talented and productive young players when he's in form. He just looks frustrated and in need of a change of scenery to get back to his best. One thing's for sure, the 100m+ fee is right out the window on the back of his season so far.
 
Wirtz :cool:
He is probably the next ~80 millions transfer in 2 or 3 years.
 
Same, tempted to say the same for Haaland too. I think he's just got progressively worse for Dortmund after he signed, well it seems like that to me anyway...
He's coming back from injury, too early to say something like that.

Moukoko coming on.
 
Same, tempted to say the same for Haaland too. I think he's just got progressively worse for Dortmund after he signed, well it seems like that to me anyway...
Bit strange to say that after he was so fantastically instrumental in winning away at Leipzig just the other week..
 
Burki is such a horribly average goalkeeper. Even in their match against Mainz he should've saved Oztulani's shot, today both shots were savable but he fluffed them.

Dortmund have been bad anyways mind, especially the midfield of Bellingham and Delaeney, it's eye gauging watching them try to control balls under pressure. In the need to be defensively stronger they've completely sacrificed any technical quality in midfield to be able to control possession, put a bit of pressure on either and they'll give up possession.

Brandt needs to start there, especially with Witsel not there. Otherwise they are toothless in possession.
 
Bit strange to say that after he was so fantastically instrumental in winning away at Leipzig just the other week..
I'm not just basing that from the last few weeks though. I think the standard he set at Salzburg and then when he arrived at Dortmund is unsustainable, he's not a Ronaldo/Messi level type player I think he's too limited for that.

I might get hate for this but I think he's like a ultra mobile version of Lukaku and he doesn't have much to his game outside of scoring goals. Obviously he's young but I'm not sure I want us to take a gamble on him instead of putting faith in Greenwood as our long term striker.
 
For me it's baffling how Marco Reus has been able to escape any criticism for so many years. I'd say he's a main reason for Dortmund's mediocrity and perpetual bottling. He's just been injured so often that one forgets to notice how poor he is when it matters.
 
Same, tempted to say the same for Haaland too. I think he's just got progressively worse for Dortmund after he signed, well it seems like that to me anyway...
Haaland is a an absolute beast on the counter because of his excellent runs, his speed, his physique and his finishing.

But to become a world class striker he needs to work on his game against deep sitting opponents.
I see two options: either he has to drop sometimes and work on his passing and link up play (like Benzema or Lewy) or he could develop into a player like Lukaku or Giroud that perfectly handle every high ball and are masters of lay offs.
 
Haaland is a an absolute beast on the counter because of his excellent runs, his speed, his physique and his finishing.

But to become a world class striker he needs to work on his game against deep sitting opponents.
I see two options: either he has to drop sometimes and work on his passing and link up play (like Benzema or Lewy) or he could develop into a player like Lukaku or Giroud that perfectly handle every high ball and are masters of lay offs.
Totally agree. I personally think he's going to be the Lukaku type of striker. Plenty of time for him to learn and improve though obviously.
 
I'm not just basing that from the last few weeks though. I think the standard he set at Salzburg and then when he arrived at Dortmund is unsustainable, he's not a Ronaldo/Messi level type player I think he's too limited for that.

I might get hate for this but I think he's like a ultra mobile version of Lukaku and he doesn't have much to his game outside of scoring goals. Obviously he's young but I'm not sure I want us to take a gamble on him instead of putting faith in Greenwood as our long term striker.
I'm not able or meaning to tell you you're wrong, just that I have a very different outlook on him. For me, he is deceptively skilled, fast and creative on top of his amazing finishing ability, goal instinct and will to win. Deceptive due to his strange and rugged exterior, shape, way of running and dealing with the ball.
I think he might go on to be the top striker in world football over the next decade. He's 20, after all.
He needs to improve his aerial game a lot though.
 
Not being able to properly control games kind of has to be expected if you sack your coach midway through such a packed a schedule and give it to the assistant. What's more concerning is that the team isn't able to use the double edged games and the space they bring for attackers to their advantage. The point tally doesn't care how much shots your opposition had, if you convert your own opportunities.
 
For me it's baffling how Marco Reus has been able to escape any criticism for so many years. I'd say he's a main reason for Dortmund's mediocrity and perpetual bottling. He's just been injured so often that one forgets to notice how poor he is when it matters.

I agree. Everyone says because of his loyalty but for a senior play, he is not pulling his weight
 
So, Huntelaar isn't Schalke's saviour just yet?

I don't quite understand that move. I mean, I get that he would want to help out his old club and hope to make the difference; but chances are slim anything can be saved at Schalke, and that's quite something for which to give up a relatively easy job at Ajax at the top of the Eredivisie. In Huntelaar's final season no less!
 
So decided to give myself some horror and watched Koeln vs. Schalke.
I wasn't disappointed, what a terrible game for people who actually like football (for neutrals to get entertained great game though).

Schalke and Mainz now with 7 points each after 17 games should be clearly 2nd league next year. Hope FC gonna manage somehow to stay in and leave Gisdol behind.
Just terrible to watch!
 
Finnbogason hit the post with his pen, or we would have conceded once more.
 
WE DID IT!

Our first clean sheet in what must be several months. Limped and crawled there on our last legs, too.
The team is completely over it, if that's an expression in English. Don't think I've seen us as bad in 15 months (but then I didn't see the Pokal exit :wenger: ) .
 
Not being able to properly control games kind of has to be expected if you sack your coach midway through such a packed a schedule and give it to the assistant. What's more concerning is that the team isn't able to use the double edged games and the space they bring for attackers to their advantage. The point tally doesn't care how much shots your opposition had, if you convert your own opportunities.
BVBs business model for the time being seems to be: be a top talent developer with the goal of selling the prospects on to generate cash, and hope to reach a CL rank in the BuLi, forget about silverware. Then they sacked a coach who is brilliant at developing players, apparently because he lacked the personality/charisma deemed necessary to win silverware. Doesn't make much sense to me.