Chuffed for Zagadou, always liked the lad. Augsburg - Gladbach is wild...
German Football 23/24 |
- Thread starter do.ob
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Xhaka and Palacios midfield is great on paper for Leverkusen.
They have done well so far but that goal brings Leipzig back into things. 2-1
They have done well so far but that goal brings Leipzig back into things. 2-1
I don't care for Leverkusen as a club, but Alonso doing well as a coach is cool with me. If he continues I can see him at Bayern in 5-10 years.
Great game from Frimpong
So far we have an average of 4 goals per match... quite entertaining start to the season.
Can anyone give an update on how Leon-Ranos played when he came on for the last 10 min or so? Much appreciated
I love Alonso as a coach, and remarkably he is successful even without being one of the super football scientists (Tuchel, Nagelamann etc). He will no doubt move on to coach a top team at some point. Maybe Bayern, maybe Real, Chelsea, Barcelona or city (although the latter two unlikely because of Real/Barca rivalry naturally)
I admit I may be biased about him but I think he has a skillset similar to some of the great playmaking attackers of recent (to avoid the *M* name). He is technically brilliant, he's s fast, he has an eye and he can score. Did 12 goals 13 assists in last year's troubled season. Of course he also can play on the side or as a #8 but I don't think especially the 8 suits him best. 8 is a workhorse position; as a 10 you need someone able to beat more than one opponents in a dribbling -especially at Bayern where you regularly face a very crowded box- and there are few better than him in that regard. He also won 55% of His Dribblings and had an 85% pass quote. Insane for someone playing so high.
I wouldn't recommend judging him until Bayern has found their routine again, they are still far from it
Pretty dire showing this 
Get in!
Utterly undeserved but who cares... (I do)
Utterly undeserved but who cares... (I do)
I'm a bit weary about the motives behind the Köln / Dortmund fan friendship, but today it created a special atmosphere. About 10k away fans (and not in the Leverkusen way), but no negative vibes between the two sets of fans at all. Like peeking into an alternative reality of what could be if there was a cultural reset and support was divorced from (verbal) aggression.
I wonder when the Dortmund execs will get the cajones to sack Terzic. They're losing out so much in terms of potential from the team by having him as a manager, could have walked to the league title last season and don't see them being close to title challengers unless Bayern have another sloppy season.
Or they are happy having a vibes guy at the helm who doesn't question them.
Passing is the one concern I have with Musiala and whether he can be the best option at CAM. Playing on the left wing, he can develop a game similar to Ribery, both have very similar play styles and ability, maybe Ribery was quicker though.
Or they are happy having a vibes guy at the helm who doesn't question them.
Passing is the one concern I have with Musiala and whether he can be the best option at CAM. Playing on the left wing, he can develop a game similar to Ribery, both have very similar play styles and ability, maybe Ribery was quicker though.
They've been extremely lucky to win that many matches, their expected points during that period was 40 (through understat).
It's clear watching Dortmund that they have little tactical set-up and are heavily reliant on individual moments to get goals, also collapsing regularly on defense (Stuttgart, Mainz). Terzic has been the manager for a while now and there's honestly nothing to suggest he can make this Dortmund team better, all the while Dortmund have sacked more capable managers like Rose.
It's frustrating watching them play compared to how they were 5-6 years ago. From their now boring playstyle, influenced by recruitment, such as losing Sancho and replacing him with Adeyemi. Plenty of potential to challenge Bayern, even when they have a good season, wasted through poor decisions from the top.
Leverkusen and Leipzig look a much better bet to pose some sort of challenge to Bayern.
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So xPts had them level with Bayern? And around a club record level?
Their xPt was 65 last season, how is that the club record? Level with Bayern in 2023, which was a horrible period for Bayern, so would not put that as a badge of honor.
You mentioned 40 xPts over the last 20 games, like it's some sackable offense. I commented on that statement. If you want to talk about the entire season that's a different argument and it starts with Haller being out and recovering for more than half it.
It's similar to during Ole's seasons. On the face of it, he was getting results, such as when we came second in 2020/21, but many were still not convinced because there wasn't any tactical set-up shown that would make it seem we could improve further. Therefore, there was a sense that he would not be able to take United up another level and that the team would be held back by keeping him as manager rather than looking for someone better.
It's the same with Terzic, yes he came closer than anyone else to winning the league last season, but honestly, with you a fan, did the performances seem convincing to you? To the point where you were confident you would have beaten Mainz on the last day at home?
Eventually, I suspect it will come crashing down with a poor run of results sooner rather than later, especially given that performance versus Koln.
I think you're being a bit harsh on Dortmund here. After the WC they were quite lucky for a few games, yes, but eventually they started playing very well. I generally agree that Terzic doesn't seem like an idealistic coach with a very clear concept in mind but he's still on another level to Solskjaer tactically.
Since you mentioned understat as a metric:
First in xPTS, first in xG, xGA is a bit weaker, but not that far off Bayern.
If you study those numbers, the first thing that comes to your mind is: "when will they finally sack him??"?
And this is the Solskjaer season you were referencing:
4th in xG by a mile, 3rd in xGA by some distance and 4th in xPTS.
TheyLookTheSameToMe.jpg
Terzic may not be a tactical trailblazer, but the football is decent, he's getting results, players like Brandt, Can and Malen have seen a remarkable individual development and last but certainly not least he's been building bridges between club and fans like no coach since Klopp could.
So let's follow your lead and say Dortmund sack Terzic, because all that isn't good enough. Who are they then supposed to approach as a replacement? Rose already got to try his luck, that didn't work out so well for either side - despite being "more capable".
The VAR in Bundesliga seems to be on the other extreme from the PL. Anyways both were awful penalties from Mainz
Stanisic getting sent on loan to Leverkusen sounds like a weird deal. I take it that means they absolutely don't want to sell Pavard?
And sending him to a club that already has Frimpong playing the same position means playing time won't be guaranteed either...not to mention that they're sorta kinda one of their main competitors this season.
Definitely adds some depth to Bayer's squad though...
And sending him to a club that already has Frimpong playing the same position means playing time won't be guaranteed either...not to mention that they're sorta kinda one of their main competitors this season.
Definitely adds some depth to Bayer's squad though...
Stanisic will probably be playing that RB / RCB hybrid role and Frimpong will effectively be their RW. Though I guess this means one of their CBs is going to leave.
What do you think of Grimaldo? I think he’s a great signing for you guys
No such thing as luck
Guess it was a toss up one of them is surplus and no one seems to be taking the tap on Pavard..
I don't care neither seems to have the build for a modern RB. Pavard wants to be a CB and stanisic to me seems like another Diego contento. Decent at what he does but lacking many things requires from an RB these days, speed, attack quality. Might be just a mentality issue he may have in it.
A loan has done neither Fips Nor aalaba any bad so we'll see. As for Pavard I think he's overrated.
For me that position is somewhat a variation. If you have a very offensive left fullback you need to have defensive minded variation available. And without a real defensive no. 6 or without many players that are really good in the air against some opponents you need the extra player with very good heading quality.
Xabi generally likes CBs that can play FB as well. It makes us more flexible in the formational rotation between possession and defense. Hincapie for instance often played LCB with the ball and LB against it, same for Kossounou on the other side. Plus Tapsoba and Kossounou will be missing up to 7 games because of the Africa Cup iJanuary/February.
I don't really know what's going through Stanisic' head, though. He's essentially trading #3 RB and #5 CB at Bayern for #3 RB and #5 CB at Leverkusen, those 4 weeks aside. Maybe he hopes he'll get more playing time as we used to start three CBs last season. Chances are that Alonso prefers starting two CBs, though, and only defended with three since it was more stable in the short term.
I really like him. He's intelligent and tiry on the ball, very reliable and disciplined. Exactly what we were missing last season. Same goes for Hofmann and Xhaka by the way. We seem to be targeting a new profile of player as opposed to the spectacular but often erratic types we saw those last few years with Diaby, Bailey, etc.
Schalke are struggling a bit in the second division, aren't they? Tragic.
Schalke and Hertha make me smile. HSV not so much.
Do you enjoy seeing all those plastic clubs and minnows in Bundesliga? I think it's about time one of the big clubs comes back from 2. Bundesliga and Hamburg have had to wait quite a bit for it. They even learned to have some patience with Walter.
I am biased. I am from Hamburg but firmly on the St. Pauli side of things.
Hertha is just a boring embarrassment for having been THE club in the capital of one of the richest countries on this planet.
Schalke should be in the Buli, I agree.
But I also admit that those clubs facing the consequences for their yearlong mismanagement does amuse me.
Disclaimer: Yes, I would instantly trade Schalke, Hertha, HSV for Wolfsburg, Hoffenheim, Leverkusen.
Maybe we should just vote who should play Bundesliga. While we are at it, we could even vote who gets to win the league. Would save us a lot of time The sport is just a distraction anyway. Or an even better idea: We keep the matchdays but make it screaming contests. Win and loss will then be objectively decided on decibel. Could be Dortmund's chance to finally win a title again.
The sport is just a distraction anyway. Or an even better idea: We keep the matchdays but make it screaming contests. Win and loss will then be objectively decided on decibel. Could be Dortmund's chance to finally win a title again.Sheesh, who pissed into your coffee?Maybe we should just vote who should play Bundesliga. While we are at it, we could even vote who gets to win the league. Would save us a lot of time
You did. You want to get rid of his club
I can understand the sentiment, but I wouldn't call Hertha boring in recent years and they actually set an attendance record last season - I don't know whether it's Weghorst, their downfall or Union showing up, but they seem to have woken up a bit. Still, they got what they deserved for their incredible stupidity, I won't disagree with that.
I also think that Schalke have turned around their management when they got rid of Tönnies. They are just being crushed by their financial obligations. Their squad has been a bit shit for half a decade now, yet they are constantly forced to find transfer revenues somewhere. In 19/20 they finished 12th, yet they had to extract a transfer surplus of roughly €70m from their squad since then.
Maybe we should just vote who should play Bundesliga. While we are at it, we could even vote who gets to win the league. Would save us a lot of time
No need for a meltdown, just because someone wants to see 50+1 enforced more strictly.
Nobody, I just like to highlight how hypocritical the term plastic club is once in a while
There can't be anything more plastic than a club owned by a plastic producing companyNobody, I just like to highlight how hypocritical the term plastic club is once in a while
This Rothe lad has had quite the impact today.
Ouedraogo... is he selfish? Or does he just have a realistic grasp on the capabilities of his team mates?
Ouedraogo... is he selfish? Or does he just have a realistic grasp on the capabilities of his team mates?
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There can't be anything more plastic than a club owned by a plastic producing company
Ironically, the BVB's main sponsor Evonik makes 2.9bn annually by producing plastic
But I guess the difference is, they are only paying the BVB €20m p. a. instead of the €25m p. a. Leverkusen gets from Bayer? - Status