German Football Part III

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Amazing article from Nuri Sahin in The Player's Tribune


https://www.theplayerstribune.com/nuri-sahin-borussia-dortmund/

Yeah, nice article. He might not be that good anymore, but he seems a good leader in the squad.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Yup, that's the important point. See Kahn.
Why not a guy like Steffen Freund or Hitzelsperger?

The best analysts are IMO experienced managers (i.e. "trainer" in German). Klopp was easily the best pundit on German TV *ever* and he was the first guy who brought some actual 'real talk' in how to review a match on TV.

The thing with these ex-players is that most of them don't actually know a whole lot about how modern football works because they experienced it from the narrowest of perspectives - that of the player. Coaches, managers and directors see it with a broader perspectives. Of course a guy like Klopp knows more about performance evaluation and tactical analysis than an Effenberg or Kahn. Of course a guy like Hoeness or Zorc would know more about the business side of things.

But the reality is that the TV decision makers think the viewers are too dumb for a real professional approach to punditry. They just want some famous ex-player to come out with some provocative statement that the Bild-Zeitung can pick up the next day.

 

[SchwenningerWildWing]

Bobadilla from Augsburg to Gladbach, pending a medical. Don't like that move. Should have kept Hahn then.

Durm from Dortmund to Stuttgart is also possible

 

[cgf]

I don't like the signing either, but Hahn was more injury prone, less of a force in the box, and outside of the pre-euro hotstreak, less clinical in front of goal. As a plan B, I do prefer Bobadilla to Hahn, but I wish Hecking weren't so obsessed with having that big targetman plan B and that they had moved for someone like Iturbe or Bertrand Traore instead.

 

[Bon Esprit]

Bobadilla from Augsburg to Gladbach, pending a medical. Don't like that move. Should have kept Hahn then.

Durm from Dortmund to Stuttgart is also possible

I like what Stuttgart is doing. The complete opposite of what their fellow promotion team Hannover does. You can't have enough Bundesliga talent. If all the pieces click they won't have much to do with relegation.

 

[Deficient Mode]

Happy to have Durm gone

 

[WhiskeySeven*]

Happy to have Durm gone

What's so bad about Durm? I remember some hype...

btw Given your avatar and 'the Absolute Boy'... I feel like we run in the same twitter circles I'm @ wrongace

 

[Bon Esprit]

What's so bad about Durm? I remember some hype...

btw Given your avatar and 'the Absolute Boy'... I feel like we run in the same twitter circles I'm @ wrongace

Durm is not good enough for what Dortmund wants to achieve, but good enough for every lower team IMO.

 

[jniklast]

Hard to really judge Durm when he wasn't really fit for a longer stretch in the last two years. I think he wasn't too bad in 13/14

 

[Deficient Mode]

What's so bad about Durm? I remember some hype...

btw Given your avatar and 'the Absolute Boy'... I feel like we run in the same twitter circles I'm @ wrongace

Ehh, it became apparent that he was a good runner but didn't have a good brain or good technical ability. Schmelzer+Guerreiro make him unnecessary on the left side, and Passlack (and now Toljan) have shown more promise on the right side behind Piszczek.

Haha looks like it.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

What's so bad about Durm? I remember some hype...

Can't control a football.

 

[Deficient Mode]

Good to see that Hoffenheim free kick expertise helping someone at least.

I really think Rudy will excel at Bayern.

Leverkusen doesn't look bad attacking so far though. Hmm.

 

[Deficient Mode]

Another set piece goal for Bayern. Tolisso with an easy header in the scramble after the corner.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

They back. Fun to think someone else might win the Bundesliga during preseason.

 

[Deficient Mode]

They back. Fun to think someone else might win the Bundesliga during preseason.

Eh, it is always 90/10 Bayern/someone else thing for me. Bayern honestly don't look too good defensively in the opening half hour. And they did give up more goals last season than under Pep. So I guess this match is still offering a ray of hope.

 

[Deficient Mode]

Looks like a hurricane is blowing through Munich tbh.

 

[Just Win]

I guess being awful at defending set pieces cannot be fixed....

 

[Nalens Oga]

Pretty good 2nd half by Leverkusen, Julian Brandt was really good, Tah as well like usual and Kampl brought a lot of energy when he was subbed on but they obviously don't have the same quality as Bayern.

I thought the penalty Lewandowski won by the VAR was a bit of a dive tbh, didn't make a difference in the end though. Also, Muller was a bit useless basically just running aimlessly and with a large gap to Lewandowski, Robben was much better when he was subbed on. Vidal being the usual dumb hothead at times, Sule being good but doesn't have a lot of pace and could be exposed, Kimmich looking great, and didn't notice Rudy much but he was fine.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Still going with Zagadou at LB. Not sure I like that. Would prefer Passlack. Nice to see Goetze back, but Dahoud has come out for him. I'd have taken out Sahin.

 

[Timeless Winter]

Gorgeous goal by Pulisic.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

That was an excellent half. Ball movement looks great.

 

[Bon Esprit]

lol at nikolai müller. injured himself while celebrating his goal.

 

[John Price]

 

[ecemleafs]

Pulisic Ballon D'or

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

There were not many performances last season better than that. Wolfsburg had no chance, chasing the ball all game. Movement, quick passing was so good. Pulisic, Goetze, Bartra, Sahin the standouts.