German Football Part III

[ecemleafs]

Weston McKennie makes the bench for Schalke today

 

[cgf]

How did Uduokhai look for VFL? He's got a lot of potential, but it's surprising to see him jump straight from 1860 into their starting XI

 

[jniklast]

How did Uduokhai look for VFL? He's got a lot of potential, but it's surprising to see him jump straight from 1860 into their starting XI

Brooks and Bruma were injured, that's why he was in the starting XI. He's a good talent though, no doubt.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

How did Uduokhai look for VFL? He's got a lot of potential, but it's surprising to see him jump straight from 1860 into their starting XI

Pretty bad, although he wasn't the only one. The whole Wolfsburg team was awful. It was a complete dismantling.

 

[cgf]

Brooks and Bruma were injured, that's why he was in the starting XI. He's a good talent though, no doubt.

Makes sense, still surprising given where he was playing at the end of last season (BuLi2 relegation playoff).

How did look? Overmatched & out of place? Or did he manage to look like he belonged already? Personally I thought he wouldn't become a senior team option until the winter camps, but kids usually break through a little faster than I expect.

 

[cgf]

Schalke are already way more fluid in possession than they ever were under Weinzierl. I guess maybe there was something to the whole 'Tedesco got better grades than Nagelsmann when they were studying to become coaches together' thing.

Upamecano is a bull in a china shop. He'll give away pens like that every week if he just keeps running through players like that.

 

[Live in the Now]

Yep, definitely showing his age. Not the first time this match he did that either.

 

[Deficient Mode]

Upamecano was actually very good before that pen. He did have a couple overly physical challenges but none were as clumsy as that. He needs to rein it in a bit.

 

[cgf]

Upamecano was actually very good before that pen. He did have a couple overly physical challenges but none were as clumsy as that. He needs to rein it in a bit.

He had a few scenes that were approaching the line, but yeah, he's reading the play well and moving the ball effectively. That over-physicality is really my only gripe with his game today.

PS that terrible ad just made me miss Trapattoni. The italian accent is just too much fun in this tongue.

 

[cgf]

Kudos to Hasenhuttl, that's a nice aggressive change that RB needs to start creating real danger; as they were very toothless in the first half.

E:
Oh di Santo. Hopefully Embolo is ready to take his job soon, cause Schalke look like they'll be fun to watch under Tedesco.

E2:
Cheeky Harit, but not very smart in that position.

 

[Evilo]

Has Harit played at all?

 

[cgf]

Has Harit played at all?

Started. He's had some bright scenes, forced Keita to take a yellow to break up a counter; but just gave away a silly FK in a dangerous area that Forsberg wasted. He's not dominating, but so far it's been a good debut for the kid.

Doesn't hurt that Schalke look much more fluid than last year as a whole. Very interesting to see what Tedesco can turn all of that young talent into if he keeps up the good work.

 

[Evilo]

Thanks. Hopefully he adapts quickly. His problem has been the end product so far.

 

[cgf]

Thanks. Hopefully he adapts quickly. His problem has been the end product so far.

Well hopefully Tedesco has the magic touch and can help both Harit & Meyer become masters of the final ball, as that's been Meyer's biggest hurdle at the senior level as well.

You can tell Harit is still figuring things out as there's been a few times were he was running around like a mad man in pressing while the rest of the team moved back & away from him. But he's showing the bright sparks that you like to see from a young player at a new & bigger club, while working his ass off & showing some nice cleverness.

E: Harit just played a beautiful ball to spark Reese out on the counter, but Upamecano outran the Schalke forward and forced him away from goal.

 

[cgf]

lol Poulsen.

And Oczipka almost out does him with a horrible give away that leads to Bentaleb getting KTFO by a clearance attempt lol

This game has taken an odd turn these past few minutes

 

[ecemleafs]

leipzig burned on the counter. konoplyanka in all alone and finishes far post.

 

[Live in the Now]

Great dribble and pass by Harit.

 

[Deficient Mode]

On the subject of Harit, brilliant play by him to assist that second goal.

 

[Evilo]

Cool

 

[ecemleafs]

mckennie on for harit.

 

[ecemleafs]

McKennie had a nice play where he kept control and then played the ball forward, but he was often times the most forward schalke player and he looked uncomfortable in that position. He didnt show much attacking instinct as a furthest most player on the counter imo.

 

[cgf]

Strong debut for Tedesco. Schalke didn't have that much of the ball, but they were quick, crisp & fluid when they did and successfully neutralized RB's press. Will be interesting to see how they do this season, especially when they have to run the match, but there was a lot of improvement over last season.

Hassenhuttl showed admirable courage with his substitutions, but this match did little to assuage my concerns about how they'll do when they have to play in possession and their pressing can not create for them. As Augustin & Bruma settle in Poulsen will be replaced, they will have more class up front, which will help. But they lack that creative maestro that Abouchabaka should become, and I still question how well their attacking structure can create openings...even though it's obviously great at taking advantage of openings.

McKennie had a nice play where he kept control and then played the ball forward, but he was often times the most forward schalke player and he looked uncomfortable in that position. He didnt show much attacking instinct as a furthest most player on the counter imo.

I wouldn't take too much out of that showing. It was the 79th minute, his team were sitting back on a 2 goal lead and he was the freshest legs on the pitch. I didn't really notice much of him, but it also wasn't exactly a great opportunity to show off.

 

[Bure80]

Dortmunds youth sensation Youssoufa Moukoko (12 years old) scored 4 goals for the U17 team. He leads the league in goals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=bAsOYU3LX_k

 

[Power Man]

Bentaleb and Goretzka have great chemistry

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

McKennie had a nice play where he kept control and then played the ball forward, but he was often times the most forward schalke player and he looked uncomfortable in that position. He didnt show much attacking instinct as a furthest most player on the counter imo.

I wish the Fox announcers would concentrate less on him.

I get it, he's American, and I think he's gonna be a very good player, but its kind of cringeworthy that they concentrate on an 18 year old with two career pro games coming on in the 79th minute. Anywhere else, thats a footnote, and maybe they talk about that guy for a few lines. I hate when they do that for Americans. Sometimes its still annoying when they do it for Pulisic, although Pulisic is a legitimate star now, so its more understandable.

McKennie doesn't need all this pressure on him. He should be able to concentrate on getting more minutes, and not being anointed anything yet. A lot of people want to do that because they want to find the next Pulisic, but I'd rather he earn his air time, like a player from any other country would have to.