German football season 2023/24

[cgf]

Up to 29 points and ahead of FC VW & Gladbach. Crazy that we're about to survive despite a 15 month losing streak earlier in the season.

 

[Savant]

Feel like Neuer probably saves that. Sleepy Bayern though

 

[JoVel]

Ryerson's really lucky to get away with that.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Sané has been shocking so far. Weird match.

 

[cgf]

Bayern played like they're ready for Tuchel to be fired in that first half. If Brandt & Füllkrug were sharper they'd have set Karim loose a second (or third) time.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Has Bayern been that bad all year? How in hell they have fallen out in a year, they look like a relegation side. Horrible....

 

[Savant]

Has Bayern been that bad all year? How in hell they have fallen out in a year, they look like a relegation side. Horrible....

They quit on Tuchel months ago

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Has Bayern been that bad all year? How in hell they have fallen out in a year, they look like a relegation side. Horrible....

Not...really, they've been really inconsistent but it's been up and down. They've actually been on a decent spell recently and this flat a performance, especially against BVB, is surprising.

It feels like they've really been due for this type of season for a few years now, with a lot of the same issues showing up back in Flick's second season (disjointed midfield, exploitable defense, lack of incisiveness and creativity in the final third). They would have been better off letting it play out last year and allowing Nagelsmann to keep building.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Oof. Doesn't matter for Bayern, but VAR marked the wrong guy (Schlotterbeck) as last man. Maatsen was playing Kane onside.

 

[JoVel]

Hummels has his flaws at 35 years of age, but all the rumors of Dortmund letting him go are insane to me. Best player on the pitch today.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Hummels has his flaws at 35 years of age, but all the rumors of Dortmund letting him go are insane to me. Best player on the pitch today.

Yeah, he was great and probably maintaining a case for making the Euro squad. Probably prevented 2-3 potential goals today, at least.

 

[JoVel]

If Stuttgart get the win tomorrow they're quietly just one point behind Bayern too. A team that just barely escaped relegation last season.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

If Stuttgart get the win tomorrow they're quietly just one point behind Bayern too. A team that just barely escaped relegation last season.

Not so loud, the jinx fairies might hear you.

 

[gary69]

Leverkusen isn't real. I had to leave the house when they were down 1-0. And of course I come back to them being on top 2-1, having scored their winner on added time.

It was unreal pressure by Leverkusen in the 2nd half, before they eventually managed to score.

They should have scored a lot earlier. There was this one sequence when a shot hit the bar and Baumann made two successive great saves.

 

[Chimaera]

How ETH could get zero out of Sancho is a crime.

 

[PeteWorrell]

I wonder where Tuchel goes next? He always end up fighting upper management and/or players quit on him. He is talented but it's just too bad he is such a hot head.

 

[cgf]

Yeah, he was great and probably maintaining a case for making the Euro squad. Probably prevented 2-3 potential goals today, at least.

I think I'd take him in my squad if he still has gas left at the end of the season.

FW: Füllkrug / Undav / Moukoko / Beier / Werner / Burkardt
AM: Musiala / Wirtz / Sane / Havertz / Führich / Müller / Brandt / Adeyemi / Gnabry / Hofmann / Schade
8: Gundogan / Kroos / Goretzka / Nmecha / Stiller / Groß / Stach
6: Can / Andrich / Khedira / Pavlovic / Martel
LB: Mittelstädt / Gosens / Raum / Netz
RB: Kimmich / Henrichs / Vagnoman / Baku
CB: Rüdiger / Hummel / Tah / Schlotterbeck / Thiaw / Süle
GK: Neuer / ter Stegen / Trapp / Baumann

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

I think I'd take him in my squad if he still has gas left at the end of the season.

FW: Füllkrug / Undav / Moukoko / Beier / Werner / Burkardt
AM: Musiala / Wirtz / Sane / Havertz / Führich / Müller / Brandt / Adeyemi / Gnabry / Hofmann / Schade
8: Gundogan / Kroos / Goretzka / Nmecha / Stiller / Groß / Stach
6: Can / Andrich / Khedira / Pavlovic / Martel
LB: Mittelstädt / Gosens / Raum / Netz
RB: Kimmich / Henrichs / Vagnoman / Baku
CB: Rüdiger / Hummel / Tah / Schlotterbeck / Thiaw / Süle
GK: Neuer / ter Stegen / Trapp / Baumann

Based on his (and their) last few NT outings I take him (and your other options) over his Dortmund compatriots pretty easily.

 

[cgf]

Based on his (and their) last few NT outings I take him (and your other options) over his Dortmund compatriots pretty easily.

There's still a couple of months. Last year Hummels ran out of gas hard by the end of the season.

And we're going to need Nico to get past his NT curse at some point. I know he's had terrible luck so far, but we can't just stop playing him because of that. ter Stegen used to be cursed for the NT too, but he's gotten to play through that and he's now much closer to his club level when he dons the NT shirt.

Thiaw also has to get back into form after his injury took him out of Milan's lineup. Nico's club form is much stronger atm even if Thiaw looked more comfortable in the NT shirt during their last caps.


EDIT:
If it's just 23 man rosters, I think I'd go:

Füllkrug, Wirtz, Musiala, Sane, Havertz, Führich
Kroos, Gundogan, Can*, Andrich*
Kimmich, Henrichs, Mittelstädt, Gosens
Rüdiger, Tah, Hummels, Schlotterbeck
Neuer, ter Stegen, Trapp

Final 2 spots...if just 23, take all 5 if 26:
Undav / Müller
Goretzka / Stiller / Thiaw


*Pavlovic / Khedira / Karazor

 

[cgf]

Thielmann is starting at RB for Köln, noticed him playing there for the U21 NT and was very happy with his performance. Would be really interesting if he finally makes good on his hype at the new position given that our other RB prospects are all much more defensive options...Morgalla / Oermann / Vagnoman...and Thielmann is doing it in a back 4, unlike Knauff who has played some RWB in front of Frankfurt's back 3.

 

[luiginb]

Dude Vagnoman isn't even the best German RB on Stuttgart... never got the hype, except that he's built like a running back

 

[cgf]

Dude Vagnoman isn't even the best German RB on Stuttgart... never got the hype, except that he's built like a running back

I've never been a big fan either, but he's a great athlete as well as being very powerfully build, who has solid defensive instincts, has played more for VFB than Stenzel has, and he might have the technical skills to fit in with the senior NT.

So the potential is there if he develops really well...whether I think he ever will, or not. I'm not holding my breath, but I do take some encouragement from Henrichs....who looked really mediocre at FB for years, before it all suddenly clicked for him a couple seasons ago.

...and if things click for Vagnoman similarly, in a couple of years, he could turn into a German Kyle Walker. But yeah, I'm not a big fan...just fit my point about our other RB prospects being much more defensive options (outside of da silva Moreira).

 

[cgf]

Thielmann & Finkgräfe certainly have a lot to learn, but both work really hard against the ball and their forward impulses up the flanks are often Köln's best path to advance the ball. Very dribble-strong for FBs.

It's weird to watch Köln play with Martel on the bench. This is the first game all season that he's been fit and hasn't started. Kemlein is having a great season on loan in BuLi2...but I hope we offer them Alojscha + cash for the U21 captain lol

EDIT:
Alidou might get himself sent off at this rate. Love the combativeness, but he's just throwing hip checks out there

E2:
Ah, Martel's face is f***ed up, that's why he didn't start. New they couldn't afford to leave a healthy Martel on the bench this deep into the relegation race.

Would've been so huge if Maina could've delivered that better. Would've been just a golden chance for Huseinbasic.

E3:
Thielmann just saved a really pretty goal from the goal line, was a really well executed attack with a very slick finish until Thielmann threw his leg out there to dig it out of the goal

Downs is checking in.

MOTM has to be between Mbabu & Chabot, really strong defensive performances from both as Mbabu stopped a couple sure fire counters and Chabot seems like he's at the end of every Augsburg attack.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Augsburg putting up 25 shots (granted only 6 on target), even against Köln...this is just such a bizarre season in so many ways.

What's funny is this is the direction I thought they were going under Maaßen, but Thorup has just found another, more consistent gear.

 

[cgf]

Augsburg putting up 25 shots (granted only 6 on target), even against Köln...this is just such a bizarre season in so many ways.

What's funny is this is the direction I thought they were going under Maaßen, but Thorup has just found another, more consistent gear.

It wasn't great possession play so much as they figured out how to completely neuter Köln's attempts to build up / counter in the second half...outside of a couple moments where Köln beat them with 1 long ball but Mbabu was there to clean up in those situations.