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German Football 2017/18

Toby

No longer a Stuttgart Fan
Moderator
Marco Reus has just extended his contract at Dortmund 'til 2023. Very loyal guy, but then again, with his injury record, very loyal club, too.

Still, he's an absolute asset to them when fit and proves every time he's on the pitch that he's still Germany's best winger. Shame for all his injuries, could've become a world beater. I just hope he stays fit for the WC, he's definitely earned to play at least one international tournament.
 

Aevi

Hale End FC
Moderator
Schalke vs Mainz is in a little over an hour, and two players we've been linked to (Meyer and Diallo) will likely be playing. I don't think I'll be able to watch but if anyone wants to, I'd be interested to hear how they do!

@dashsnow17?
 

Toby

No longer a Stuttgart Fan
Moderator
Sweet! I've just seen that Meyer isn't even playing, know why that is?

Haven't found anything on it.
But looking at all the changes to their last game, it seems Tedesco wants to field a more physical XI, especially in the centre, with Burgstaller, Bentaleb and Kennie instead of Embolo, Meyer and Stambouli, while also fielding the more creative Schoepf instead of worker Oczipka on one wing.
Seems like Schalke are reacting to Mainz physical and mental relegation fighting style with more physicality, a condensed centre and more impulses from the wings.
But I'll have to see the game to actually know what they're up to.

Edit: it's probably also a reaction to Mainz' use of high balls, to field big players
 

Toby

No longer a Stuttgart Fan
Moderator
First Half done. Uninspiring game.
Only two shots on goal at all. Both teams with a high rate of misplaced/incompleted passes.

Schalke lack creativity and incisiveness in the final third, while solid at the back. Mainz run a lot, are sound defensively but lack quality all over.
Both teams play exactly the same system (3-4-1-2). Focus of both teams definitely on neutralizing each other through "fight and run", both are focused on preventing mistakes - but they're not really playing football.

Mainz unexpectedly play a lot on the floor instead of hoofball, but miserably fail. If I was Tedesco, I'd change my "physical fight" plan a bit and bring on Meyer or Goretzka for Di Santo, pjaca to take control of the midfield and inject some creativity. Mainz don't look too imposing, so taking off a forward and bringing on a mid shouldn't be too risky.

A Mainz player stumbling over his own feet while trying to break into the Schalke box sums up this game perfectly.
 

Toby

No longer a Stuttgart Fan
Moderator
Second half starts. Schalke bring on Goretzka for Kehrer, a CB, which means they'll either change to a back four or Bentaleb/McKennie will drop into the back three.

Mainz bring Maxim, an attacking mid, for Latza, a central (defensive) mid.

Seems both teams are pushing for a win here.

Edit: Now that they're playing: Both systems didn't change. McKennie dropped back in defense, and the more offensive Goretzka takes over his place in midfield. Mainz made a man for man change, bringing on a more offensive player.

Edit2: Maxim instantly with some impulses. Good chance for Mainz.
 
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Toby

No longer a Stuttgart Fan
Moderator
promising start to the second half. Mainz came back with a lot of drive, playing quicker and higher up the pitch and Maxim already changing their offensive dynamics. Had two chances already.

Tedesco reacts quickly and brings on Konoplyanka for pjaca. Schalke look better now.

EDIT: Goal for Schalke. Caligiuri goes about it on his own, Mainz defenders nowhere to be seen, too far away from their man, but it's been a very good run, and he curles it into the top right corner. No chance for Mainz' keeper.

EDIT: Next good piece of play from Schalke, but Diallo gets in.
 

Toby

No longer a Stuttgart Fan
Moderator
Game ends Mainz 0:1 Schalke. Fourth win in a row for the royal blues from Gelsenkirchen.

Second half was a lot better. Both teams were going for the win and the game got a lot more offensive, if still the footballing level remained somewhat subpar. Schalke couldn't build on their goal and failed to take control of the game. From the 70th on Mainz really put their foot on the gas and had some good chances but bad luck and their lack of quality showed. Schalke did seriously struggle with Mainz' drive during the tailgate of the game, but the home team couldn't capitalize on that.
In the end, both teams were offensively and technically suspect. Typical Bundesliga game with both focused on systemically counteracting the opponent, avoiding mistakes and defensive stability while sacrificing offensive play, ultimately revealing a lack of intuitive and dynamic play in the final third and the recently diminishing footballing level in Germany's top flight.

On Diallo and Meyer:
Meyer didn't play, so there's nothing to say.
Diallo is...alright. He'll probably become a somewhat decent player, sure, but I don't see anything too special about him. The true Bundesliga CB gem is Pavard, no arguing about that. He's a couple of levels above Diallo already. The only two Mainz players I'd keep an eye on are Serdar, 20y old CM, and Gbamin, 22y old CDM. Both seem quite exciting.

The most interesting aspect about Schalke is probably their coach, Tedesco. They've got decent players all around, better than most Bundesliga squads surely, but bar Goretzka no one truly eye catching or special. And regarding him: Arsenal already got the better Goretzka in Ramsey.
 

Aevi

Hale End FC
Moderator
Game ends Mainz 0:1 Schalke. Fourth win in a row for the royal blues from Gelsenkirchen.

Second half was a lot better. Both teams were going for the win and the game got a lot more offensive, if still the footballing level remained somewhat subpar. Schalke couldn't build on their goal and failed to take control of the game. From the 70th on Mainz really put their foot on the gas and had some good chances but bad luck and their lack of quality showed. Schalke did seriously struggle with Mainz' drive during the tailgate of the game, but the home team couldn't capitalize on that.
In the end, both teams were offensively and technically suspect. Typical Bundesliga game with both focused on systemically counteracting the opponent, avoiding mistakes and defensive stability while sacrificing offensive play, ultimately revealing a lack of intuitive and dynamic play in the final third and the recently diminishing footballing level in Germany's top flight.

On Diallo and Meyer:
Meyer didn't play, so there's nothing to say.
Diallo is...alright. He'll probably become a somewhat decent player, sure, but I don't see anything too special about him. The true Bundesliga CB gem is Pavard, no arguing about that. He's a couple of levels above Diallo already. The only two Mainz players I'd keep an eye on are Serdar, 20y old CM, and Gbamin, 22y old CDM. Both seem quite exciting.

The most interesting aspect about Schalke is probably their coach, Tedesco. They've got decent players all around, better than most Bundesliga squads surely, but bar Goretzka no one truly eye catching or special. And regarding him: Arsenal already got the better Goretzka in Ramsey.
Thank you for taking the time to write all this up, I appreciate it!

On Diallo vs Pavard, I believe the reason we have reportedly been interested in Diallo is because Arsenal lacks a left-footed CB and he is that while Pavard isn't. That's the rumor anyway... If Pavard is indeed the better player though, I'd prefer we attempt to get him instead. I've just looked at Utd CBs and only Rojo is left-footed (and he barely even starts) so I don't think being left-footed vs right-footed matters too much for CBs. It's more about intelligence and ability.

Do you think the two players you mentioned in Serdar and Gbamin are ones to look at? What are their strengths and weaknesses?

And regarding him: Arsenal already got the better Goretzka in Ramsey.
I agree... I just hope we can hang onto him :(
 

NieThePiet

Loves Overhyping Our Rivals
Still incredible how Schalke is second with this poor football, 4 wins in a row and 3 with out a goal conceded. They are just defending a scoring goals after corner, free kicks or shot like today.

Says everything how bad the Bundesliga is.

Btw Meyer wasn't playing, because he was to small for Tedesco today. He is only around 1,50 and Tedesco expected to play a lot of long balls, so he wanted higher CMs.
 

Toby

No longer a Stuttgart Fan
Moderator
a left-footed CB

yeah, **** that. It's a nice to have but by no means required or a guarantee for a good centre defence. Ramos/Pique for Spain and Boateng/Hummels for Bayern/Germany are both solely right footed pairings at CB and they're arguably two of the best around.


If Pavard is indeed the better player though, I'd prefer we attempt to get him instead

He is. Trust me. He's phenomenal. perfect Koscielny successor.


Do you think the two players you mentioned in Serdar and Gbamin are ones to look at? What are their strengths and weaknesses?

It's hard to tell at this stage.
Serdar is technically gifted, aggressive, he's not a controller, really, but someone who has his strenght in transitioning the game forward. As of yet he's no one to keep close tabs on, but still a promising prospect.
Gbamin is mostly defensive minded, he can play at CB, too. Good on the ball for a DM, quite close to Coquelin, but with a higher ceiling, I suppose. He's at that stage and age where a lot of people will say he'll become nothing more than a decent Bundesliga or english midtabe team player, and he could just become that, but a lot of people were saying that about e.g. Dembele or similar guys.

I agree... I just hope we can hang onto him :(

Most important and best player after Özil. Severely underrated by most for their lack of understanding of tactics, player roles, etc. I desperately want him to sign on, but feel his mind is set on leaving, not least because of his injuries.
 

BobP

Memri Fan
A manager who doesn't get enough love, at least on here, is Domenico Tedesco.

Very intelligent guy who not only has bachelor degrees but who also graduated at the top of his class at the top German football coaching academy, according to Wikipedia at least.

His first job in management was last season at bottom placed Erzgebirge Aue. He took over in March and managed to completely turn their season around, winning 6 games, drawing 2, and losing 3. That run of form saw the club avoid relegation, finishing 14th in the process.

He's now doing a superb job with Schalke, having both recreated players and integrated many promising players into the 1st team.

A very deep thinker of the game, as evidenced by the following interview which I posted a while ago:

https://spielverlagerung.com/2017/12/02/interview-with-schalke-head-coach-domenico-tedesco/

I quite liked this section:

Christian Heidel said that you are very good at involving players in your tactical considerations. Do you sit down with the players and explain them your ideas just like moments ago?

Tedesco: Yes, regularly. The players are the ones who have to understand and execute. Back to your example: You are my no. 8. Always, when the ball goes to the full-back, the no. 8 has to move towards him. I could tell you, that’s my plan, full-stop. But now we have practice and I realise they do it the first time, the second time. When it comes to the third time they start gasping, and after the fourth time they had enough.

Not because of exhaustion.

Tedesco: No. Simply because they can’t be bothered. When I tell them we do this during the match on Saturday, then I know after 20 minutes, it won’t work. I can already see it in training.

There are coaches who think about it the other way. They would say the players have to get over it.

Tedesco: If I see something like that, I ask the no. 8: ‘What’s the problem.’ ‘Coach, the distances are too long.’ And now we are in a discussion. Now I can say: ‘Alright, then position yourself a bit wider.’ Then he tries that twice and says: ‘Coach, that makes no sense.’ Then I ask again: ‘What’s the problem? Perhaps the striker can help you, so you don’t have to move there in every third case, just in every fifth.’ And that’s how we try to develop an idea together. That’s important, because if a player says ‘yes’ in training, it has to be a ‘yes’ in the match as well.

That means?

Tedesco: Tactical training, which means we watch video footage and then practice it on the pitch. Afterwards, I always ask: ‘Do you feel comfortable with what we have prepared? Are you able to execute it?’ If they say ‘yes’ … [Tedesco bangs on the table.] then I will take them at their word. Then it has to work during the match. If it doesn’t work during the match, because the opponent did something differently, it’s not an issue. Then we coaches have to come up with new ideas and react. But if the opponent plays the way we expected and we don’t execute it properly, I’ll ask the next day: ‘Why didn’t it work? What was the issue?’ And that’s how we evolve. The players, however, have the chance to say: ‘It doesn’t work, we need a different idea.’

Tactical coaching as being this integrative process, as opposed to this top down relationship where the coach just tells the player what to do. The best results as coming only when you collaborate with the players and come to a consensus regarding how to approach a particular problem.
 

dashsnow17

Doesn’t Rate Any Of Our Attackers
Trusted ⭐
Marco Reus has just extended his contract at Dortmund 'til 2023. Very loyal guy, but then again, with his injury record, very loyal club, too.

Still, he's an absolute asset to them when fit and proves every time he's on the pitch that he's still Germany's best winger. Shame for all his injuries, could've become a world beater. I just hope he stays fit for the WC, he's definitely earned to play at least one international tournament.

A bit like Dortmund's Wilshere; not someone you can rely on but someone you want to keep around.
 

dashsnow17

Doesn’t Rate Any Of Our Attackers
Trusted ⭐
Schalke vs Mainz is in a little over an hour, and two players we've been linked to (Meyer and Diallo) will likely be playing. I don't think I'll be able to watch but if anyone wants to, I'd be interested to hear how they do!

@dashsnow17?

Soz was at the pub, neglected my football duties for an evening.
 

dashsnow17

Doesn’t Rate Any Of Our Attackers
Trusted ⭐
I agree with what you guys have said re: left-footed CBs. They're useful obviously, but it's more useful to just have good CBs. A decent leftie isn't as useful as a really good rightie. We were linked to Pavard before the January transfer window, so you never know, he might be on our radar. Still think we'd need a really physically dominant CB along with Pavard, as Pavard by himself isn't enough to shore up our defence.
 

KrissKringle

Reinventing VAR 😡
A bit like Dortmund's Wilshere; not someone you can rely on but someone you want to keep around.
I see what you're trying to say, but it's a stretch. When fit, Reus is the difference maker and will win you games, as opposed to Wilshere.
He's a world class player that started getting injured a lot after that first serious one he sustained while playing for the national team.Unfortunately for him, it's become chronic after that.
 
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NieThePiet

Loves Overhyping Our Rivals
Nice game in Dortmund.

1:0 for Dortmund. 1:1 and instantly the 2:1 for Dortmund.

Then Frankfurt scored the 2:2 in extra time and Batshuayi won it in the 94th for Dortmund.

Nice game. Batshuayi with a double as a joker.
 
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