2011-12 Bundesliga - Dortmund Champion

[Point forward]

If Mainz does not lose the next game, they will break the all-time 8-game start record of Bayern and Lautern This after losing their best striker (Bancé) and having no big names. Man, when will this end? (As a FCK fan, I am green with envy, I admit... but still WOW...)

Bayern trails 0-2 after 70 minutes, and do not make the impression that they will score in the next, er, few hours...? Shaky on defense, uninspired in the midfield, harmless up front and all in all TOTALLY predictable.

I remember the 91/92 season where Bayern - on paper a strong team - ended up 10th. They underestimated their internal problems, got unlucky with injuries, had a bout of pure bad luck and were non factors all season. They are on the best way to go this rocky road.

[EdMar_Davis]

smh at Munich, they keep getting worse. They have nothing going for them and noone want's to step up. Dortmund just dominated them, the free kick by Sahin was sick. How much longer is the WC going to be blamed for their awful start? lol

Good game between Bremen and Bayer.L though, both team could have won it at the end.

[Foye]

smh at Munich, they keep getting worse. They have nothing going for them and noone want's to step up. Dortmund just dominated them, the free kick by Sahin was sick. How much longer is the WC going to be blamed for their awful start? lol

Good game between Bremen and Bayer.L though, both team could have won it at the end.

They're really lucky that they've got a little break now where everyone goes to the national team and can hopefully build up some confidence there. Ribery should be back after that break so they're getting a little of the creativity they sorely miss back.

At the end of the day it's not just the WC but they should've invested on the transfer market. They were blind because of the success they had last season ignoring all weak spots on the team. It's never good when a team that almost won it all in the previous season doesn't invest at all on the transfer market. Players are almost always going to be less motivated after such a season. You need two or three new guys who are hungry and can motivate the others to reach the level of the previous season again.
Anyway, I guess Munich's only focus will be the Championsleague pretty soon. They'll lose in the cup vs. Bremen and if they don't turn it around quick they'll be too far away in the table to catch Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund won't play as good as they play now all season long but if Bayern continues to suck they're going to have a hard time if they want make up all those points. They got already 10 pts. less than Dortmund.

They should be glad that other teams such as Schalke, Bremen, Hamburg, Wolfsburg or Stuttgart haven't been doing better (or are even worse).

[Batu7]

I watched the 2nd half of Stuttgart-Frankfurt game. After Cacau made it 2-2, I left the room. When I returned, the game ended and it was 2-1. What happened?

[Slava]

I wonder if anyone would still ofer 15 mil for Ribery now?

[EdMar_Davis]

smh at Munich, they keep getting worse. They have nothing going for them and noone want's to step up. Dortmund just dominated them, the free kick by Sahin was sick. How much longer is the WC going to be blamed for their awful start? lol

Good game between Bremen and Bayer.L though, both team could have won it at the end.

They're really lucky that they've got a little break now where everyone goes to the national team and can hopefully build up some confidence there. Ribery should be back after that break so they're getting a little of the creativity they sorely miss back.

At the end of the day it's not just the WC but they should've invested on the transfer market. They were blind because of the success they had last season ignoring all weak spots on the team. It's never good when a team that almost won it all in the previous season doesn't invest at all on the transfer market. Players are almost always going to be less motivated after such a season. You need two or three new guys who are hungry and can motivate the others to reach the level of the previous season again.
Anyway, I guess Munich's only focus will be the Championsleague pretty soon. They'll lose in the cup vs. Bremen and if they don't turn it around quick they'll be too far away in the table to catch Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund won't play as good as they play now all season long but if Bayern continues to suck they're going to have a hard time if they want make up all those points. They got already 10 pts. less than Dortmund.

They should be glad that other teams such as Schalke, Bremen, Hamburg, Wolfsburg or Stuttgart haven't been doing better (or are even worse).

Yap, that was a huge mistake. I have no idea why they would think, Van Buyten(sp) or demichales would some how turn into great defenders, even after their awful performance in the CL finals. In desperate need of a striker and a strong defender. They can only hope to stay in the race for a top 3 finish, until Robben is back and sign a player or two.

I'm sure Murinho would pay that and more for Ribery....still. Dude has had a slow start, I'm sure he'll pick it up soon. Man U ain't doing to good either lol.

[Slava]

The glass is half full and we're the only unbeaten team in the premier league.

Also I don't think Mourinho would entertain any question of Ribery after his world cup performance and being out played by Robben last season.

[Foye]

I wonder if anyone would still ofer 15 mil for Ribery now?

Obviously they would pay more than that. Same as teams would offer big money for Rooney even if he breaks his foot again.

[BlackMamba]

How is Mainz having such a great season?

[Point forward]

How is Mainz having such a great season?

To put it short, Thomas Tuchel (coach) is Midas. Everything he touches turns to gold atm.

1) 100% team spirit: often just a phrase, Mainz is the embodiment on this. Mainz is a team w/o great individuals, but they make perfect use of every player. Tuchel's system requires a high level of running w/o the ball, and the team has bought into it. Their players are individually "average", but technically and tactically smart and can pass with a low error level. Their wing play is particularily feared.

2) Talents blossoming into stars: strikers Szalai, Allagui and Schürrle cannot seem to miss, and Holtby (labelled as a bust in Schalke) may be the next Mainz international. Even reserve goalie Wetklo (replaces the injured Heinz Müller), supposedly the weak link, is playing well.

3) Never give up: Mainz trailed 0-1 several times this season and still won. They simply shrug off that misfortune and just hammer on. They were down 0-3 and still won 4-3 in Wolfsburg.

4) Well deserved luck: Mainz always plays a refreshing offensive game, never pulling back. Until now, the soccer gods always repay their effort with lucky (but not undeserved) goals.

Let's see where this ends. I still think that Bayern or Schalke will end above them, but it is so much fun to see Mainz play.

[Batu7]

I watched the 2nd half of Stuttgart-Frankfurt game. After Cacau made it 2-2, I left the room. When I returned, the game ended and it was 2-1. What happened?

So I'm going crazy then, 'cause I swear this happened?

[Foye]

Assistant referee saw a foul from a Stuttgart player on a Frankfurt defender which wasn't there...so it didn't count but Stuttgart got robbed.

[BlackMamba]

To put it short, Thomas Tuchel (coach) is Midas. Everything he touches turns to gold atm.

Why is that?

[Basti]

Apparently Ballack will not play in 2010 again

[EdMar_Davis]

Damn, dude just can't seem to get a break. It would be a shame, if he ends his career due to injuries. I
Hope he can stay healthy leading up to the EC, and has a good tournament. If he can play in the 2012 EC and Germany wins it, that would be amazing, he deserves it.

[Foye]

To put it short, Thomas Tuchel (coach) is Midas. Everything he touches turns to gold atm.

Why is that?

Because all the moves he makes turn out well. I think he has subbed in the winning goal scorer like 3 or 4 times already this season.

[Sleepy]

To put it short, Thomas Tuchel (coach) is Midas. Everything he touches turns to gold atm.

Why is that?

Tuchel is a players coach who got his team to buy in his style of play. Plus, he works incredible hard, leading by example. All this results in great morale in the team, which can hardly be underestimated.
Thus he can shake up his lineup, benching players without having to fear any problems in the lockerroom. His team was always perfectly prepared for the matches, ruthlessly exploiting the weaknesses of the opponents by tinkering with the lineup every weak.
And why can he do that? Because his GM (Heidel) did a great job of buying and loaning players these past two years. They got some valuable guys for peanuts (Ivanschitz, Szalai, Allagui), which aren't exactly stars, but which results in a very deep roster, ready to adopt many different lineups.

[Sleepy]

To put it short, Thomas Tuchel (coach) is Midas. Everything he touches turns to gold atm.

Why is that?

Here is the zonalmarking analysis of the Bayern-Mainz game:
http://www.zonalmarking.net/2010/09/30/ ... ten-steps/

There are also some links to articles focusing on Tuchel.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog ... bundesliga

Tuchel is non-dogmatic on formations, chopping and changing in order to hurt the specific opposition most. The constants in Mainz's game are plenty of running, intense pressing and the fastest possible switch from defence to attack and vice versa.
[...]
Side-parting aficionado Tuchel is into modernist furniture design and used to drive a bulky Saab 900. There's nothing retro about his management style, however. To his players, he comes across like an idealised version of an older brother. "He combines absolute authority with humanity," said Holtby. "Leading a Bundesliga team is 100% about human relations," said the manager. "My idea of leadership is all about respect and appreciation."

There are plenty of rules to that effect, from a total ban on the use of second names to the requirement to look into the other person's eyes when one says "good morning". Tuchel stresses good manners, punctuality, personal development. Tactically, he's also willing to put in the extra work.

[Foye]

Schalke vs. Stuttgart tonight. Lets see who can get out of the bottom of the table.

Guess what? I've gotta work again and won't be able to watch the game

[Foye]

Dortmund wins 2-1 in Cologne. Must have been completely confused when I wrote that it's Schalke vs. Stuttgart. That's tomorrow.