Bundesliga review part 2. the new one :)

[Maldeika]

Its back at last!

I don't know how you guys cope during winter. The break is far too long

I do not really mind. During the holidays I do not really miss football. And then there is enough interesting winter sports like e.g. biathlon. And you can always watch the other leagues, too.

 

[CityFan94]

Fascinating game tactically by Bayern last night, I thought they were great.

Guardiola played a 3-3-4/3-5-2 with a front four of Coman, Lewandowski, Muller and Costa and the midfield trio of Alonso, Lahm and Thiago behind them. Alonso and Lahm were both excellent, they sat in front of the back 3 and just sprayed passes all over the park. One touch, then a 30/40/50 yard pass into a wide player with ease. The technical ability of their midfield trio was so high, they completely dominated the game from there. The interchanging of positions between Thiago, Lewandowski and Muller in the centre was brilliant too, constantly on the move, Hamburg players couldn't get near them.

Pep seems to be one of the only manager who can play a back 3 at the top level, but it's really effective when he plays it. He did at Barca aswell with either Puyol/Pique/Abidal or Puyol/Busquets/Pique. The fairly narrow back 3 with a high line seems to be very effective under Pep, especially when he's got quick defenders in there (Alaba, Boateng). The back 3 really works when you're dominating possession and the opposition are counter attacking. We basically play with a back 2 in that situation; both full backs go forward and no centre midfielder drops back. Our two centre backs can be completely isolated, that's definitely a big change Pep will make if he comes here.

Wonderful display by Bayern, Pep is a genius.

 

[Alex - City Matters]

Typical Hamburg all over that. Not that it surprised me, mind.

 

[Gabriel]

Fascinating game tactically by Bayern last night, I thought they were great.

Guardiola played a 3-3-4/3-5-2 with a front four of Coman, Lewandowski, Muller and Costa and the midfield trio of Alonso, Lahm and Thiago behind them. Alonso and Lahm were both excellent, they sat in front of the back 3 and just sprayed passes all over the park. One touch, then a 30/40/50 yard pass into a wide player with ease. The technical ability of their midfield trio was so high, they completely dominated the game from there. The interchanging of positions between Thiago, Lewandowski and Muller in the centre was brilliant too, constantly on the move, Hamburg players couldn't get near them.

Pep seems to be one of the only manager who can play a back 3 at the top level, but it's really effective when he plays it. He did at Barca aswell with either Puyol/Pique/Abidal or Puyol/Busquets/Pique. The fairly narrow back 3 with a high line seems to be very effective under Pep, especially when he's got quick defenders in there (Alaba, Boateng). The back 3 really works when you're dominating possession and the opposition are counter attacking. We basically play with a back 2 in that situation; both full backs go forward and no centre midfielder drops back. Our two centre backs can be completely isolated, that's definitely a big change Pep will make if he comes here.

Wonderful display by Bayern, Pep is a genius.

The speed at which they broke was incredible, and the threat on the flanks was simply too much for a sorry Hamburg. It was interesting to watch Lewandowski drop so deep and then sprint to get back into the box when Bayern attacked; Bony manages one of those bits better than the other...

 

[Maldeika]

Fascinating game tactically by Bayern last night, I thought they were great.

Guardiola played a 3-3-4/3-5-2 with a front four of Coman, Lewandowski, Muller and Costa and the midfield trio of Alonso, Lahm and Thiago behind them. Alonso and Lahm were both excellent, they sat in front of the back 3 and just sprayed passes all over the park. One touch, then a 30/40/50 yard pass into a wide player with ease. The technical ability of their midfield trio was so high, they completely dominated the game from there. The interchanging of positions between Thiago, Lewandowski and Muller in the centre was brilliant too, constantly on the move, Hamburg players couldn't get near them.

Pep seems to be one of the only manager who can play a back 3 at the top level, but it's really effective when he plays it. He did at Barca aswell with either Puyol/Pique/Abidal or Puyol/Busquets/Pique. The fairly narrow back 3 with a high line seems to be very effective under Pep, especially when he's got quick defenders in there (Alaba, Boateng). The back 3 really works when you're dominating possession and the opposition are counter attacking. We basically play with a back 2 in that situation; both full backs go forward and no centre midfielder drops back. Our two centre backs can be completely isolated, that's definitely a big change Pep will make if he comes here.

Wonderful display by Bayern, Pep is a genius.

Not really. Yesterday was the typically tired match we are used after the winter break from Bayern. The problem seems to be that whereas the other teams try to peak early as the need the points from the start, Bayern has to try to peak in March/April/May. That makes some difficult matches at the beginning of the second season half when out of fitness issues they cannot be on 100% (and that shows in the play, too, as they made a lot easy mistakes) - but they should take profit of it later. When there is no big injuries following.

Boateng probably is out for some weeks now, too. And Martinez the only defender without injury issues. You still have to be careful with Badstuber and Benatia never played more than a handful of matches in a row without injuries...

Hamburg pressed early on and made problems with the build-up but kept tight at the back, too.

There is a lot to improve in the next weeks. Was a scraped win - but you need to have those, too.

 

[Maldeika]

The speed at which they broke was incredible, and the threat on the flanks was simply too much for a sorry Hamburg. It was interesting to watch Lewandowski drop so deep and then sprint to get back into the box when Bayern attacked; Bony manages one of those bits better than the other...

Just Coman. Costa after his injury still needs to have time. So does Arjen. And Coman still has problems with the end product. But how this 19 year old plays with his defenders and how often he can escape them - and can only be held back with fouls - is absolutely promising.

 

[Alex - City Matters]

Just Coman. Costa after his injury still needs to have time. So does Arjen. And Coman still has problems with the end product. But how this 19 year old plays with his defenders and how often he can escape them - and can only be held back with fouls - is absolutely promising.

Especially with his apparent love of life in Munich, and at Sabener Strasse. Promising both on and off the pitch.

 

[Alex - City Matters]

12 and counting! ;)

 

[davymcfc]

Terrible result for schalke given the circumstances. Huntelaar was so wasteful.

 

[Bembeltown]

Nuff said!