Well, appearantly Leverkusen is in the driver seat for him right now, but I personally don´t see him going there with Kiesling staying and if they can´t guarantee him CL football. Arsenal have scouted him several times in this season.
Bundesliga 13/14
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Well, appearantly Leverkusen is in the driver seat for him right now, but I personally don´t see him going there with Kiesling staying and if they can´t guarantee him CL football. Arsenal have scouted him several times in this season.
Firmino apparently signed a contract extension for another two years.
Thats correct. Was announced shortly before the game today. Contract until 2017, but I suspect that there is a release clause involved.
yeah, saw it in his thread. Really surprised at that unless its a deal similar to Rakitics which reduces his buyout clause.
As far as we knew Firmino didn't have a buyout clause in his old contract.
You guys watching Nurnberg? Hows Stark getting on?
17 year old Julian Brandt with an assist for Leverkusen. Looks like the winning goal too.
Wolfsburg would be a good fit for Drmic, but they'd probably have to get into the CL to get him. Ambitious team trying to establish itself, decent core of players.
Pretty random question, but for anyone who watches Schalke regularly, how has Kolasinac been this season, and how do you rate him with respect to the other young left backs? I don't watch Schalke much at all, but considering he's first choice left back at the age of 20, he must be doing pretty well.
The very few times I've seen them he's looked good, especially for the national team, and seems to have plenty of potential to improve into a very solid fullback.
The very few times I've seen them he's looked good, especially for the national team, and seems to have plenty of potential to improve into a very solid fullback.
I'm impressed every time I watch him play. Fast, powerful, intelligent player. No world beater, but might develop into a very useful fullback.
I think he could become a world-class defensive player in the middle, I agree as a fullback he won't become a world-beater. However in central defense or defensive midfield, positions which suit his strengths and weaknesses best? I can definitely see him reach the top-level there.
Remember the name: Kaan Ayhan, 19 year-old Schalke youngster. Plays in defensive midfield or as a centre-back; very intelligent player who already takes Schalke's set-pieces. Had a great battle with Lewandowski on Tuesday.
Some exciting talent across the league recently - Ayhan, Tah, Calhanoglu, Drmic, Meyer, Maxim, Durm, Can - if the last generation of "promising young players" don't keep their asses in gear they might become part of the faceless almost-have-beens ...
Yes, could be like this. But development usually does not go a straight ways - there is a lot ups and downs. Some of the former were just "one-season-wonders"...
There's too many to count...
Off the top of my head:
Meyer, Werner, Sule, Tah, Arnold, Goretzka, Bittencourt, Can, Draxler, Geis, Karius, Kolasinac, Schulz, Gunter, Drmic, Volland, Min Son, Gotze, Rodriguez, Alaba, Rudiger, Knoche, Leitner. Durm
There's loads of the feckers! That's what happens when you introduce a good youth policy. I made a comparison thread about this last season and the amount of young players getting minutes in the PL was miles behind the Bundesliga!
Off the top of my head:
Meyer, Werner, Sule, Tah, Arnold, Goretzka, Bittencourt, Can, Draxler, Geis, Karius, Kolasinac, Schulz, Gunter, Drmic, Volland, Min Son, Gotze, Rodriguez, Alaba, Rudiger, Knoche, Leitner. Durm
There's loads of the feckers! That's what happens when you introduce a good youth policy. I made a comparison thread about this last season and the amount of young players getting minutes in the PL was miles behind the Bundesliga!
he looked great in his first matches but hasnt really improved since then. He is still very young, but he has to make the next step. He has great physical attributes, that would allow him to become a great player, but athleticism alone isnt enough. Not sure if he ends up.
Bayern unbeaten in the league since freak 1-2 defeat against Leverkusen in October 2012. I've predicted an unbeaten season after Bayern's 3-0 win at Dortmund, but that's actually seeming more likely now.
Only 1 bad game to undo that, but at this form Bayern seems to be on course to break that record as well.
Only 1 bad game to undo that, but at this form Bayern seems to be on course to break that record as well.
Thanks. I've only watched him a handful of times for Schalke so was wondering. Looks good for the national team though, especially as the 3 positions he can play in are 3 positions in which we've been crying out for top players (I mean we played Salihovic at left back, he did a good job there but he's a central mid).
Don't know if it's only bad luck or what else, but every time I watch Schalke live, I witness yet another unimpressive performance by Julian Draxler.
He simply lacks presence in a considerable amount of games. He wants to be a leader, talks exactly like that, but when it really counts, he becomes anonymous.
He has most of the tools (control, shooting, passing, pace) to become a top class offensive midfielder, but does not bring them on the pitch often enough. He stagnates for a very long time now, is very inconsistent and has IMO "eternal talent" written all over him.
Huntelaar was injured half the season and he's already got 11 goals O.o
He is 20. The problem is the hype and all the expectations.
An interesting statistics from opta. Shows in the first column the goals the team made, in the second the goals made in the 12 seconds after an opponent's ball loss, in the third the opponent's goals received after 12 seconds of own ball losses.
Expectations he has brought on himself by proclaiming himself as a leader and key player of Schalke.
Furthermore, his age does not cut it for me. The guy has over 140 caps for Schalke and plays his third full season as starter for them. Actual game experience and time tells me more about his development than his age. He simply began extremely early. You also don´t see people cutting Götze or Alaba slack for being in their early twenties.
I also think that he got ahead of himself. All the talk about him made him a bit cocky. I think a new club with a better trainer, where he has to compete for time on the pitch, would help him to get back on track. He is still one of the most promising german talents, but nowhere near worth the 45m people talked about.
I have never seen a team with a stronger bench than this one in a single match, even if Bayern have already won the Bundesliga. That's utterly absurd.
Kroos didn't even make the squad for the match
.Don't think the starting line-up looks that impressive though
.What the hell are they doing resting all of their players!?! Play them now, wear them out, just do something for christ's sake!
Well, they are not resting everyone. Ribery, Thiago, Dante, Rafinha, Gotze, Schweinsteiger are all starters more or less.
That is 6 players not being rested/protected. Is that right Munich fans?
Btw, in Pep's shoes, I would have rested every single one of my players. Who cares about the stupid league records? There is one record that truly counts, and then some!
Rafinha isn't really, but the rest are. Their squad is so strong that they can rest half their first XI and still field a team stronger than most first XIs in Europe.
No. Only Schweinsteiger and Ribery are for sure starters. Else it is probably 11 out of 16.
If Schweinsteiger, Kroos, Lahm, Thiago and Götze are fighting for 3 places one has to miss out. The same with Robben, Ribery, Müller, Mandzukic and Götze fighting for the 3 forward positions. The only one that does not really have a fight are Alaba and Neuer as their competitors are too weak.
The only ones you really can pick in a second row of players are Pizarro, Shaqiri, Starke, Contento and van Buyten. The rest is starting material and somewhat in the first rotation...
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Rafinha started against Arsenal. Right?
Ribery, Thiago, Götze and Schweinsteiger have all missed several months this season with injuries. They really shouldn't be tired, so I don't see a problem if they start in the league today ahead of the game against United. When players are 100%, they can play twice in 5 days, no problem at all.
Rafinha starts when Lahm plays in midfield. It's possible, but not very likely against United.
OK, what is the strongest Bayern XI?
What about Dortmund?
Have they rested their best players today?
Have they rested their best players today?
Dortmund have way too many injuries to rest players. They need to win today.
Line-up today:
BVB: Weidenfeller - Großkreutz, Hummels, Sokratis, Durm - Kirch, Kehl - Reus, Mkhitaryan, Hofmann - Lewandowski
He did. like Balu said, he plays when Lahm is in midfield, which has been a lot this season due to injury. When the team has their first choice CMs back then Lahm falls back to RB and Rafinha is back to the bench.
Isn't that a bit daft ahead of the Real Madrid game?
Just lose the stupid game today, they are still qualifying for the CL for sure.
And they go down regardless...