Xavi tbh wasn’t really considered that exceptional until Pep got to Barca and then Spain won all the international tournaments. Pirlo, however, was the maestro of a great Milan side and won the world cup.
The most memorable thing about Xavi to me around 2007 was when he had silver hair under van Gaal.
He wasn’t. Carlo is playing him like one.
They are talking about something very specific. The trequartista in Italy, enganche in Argentina. Basically a genius playmaker behind 2 strikers that does absolutely no defending at all. A Platini, Baggio, Riquelme type. They are certainly romantic types of players, but all it really says about the game is that the level is so high now a team can’t entirely carry 3 guys defensively who don’t even provide width.
Jude is doing it for Madrid though. Carlo knows.
Honestly, I thought it was a decent performance. It was not as frantic as the last several games we’ve played with Kimmich. I thought he was composed on the ball and did well. Could have created more chances, but I thought we controlled the game from start to finish. That’s what I want to see from us, not a game of 50 transitions and hopefully we score more of ours. Our attacking players are so great we can play a little boring and still know we’ll score.
6.5/10. Good job, and something to keep building from. 2 good performances in a row.
At this point, I’m starting to wonder if the midfielder who should go isn’t Kimmich. He has been diabolical all year, and it’s at his supposed strength: build up from the back. He gets caught in dangerous positions so often. He is such a careless and arrogant player for absolutely no reason. Laimer and Goretzka are both physical players who can get forward; a good passing holder would fix a lot of issues. Not sure exactly what value Joshua is providing anymore. I’m sad to say that, but it is how I feel. He also seems like a bit of a bastard who is hard to get along with. Maybe Neuer being back in the team he can start getting to him.
Anyway, I was at the game and it was the happiest I’ve been in a year.
This 4231 is a joke. There’s no plan. Everyone is an individual. The playing out from the back is dangerous and stupid as we force extremely risky passes into tight areas for no reason. 4 attackers don’t even pretend to track back, and they also seem to have no interest in passing to each other. Kane, Kim, De Ligt, Davies, Ulreich the only guys who look interested in playing successful team football. Terrible. Kimmich can just leave if he wants to keep pulling this shit with the ball on the edge of our own box.
Like I said, after 2013 I look at 2012 as necessary for the team to become great, but at the time I was furious he didn’t score. Everyone was scared to step up and take a pen, Neuer had to.
I’m in Germany, I’ll check prime. Thanks for the tip.
Not going to pay for a Bayern TV subscription, I pay member dues every year already. But I’m okay not watching that one again. Fucking Robben missing that pen.
Good thing it was all just prologue for 2013 because I still wouldn’t be over it.
I usually take the train from Amberg, but drove recently and would recommend parkplatz p1 on the upper floors. P1 because it’s the closest to the Autobahn ramp when you leave. Upper floors because you get to drive out directly from your own lane, instead of waiting for everyone to merge into you.
The reason I wouldn’t recommend the train or P+R is because even going north it is a huge, slow crowd after the match to get to the station. It might seem like you save time going north, but you only save a few minutes compared with those going to the city, but you lose 30-60+ minutes trying to get over the bridge.