Last minute goal.. the "typical" German way

Inter Milan 0 - 1 Bayern Munich

What a night in Milano for Bayern Munich!  Bayern played the current treble winners of Europe, the team that beat Bayern in the Champions League final 2-0, in Italy.. and won.  You could see it before the match, you would hear a new interview every few hours from the Bayern camp, Schweini saying Milan is better, Muller saying Bayern lost because they didn't play to their potential rather than Inter playing so well, Van Gaal saying Inter play defensive football, etc etc..  The point is there was a bit of bitterness and anger, that much is clear.  And they did what needed to be done, talk the talk and walk the walk.  Good thing because had they lost, they would have looked like fools for all the little digs at Inter.

Tap in or not, he knows how to score

At times during the match, you would have thought that Bayern was the home team the way they played.  This match was also weird in the sense that there was only one goal scored.  It could have easily ended 2-2 or 3-2 for either team, very even match.  Chances galore, Inter through Eto'o & Cambiasso had chances to win the the match, while in Bayern with Ribery hitting the crossbar, Robben post and Gomez chance but all went begging.  Then at the end, Robben dribbled and shot from 20-25 yards and Cesar fumbled the ball..  Mario Gomez then running and tapping it in to celebrate in a funky dance.  Probably one of the easiest goals he's ever scored, also Lucio who was amazing all match was found ball watching when he should have tried to close the space.  With everything that went on in the match, this is probably the best match of the knock-out stage so far.

blood & sweat from Schweinsteiger, the new Effenberg

I did think that Leonardo would be outcoached by Van Gaal and that's exactly what happened.  His initial tactics were good, the counter attacking style as soon as getting the ball pass to Eto'o or Sneijder and hope they would play with one another to get the goal.  It almost worked on a few occasions, but Kraft saved the day.  Van Gaal put Gustavo in midfield to man-mark Sneijder all match.  First half he had trouble, Sneijder got away from him on several occasions and was casuing Bayern trouble along with Eto'o.  Whatever he said at half time worked, because Bayern pretty much controlled and dominated the entire 2nd half bar the last 5 minutes with Gustavo keeping Sneijder quiet.  Leo on the other hand made no changes once his initial plan wasn't working, which is where he failed short of and with a bit of luck, got punished because of it.  Inter will have to do really the impossible and that is to win at the Allianz Arena.  Bayern this season have lost there only once, vs Mainz when Bayern was at their worst form of the season, had many players including Robbery injured and Mario Gomez benched while Mainz was firing on all cylinders.  Still with that loss, Bayern have the best home record in the league in home matches with the most goals and points gained.  Two things that dissapointed me in particular from the match was Ribery & Muller.  Ribery I expected to be the best player for Bayern beforehand, yet he was one of the worst.  He will need to play better in the next leg, we expect more from highest paid player in the team even though Badstuber just standing back in defense after Pranjic's injury surely didn't help him.  Muller was invisible for most of the match and at times looked lazy in his running, which was really really irritating.  He had 2 near perfect passes to Gomez that were intercepted by good defending and a few other moments where he looked good in posession.  He still looked better than last year in Champions League, but he also didn't look as good as he looks in the league.  When the opposing team is marking Robbery & Gomez, you are expected to have a far, far bigger presence in the field than a few plays or passes here and there.  No excuse, he along with Ribery need to improve for the next match.  With this result, I would say Bayern are likely to advance.  I was very proud of their performance vs Inter and am hoping they play a bit better in the 2nd leg considering it's at home.

Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich Preview

Wednesday the 23rd of February.  It gives me goosebumps, I imagine the same is with the rest of the Bayern fans.  Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich, revenge is going into the minds of the Bayern players but whether they will get it is another thing entirely, especially as it doesn't necessarily have to come on Wednesday.  Inter Milan did the unthinkable last season, won the treble while beating Bayern Munich in the final with the scoreline of 2-0.  Many things have changed since then, Mourinho in particular has left Inter Milan.  They are weaker defensively due to one of their star defenders being out for the season and even ex-Bayern player Lucio who is "doubtful", even though according to him "I will definitely make it vs Bayern".  Rafa Benitez replaced Mourinho and with ridiculous expectations, he failed and got fired.  His replacement Leonardo (not the blue Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle) has tried to make this Inter much different than the Inter Bayern played last year.  They are more about attacking, scoring goals and looking good.  Well, that seems to be the case in some matches and in other matches not so much but it's obvious it will take some time to adapt to Leonardo's style.  Milito has dropped in form dramatically and either way will miss the match due to an injury, however the biggest difference is Eto'o who looks unstoppable in many matches this season.  He dribbles, passes and scores at will and for my money along with Lucio if he makes, those two are the players that Bayern needs to worry most about.  Eto'o defensively as our defense just like last season seems suspect.  It has improved as there is no Daniel Van Buyten starting in the center but not by much.  Bayern on the other hand have several changes when you look at the starting line-up, even though they spent no money in the summer.  I mean after all when your team shows huge gaping holes last season in defense during Champions League over and over and over again in many matches, why would you want to improve that weakness just because you had a record revenue?

That man Eto'o, is the one to watch for

The back-line bar Lahm looks completely different.. well to be fair, it's looked different in almost every match but I will try to guess the right back 4 and keeper.  Breno, Buyten, Badstuber, Tymo, Kraft, Butt, Gustavo, Pranjic, Contento, Demichellis have all been rotated and made starters at one point of another.  Lahm has as usual played every single game because why would you get a player to let him rest once in a while, it's obvious that he is a robot that never gets tired even though his performance this season may have dropped compared to last season..  I should really stop with the sarcasm now, but I just can't help myself when I see Bayern FO and Van Gaal let these problems go the way they have.  Badstuber is no longer a left-back (thankfully), he starts at LCB and Tymoschuk who is a midfielder obviously partners him.  Van Gaal obviously has a plan and he thought why not turn another midfielder into a defender, and he did the same thing with buying Gustavo.  Kraft has replaced Butt as the number keeper, the difference between the two isn't drastic enough to bother comparing though I suspect his lack of experience is definitely a minus.  In midfield, Van Bommel ex-captain has left and it's likely Pranjic partners Schweini.  Kroos is likely to come on for the 2nd half to take over for Pranjic, as he is likely the long-term starter and partner for Schweinsteiger.  No more Olic, as he is out for the season.  Now Mario Gomez starts and has scored 27 goals this season.  There are reports  with Van Gaal stating that Gomez might miss the match due to an injury which was not apparent at all vs Mainz.  Perhaps I am being hopeful here, but I believe he is simply playing mind games with the young Inter coach.  As much as I like Klose, this isn't a match to test if he's still got it or not.

Riibery, was he the missing link that Bayern 

needed in last year's final?

Either way, this match is hard to predict.  Inter have looked good in some matches and ok in other matches, so you don't know what to expect.  The champions won't back down though and they are on home turf.  Bayern have started to gain some form since around mid-December and especially the past few matches with Ribery and Robben being re-united, they have looked at least attack wise, very very dangerous.  Ribery in particular looks to be doing his best to get back to the old Ribery that many Bayern fans fell in love with, getting 2 assists vs Hoffenheim and playing outstanding and my MOTM vs Mainz.  He got no goals or assists, but he was a danger and part of many attacks, he also had an outstanding 81% of his tackles won, 22 of his 27 challenges.  He was everywhere in defense and attack.  If I were a betting man (I'm not), I would probably put my money on Ribery being the player to watch for Bayern.  Yes if Gomez makes it, he will be hard to contain, Muller has gotten into some fine form, Robben is being Robben and Schweini is passing as well as you would want him, but I think Ribery feels the most "guilty" of the attacking bunch to make a point.  After all, he did get the red card and missed the final, which he was needed considering how useless Altintop and his pass-back ability was all match.  Eto'o and/or Lucio for Inter would be the players Bayern will have to watch out for & Ribery for Bayern.  Either way if Gomez does make it and is fit to start, I don't think this Inter team will be able to contain Robbery & Co. from scoring at least one.  However I believe Inter will definitely also score on Bayern, as Eto'o seems in great form this season and Sneijder is due a super pass or two.  There is only so much a defender in poor form, 2 midfielders turned into defenders and a young little rookie in goal can do against such great players.  I want a revenge, though I would lying if I said I wouldn't take a scoring tie in Milan at the moment.  1-1 would be my preferred result, 2-2 would be even better.  Either way, that is what I think will happen but no one can guess what can happen in a Champions League match like this.  Bayern got the toughest draw for the round of 16 and a revenge ticket with it.  Lets see if they take it..

Gomez & Olic.. it's not just about the goals

After the 08/09 season, Olic was brought in for free since his contract ended in the summer.  At the time, I wasn't too happy since I wanted Bayern to get a real target striker.  A few weeks after however, Bayern did buy Gomez for a record fee.  Olic had his best season last year scoring 7 goals in Champions League including a hat-trick in the semi-final match vs Lyon as well as a goal apiece to Manchester United.  Suffice to say, he had a very good season.  Unfortunately for him, he got injured for the entire season this year and Gomez has literally taken over from his reign .. at least so far.  I will basically explain why in my opinion, Gomez fits the team better than Olic, if both are fit and I'm not just looking for goals as the reason.

Olic naturally is a second striker, he plays behind the main forward.  Last season when Gomez was benched and "Golic" was no more, Olic played as the main man and Muller played behind him.  Muller like Olic is a second striker by nature who can also play out wide or hybrid playmaker role.. well basically any attacking position.  One thing that I noticed so many times during the second half of the season, Olic would drop back many many times running after the ball because he is thinking as a second striker, so basically the 4-2-3-1 formation turned more into a 4-2-4-0.  It was problematic since when we got the ball, we had no one to pass it to.  I know to some I will sound like a mad man, complaining about tactics last season when Bayern won the double and reached the CL final, 1 match away from having the best season ever..  however this was a problem at times.  Many times Robben, Muller or Ribery would get the ball but would have to wait and hold the ball until Olic went forward once again.  Gomez for the most part, stays right at the defensive line, waiting for either a pass or make a run.

 Olic & Gomez,both lovely additions to the new 

Bayern revolution

Mario Gomez is positionally speaking, a monster.  He is the type of player at the end of a match that you ask why he missed a chance or two that he should have scored, even though he actually scored one or two from other chances.  He knows where to be and when, Ruud and Luca Toni in particular understand what I'm stating.  The good change between Gomez and Olic is that Gomez hugs that back line and always has players on him, especially at the moment since teams know he will score a goal per game average.  In particular during the 4-0 thrashing of Hoffenheim for example, the 4th wonder goal from Robben.  If you notice the cross from Ribery, there are 3 defenders in the box all marking Gomez.  Robben gets the ball free and one of them runs to him, only for Robben to do what Robben does.  Gomez does this constantly, which completely stretches every defense since they have to double mark Robben, they have to do the same with Gomez and with Ribery's form getting better, will have to do the same with Ribery.  In other words if the team stays fit, teams won't be able to focus on a specific player, and Gomez helps make space for the wingers & Co.  I think Olic personally is a great team player and I cannot wait until he is back.  His running and giving his heart out in the field is something none of our strikers bar Muller show to such an extent anyways...  I think for Olic to work in the system best, he would have to play behind Gomez where he was successful last season before Gomez got benched, and that's where Thomas Muller plays.  Let us be realistic folks, is there any Bayern fan somewhere that would want young Muller benched?  Because I will find you, and I will change your mind...

Robbery.. the dynamic duo

February 12th, 2011.  Write it down, memorize it.. it's the first game that Ribery & Robben played together in the 10/11 season.  Both nearly at their peak form, it was a joy to behold, and one of Bayern's best games of the season.  Bayern played Hoffenheim at the Allianz Arena after the week before they played Koln leading 2-0 at half time only to let them score 3 second half to win the match.  A complete meltdown would be an understatement.  This match Bayern scored 2 first half but held in the 2nd half only to score 2 other goals thanks to the brilliance of Robben.

Robben's comeback filled with goals

Now it's undeniable that both Robben and Ribery at their best are world class and some of the best in the world at their positions.  I also believe they are the best wing pair in Europe, due to their similarities and differences.  Both are fast and love to beat their man.  Both can score and create but there are differences between the two.  Robben is the hybrid winger, the type in the style of Messi & Ronaldo.  He will score .. a lot.  He is a goal scoring threat and needs to be double and tripple marked throughout the entire match.  He scored 19 goals last season in the 2nd half of the season, similar form to the 2 best wingers in Europe at the moment.  He has come back this season and already 5 matches into the season, he has 5 goals & 2 assists.  Once again, he shows he is like those two in being an absolute world class goalscoring machine.  Now it might be the system, Lahm that plays behind him and Schweini pulling the strings from the back that he has turned into such a goalscoring type as before he would just be one of the players that could put the ball in the net when needed.  His highest goalscoring seasons with Chelsea and Madrid were 9 and 8, yet with Bayern he scored 23 goals last season and if he didn't get injured this season, 30 goal mark would have been more than probable.  Ribery on the other hand is a different player, not as selfish as Robben he is more of the creative type of player.  Bar last season, he has lead the assist charts for Bayern every season, he was the creative force of Bayern for 2 years running nearly single-handedly creating most chances by himself.  He has amazing vision and great passing ability, he knows when to pass and shows imagination while doing it.  Now both players can create goals and and make them, the difference is that one is more of a goalscorer and the other is more of the "creative" type.  This offers a great mix of diversity, makes Bayern unpredictable and very difficult to stop.

Love is in the air!

They showed this vs the Hoff as well.  The first goal, a brilliant team goal.  Ribery gets the ball and pushes forward, makes certain that 3 players are unto him and then passes to Muller who then lays a perfectly well weighted ball to Robben to cross low for Mario Gomez to finish.  The second goal, Ribery again does what I state and that is to create.  He misses an easy chance first though and than passes it to Muller who finishes by shooting on the keeper's side of the net.  The last goal is really excellent example of Ribery's vision.  He takes the ball from half the field, does a fake so the 2 opposing players stop for a split second, accelerates brings 2 players towards him  dribbles past one and takes one look then to cross to Robben with his weak foot who then finishes.  Gomez is at the time being marked by the 3 defenders giving Robben some room who has only 1 defender to beat.. he takes a step and then shoots a brilliant shot that curves in the top corner.  Robben also shows his 2 abillities as a goalscorer in both goals.  The first getting the ball in a counter and dribbling past 3-4 players and then slotting the ball home while the 2nd showing his great long range shooting.  The biggest question mark is whether these 2 stars can stay fit because if they can, Bayern has a shot on their day vs any opposition.  When they are injured, Bayern obviously suffer.

Now it would be simply put unfair of me not to include the love that they share with one another, straight from the FCB.com website.

“We wanted to prove we’re a great team,” Robben declared in a joint post-match interview with Ribéry. “It's not good when I don’t have Robben on the field,” said the France star. If both play, opposing defences are stretched far greater, and FCB are far less predictable on both flanks. “He adds extra quality to the team,” said Robben, returning the compliment and finishing with a broad grin: “And I love him too, of course.”


I feel like love is in the air..  Happy Valentine's Day!

Pranjic and Ottl.. not the duo you want at the center of the pitch

Last article I talked about who would replace Van Bommel after he left, yet I didn't believe the solution would ever be Pranjic and Ottl.  I have no idea why Van Gaal would go to this route.. hell I don't think anyone would think of going this route.  Fair enough Kroos is injured, but there are still 5 players for this position.. 3 of which are playing in the wrong positions at the moment.  That's right, Gustavo (left-back), Tysmoschuk (center back) and Schweinsteiger (attacking midfielder) which is the biggest crime of the 3, all out of position.  It's not too difficult to understand why our defense is shipping goals when half of the defense has players who are midfielders rather than defenders with the young keeper who just shakes his head or drinks his water bottle whenever they score a goal.  Bar Lahm, I can't see at the back where any type of leadership can possibly come from.. and he's not even the vocal kind either.  Now fair enough about Gustavo, I can understand playing him left-back since he is seen as a temporary solution for our weakest position with potential to become permanent if he impresses.  I can deal with such a move from Van Gaal.
 

"Why do you keep playing me out of position?"

What I can't deal with however is Tymo and Schweini being played out of position.  If Breno was not ready, than Van Gaal should have stopped being so ridiculously hard-headed and spent 25 million euros that the FO handed to him during the summer.  Or better yet.. and here comes the crazy idea, keep him loaned to Nurnberg for a full year after.  Now Tymoschuk who is an average defender and is positionally just about all over the place in every game, starts over him.  If he didn't want to spend the money, than he should be starting Breno instead of a player out of position.  Then there is the case of Bastian Schweinsteiger which makes every single person I assume outside of Van Gaal and perhaps his wife, ask what exactly is going on?  Why is one of the best players from last season along with Olic and Robben moved out of position..  Why is the best Central midfielder in the Champions League last year moved from his position?  Why is the best central midfielder from the World Cup that was just last summer moved from his position?  So Ottl .. OTTL of all players can start over him?  Pranjic is known to be the type that needs a dominant midfielder next to him, due to his height and lack of strength..  Ottl is definitely not it.  Van Gaal uses the excuse of Schweinsteiger being played as the #10 as to why Gomez is scoring the goals.  Now don't get me wrong, Schweini has assisted a good amount of goals to Gomez but he is needed farther back where he can control the game and add some defensive steel back to our team.  Gomez has scored 25 goals already this season, Schweini has a total of 8 assists so far this season.. now maybe my math isn't very good but Schweinsteiger hasn't even created 1/3rd of Gomez's goals.  Not to mention Schweini himself is far too slow and is not a great dribbler to be a solution there, our game is too static or predictable with him there bar a good pass here and there.  I'm sure Muller more than likely has assisted more goals to Gomez than Schweini, yet another player who has been played out of position.  I would assume everyone rates Ottl as the worst of the 6 midfielders we have, and considering the need of Pranjic to be paired with a very phsyical and dominant midfielder, Van Gaal somehow managed to choose the worst pair(combination) possible of the five players available.  This pair was awful from the first match, yet because our attacking game made up for it and we kept winning, Van Gaal stuck with this silly combination until this match, where the 2nd worst home attacking team scored 3 goals on Bayern in a matter of 26 minutes.  Absolutely disgraceful...

Van Gaal is also known for making such silly moves where he plays players out of position, it's not just a central midfield phenomenon.  Muller in particular I am still not sure if he has played once this season in his natural position.  Altintop has been switched as a left-winger many times when he never played that position this and last season.  He tried to turn Alaba into a left-back when he always known as a left-winger, attacking midfielder or his main position in central midfield.  When he first joined Bayern, he tried to change Ribery into an attacking playmaker and play him in the middle.  There is also the case of Riquelme at Barcelona, in other words he is known for making ridiculous changes with players.  I guess we should be thankful for Schweinsteiger's case.  All in all, Van Gaal needs to stop this ridiculous changing around of positions for players because it has hurt the team far more than help them.  And please .. put Schweinsteiger back to his natural central midfield position.