Bayern München

[Waschdel]

Well, first of all the whole "best team in the world" label is a rather tiring and pointless thing but I am rarely as impressed by a team as I have been by this seasons Bayern München. So due to that alone I will use that label this time. This current Bayern München is every managers dream. Young, ambitious, experienced, phenomenal pressing only reminiscent to that displayed by a certain FCB under the guidance of Pep, amazing squad depth, players that individually can win you a game, well-defined tacticS (they are able to play in more than just one way depending on the opponent something FCB is lacking for good and bad), phenomenal defense and offense, the Bayern mentality of never giving up, physical and technical strength and a self-belief that is admirable. Moreover they have something to prove and they want revenge for the two CL-finals they lost.

My intention was not to compare FCB with Bayern by any means nor can any sane person argue against the fact that FCB have been the most dominant and successful team in the last 5 years (the results show that) and certainly under Pep. But this season I rate Bayern München higher and I think they deserve immense praise given how their last season ended and the many disappointments they have endured, most significantly the two CL-final defeats. To bounce back this way is not something every team does and not in this way.

But let's wait a few more months to draw conclusions from their season. All I can say is that I have been hugely impressed by their season so far.

Wait to seem them loss 0-5 against Dortmund this evening.

I am a Bayern-fan for life and you´re right with your arguments. At this point it´s probably easier to support or coach Bayern. But we have won nothing in the last two years. Therefore it´s more than right to call the team ambitious. The game against BVB this evening is very important. It will show whether the team has the will and the quality to beat the team we had the most problems with during the last two years. The domestic cup to me is not very important. But for the rest of the season it`ll be very important the beat Dortmund, because it would be a huge push for that selfbelief you were writing about.
BTW - watch out for Xavi Martinez. He´s been huge in the last games.

 

[DucdeOrléans]

I am a Bayern-fan for life and you´re right with your arguments. At this point it´s probably easier to support or coach Bayern. But we have won nothing in the last two years. Therefore it´s more than right to call the team ambitious. The game against BVB this evening is very important. It will show whether the team has the will and the quality to beat the team we had the most porblems with during the last two years. The domestic cup to me is not very important. But for the rest of the season it`ll be very important the beat Dortmund, because it would be a huge push for that selfbelief you were writing about.
BTW - watch out for Xavi Martinez. He´s been huge in the last games.

Yes, the BVB game is probably as crucial as last evening game was for FCB. Not only because they are playing against their arch-rivals in the domestic league but most importantly due to the fact that BVB has been the better team head to head as of late. But I remember the league game and had it not been for a few phenomenal saves from Weidenfeller Bayern would have won clearly. Further qualification this evening would make Bayern huge favorites to win the cup. Freiburg, Wolfsburg and probably Stuttgart (I can't see Bochum winning against the Swabians) should be no matches against Bayern on a normal day.

The league is already won and Arsenal (with all due respect) should just be a formality. I know that talking about the Treble is naive in this moment of time but if Bayern continue to display the same level of play there is every chance of them winning it.

Javi Martínez is a very good player indeed. I would have preferred him over Song any day of the week but Bayern needed him much more than FCB.

 

[ViscaBarca914]

That and he was MUCH more expensive ! Im very excited for today's match. Will Bayern continue their dominate season and take another good chance at silverware? Or will Dotmund prove they are still the team to beat in Germany ? Im feeling a Bayern win, but honestly everytime I have that feeling Dortmund beats them . Im not rooting for either side in paticular. Just hoping for a great game! Reus, Gotze, Kuba, Schweiny, Kroos, Muller all on the same pitch ....this will be a good day.

 

[DucdeOrléans]

Another well deserved win. No opponent have yet scored against Bayern in the cup! Pretty impressive. They have also only conceded 8 goals in 23 league games. Neuer and especially Dante have been phenomenal. The latter is probably the best transfer this season.

If I were the manager of Brazil I would partner Dante with Silva. Potentially one of the best partnership right there.

Great game by Robben as well. They have already won the league title and are huge favorites to win the domestic cup. Everything can happen in the CL but I regard them as favorites to win it if we don't qualify.

EDIT: Mandzukic is quite a annoying and dirty player. Could have been send off and it's not the first time. Would Pep replace Mandzukic with Lewandowski or rather Gómez? I am not sure the former is better than the latter despite a great season so far.

Anyway it will be interesting to see them next season with Pep.

 

[Waschdel]

You´re right again. It´s been well deserved. We could have scored more goals but the defense did its job again and defense wins titles. But its not only Dante or Martinez. Both were great additions to the team. It seems as if the whole team finally understood what it means to work against the ball. Even the likes of Ribery or Robben do their defensive work. I am still not convinced that Bayern is the best team in Europe atm. But they are the most ambitious team and they´ve beaten their nemesis with Dortmund.

 

[DennyCrane]

You´re right again. It´s been well deserved. We could have scored more goals but the defense did its job again and defense wins titles. But its not only Dante or Martinez. Both were great additions to the team. It seems as if the whole team finally understood what it means to work against the ball. Even the likes of Ribery or Robben do their defensive work. I am still not convinced that Bayern is the best team in Europe atm. But they are the most ambitious team and they´ve beaten their nemesis with Dortmund.

I'm not convinced either. Sure, the overall play is a massive step up from what they played last season, especially the mixture of Gegenpressing (immediate pressing after losing the ball) and a compact defense is sublime.

But everything just goes a bit too well for Bayern. Apart from the matches versus Dortmund and Leverkusen in the first round, when did they have to put up a fight ? They went behind 5 times this whole season, and only turned one of those matches around. I mean, is Bayern ready to stage a fight, pushing the envelope if they face heavy pressure and chances are looking slim ?

At the moment, I'm with Oliver Kahn on this one, this smells like '99.

 

[Waschdel]

I'm not convinced either. Sure, the overall play is a massive step up from what they played last season, especially the mixture of Gegenpressing (immediate pressing after losing the ball) and a compact defense is sublime.

But everything just goes a bit too well for Bayern. Apart from the matches versus Dortmund and Leverkusen in the first round, when did they have to put up a fight ? They went behind 5 times this whole season, and only turned one of those matches around. I mean, is Bayern ready to stage a fight, pushing the envelope if they face heavy pressure and chances are looking slim ?

At the moment, I'm with Oliver Kahn on this one, this smells like '99.

I don´t think that their readiness of staging a fight against heavy pressure is questionable. This team is always ready to fight. But do they have the means to do it successfully? They failed to do so against Chelsea, where they had to face some special sort of pressure. The win aginst the BVB is a good sign, but it´s way too early for a final judgement.

 

[Theconomist]

So apparently only 2 barca and real players would make the bayern munich squad.

Considering the combined best XI in the world can be easily made with players from these two teams:
Casillas,Alves,Ramos,Pique,Alba,Alonso,Xavi,Iniesta,Busquets,Messi,Ronaldo
I don't know what Hoenesse must be smoking; if anything only 1 player from Bayern would make the Barca squad: Lahm.

 

[ViscaBarca914]

Lahm, ribery, and Bastian would earn spots for sure. As well as neuer. Dante would also start in the back thinking about it.

 

[MrXavi_The_Midfield_King]

Last two seasons whenever Hoeness/Rummmenigge or one of the players start getting too arrogant, things go pear-shape for them....

 

[Andrew M]

I wouldn't want any Bayern players as they are weak in the mind.

 

[darthvader7888]

Lahm, ribery, and Bastian would earn spots for sure. As well as neuer. Dante would also start in the back thinking about it.

Lahm would make it in both teams. When playing well and on form, I'd say Alves is nearly as good as him and even better when it comes to attacking (though Lahm's definitely significantly better defensively), but he's been inconsistent lately. Lahm's superior defensive ability and consistency would give him the starting spot over Alves. As for Real, he'd definitely make the starting XI over Arbeloa.

Ribery would also make it in both teams. I'd say he's better than Pedro and Di Maria.

There's no way Schweinsteiger would get a spot in Barca over Xavi and Iniesta. As for RM, they don't use CMs, so yeah.

Neuer would make Barca's starting XI, and perhaps Real Madrid's.

Dante would probably start for Barca (though Puyol's still great, despite his age), and maybe for Real.

 

[DennyCrane]

For those who missed it, this just sums up the entire Bayern-Juve match.

 

[Ode to Django]

Conte isn't usually lost for words

 

[misterplatin]

Best team in the world and a winning machine .