Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich | UEFA Champions League Semi-Finals - 1st Leg|4.23.14[R]

The best stream I found was on Fox but I couldn't stand Gus and Wynalda that I went with the poorer stream. They just wouldn't STFU.

I prefer the Euro commentators. They know when to shut up and let the game play. I was getting distracted by some of the crap Wynalda was saying.

 

Arabic commentators are genius

 

To be honest, 1-0 is a very slim lead to take to Germany. I don't take our loss against Dortmund as an indication how we would do there, because we played like shit and if I'm not mistaken assisted every one of their goals. However Bayern can very easily score 1 or 2 goals at home, and if Muller dives over there as well, chances are the ref will whistle for a penalty.

I don't think our attacking players had a good game at all. I don't like how some players did 0 to try and get the ball back, Ronaldo has the excuse that he still seemed affected by his injury but it's not like he's famous for tracking back. But I remember one play late in the 2nd half where Bale simply put his foot in in the midfield, and got the ball for us. The Bayern player wasn't expecting any pressure from our attacking players at all like it was 98% of the game, and lost the ball so easily.

The defenders are the ones with less football skills, pressuring them gives the biggest chance of recovering the ball. Yet in our team that is where we pressure the least. You could see Di Maria, Modric and Isco being fatigued later on in the game because they ran their asses off. In games like these the whole team needs to do this work. Especially against a team like Bayern where their entire team does exactly that.

I can understand saving yourself for a decisive run towards their goal, but when you don't see the ball for 20 minutes I'd say that's a sign that the team might need your help in recovering and keeping the ball.

 

It's interesting how a 4-4-2, once a formation so easily dismantled by a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, comes back with a vengeance against them. Benzema managed to collect many long balls, and the presence of both him and Ronaldo (later Bale) on ther defenders and defensive midfielders made them reluctant to go gung ho. Pep's system needs that his defenders sometimes come forward, but they couldn't do that. This Bayern team does lack something his Barcelona had: there are no technically flawless players, and nobody like Messi to really open up the midfield. They can hurt on the wings, but there is no penetration in the midfield. I think at Allianz he will try with Goetze from the start to try to open up some passing lanes.

 

LOL...that was another thing..."Robben and Ronaldo know each other from the EPL"...no mention that Robben played for us for 3 years?

 

What was nice to see was isco drop back towards coin throw and help through some angles. I liked seeing that and made me more comfortable when they had possession there...

 

First thing that popped in my mind too.

 

I had that conversation earlier today at the halal market, the arabic commentators bring the passion which in many ways is only matched by the spanish commentators. I love both.

 

I am a huge Coentrao fan, but even I would start Marcelo ahead of him. I just think he is starting to show his true value. I think the luxury of having Varane come in for Pepe/Ramos or Coentrao for Marcelo, so on and so forth is truley a beautiful thing.

 

Only 5 freaking minutes in the game....

Gus asks "How do you think Ronaldo is looking?" Really?

Wynalda "He looks frustrated that he hasn't been able to do anything."

 

Haha! I had the same reaction and muted him shortly after that.

Reminds me when I was watching Olympic handball on NBC a few years ago and the commentator (who had no clue about the game) kept using basketball terms such as "fastbreak," "rebound" "shots from the outside" "penetration and and dish."

 

Yeah they have no clue what to talk about, nor do they have any clue what they are talking about. When Javi came on, Lahm moved to RB. Of course, Wynalda was convinced, "Bayern are playing a 3 back lineup now", no buddy we just moved Lahm to RB with Javi in DM. Then a few minutes later, "Oh they changed the formation again! Now Lahm is playing on the right side!" Also against Man Utd the Bayern fans were chanting their famous, "Super Bayern Super Bayern hey hey!" which Wynalda commentates on, "Look at how great these fans are. They really appreciate what Mario Mandzukic is bringing. That's why they're chanting Super Mario! Super Mario!"

facepalm

 

I hope Ronaldo reaches 100% for next week. He wants the 15 goal record. He'll be motivated. Also, rest Iker this weekend but if we do go through in Munich, he should start playing la liga games as well.

 

Tiki taka can go suck a fuck!



Benzema man!

 

Thats all ok in theory, but in reality nobody ever does that, thats simply how it is; as a player, if you have the lead, you don't focus on attacking. Bayern came to the Bernabeu and took the game to us, there is no way we can attack them at their home with them having to chase the lead. We don't have neither the personel, and now not even the reason to. Park the bus and counter, I'm guessing thats what will happen, hope the wall will hold and someone strikes on the break.

 

Don't think that will help much. Their problem is that there's no penetration from the deep. Modric and Di Maria/Isco always exploit gaps from deep in midfield and charge forward with the ball. You won't see Schweini and Kroos doing that. They are just not quick enough, not agile enough, and they need a really big gap to pull it off......and You don't get much of those. Funny now to say Pep's most important player is Thiago, but he really is.

 

so sour

so icky

 

Iker was gold! Dominant in the air too, Whenever he stepped up for crosses he held or connected with a punch.

Great performance. Some of the players got a bit greedy the last ten minutes when a pass would have started another counter but can't complain.

More of the same next week!

 

no more bayern fans here i think...good riddance until next week.

 

Carlo said that Pepe only suffered a knock and AS says all signs point to him being available for the return leg, although further tests will be necessary.

 

god look at this cnut

hahah but what do you expect from an inbred fnck. kid is in the bosnia forum too and he spouts diarrhea from his little pubescent mouth. daddy come over there and slap you silly ya cnut

 

the salt

from the seas of the atlantic, to the seas of the indian, the salt remains.

 

Btw

28% - 72%
9 - 18 shots total
5 on target vs 4 of theirs
3 off vs 5

heres the crazy thing

9... blocked...

fnck man thats something right there... i really hope we score early in munich... we need to

 

Who is going to ref? This bayern side are not barca, they don't really intentionally attempt to cheat their way to victory. Of course Ribbentrop dives but then again so does dimaria. They don't fake direct strikes to the face to get red cards like barca. That said, I hope Howard Webb refs the next game as well. English refs do the best job.

 

IMO the reason we should play 4/4/2 at times is because need an additional player in midfield due to Bale and Ronaldo not doing enough defensive work when we play 4/3/3. It also allows us to get some width without requiring our fullbacks to climb too high and exposing our DM and CBs to too much pressure on a counter. It isn't ideal for all situations but when you play teams like barca who pack the middle of the pitch you need an extra player there just to keep from being overwhelmed.