(UEFA Cup:Group/Match 4) FC Bayern München v. Aris Thessaloniki [R]

[BayernWake]

http://www.jestetter-zipfel.de/images/fcb.gif

v.

http://cache.images.soccerway.com/new/teams/1051.gif

Pretty big match. Aris are currently 2nd because of goal differential, while we're third. Standings:

1. Bolton (all games completed) 6 pts. GD1
2. Aris 5 pts. GD3
3. Bayern 5 pts. GD1
4. Braga 3 pts GD0
5. Belgrade 0 pts GD -5

If Belgrade beat Braga, we are through to the next round.
If we beat Aris, we are through to the next round.

If Braga win and we lose, we are out.
If we draw and Braga wins, then it's complicated :confused: Unless Braga wins by more than one goal, in which case we're out...I think?

Umm...game's on Wednesday the 19th, hopefully we play with a sense of urgency.

EDIT: Jumped the gun a bit, thought the game was this week. Oh well.

[Duncan Idaho]

Can anyone believe that this fleshless Bayern can pull off a victory here?

[BayernWake]

Can anyone believe that this fleshless Bayern can pull off a victory here?

If we can't beat a second-rate Greek team in München, we don't deserve to proceed further in the tournament.

We HAVE to win.

Hopefully we'll play with spirit since something is actually at stake here.

[Duncan Idaho]

If we can't beat a second-rate Greek team in München, we don't deserve to proceed further in the tournament.



at the beginning of this UEFA Cup and Bundesliag I thought the same

If we can't beat Bolton ...
If we can't beat Braga
If we can't beat Frankfurt
If we can't beat Duisburg
....

there were already too many setbacks and that is killing any optimism in me

[BayernWake]

There's no reason we shouldn't win by less than 2 goals.

Then again...this UEFA Cup campaign has defied reason...

[Equilibrium]

If we can't beat a second-rate Greek team in München, we don't deserve to proceed further in the tournament.
Wake, this is what I thought a few weeks ago..



If we can't beat a second-rate English team in München, we don't deserve to proceed further in the tournament

[BayernWake]

Wake, this is what I thought a few weeks ago..

But a second-rate English team is twice as good as your average second-rate Greek team.

Plus Bolton beat Man U at Old Trafford after they tied us, so that game I can forgive...

[ForeverRed]

Can anyone believe that this fleshless Bayern can pull off a victory here?

I am 100% confident that we'll win, despite the slump we are in.

[Cris 09]

Bayern has reached a slump because of the awesome display of goals by Toni and Klose during the 1st few games...now it's time to pay for it.

-The opposing teams play with 11 players in their own box scarted that any other formation might be a "goal festival"!!!
-Bayern gets rallied up since thyey are level after 50 minutes and after all, "We are Bayern Munich!!"
-Bayern score and say, "This works". Continue to play aggressively leaving no one in the back. The defenders become midfielders!
-The opposing team says, "Hey, these guys are wide open" - play and counter attack and level it!!!
-The 90 minutes are up!!!

This is just what I have seen during a few games later this season.

[eissman]

Can anyone believe that this fleshless Bayern can pull off a victory here?

I think you meant "toothless"... :)

... but to answer your question, prior to the last match at home ~ "yes"... now..er... god I hope so!!!

My confidence in us at home has been breached! I agree that a sense of urgency is necessary. Both teams virtually have to play to win, but none more than Bayern.

[eissman]

I know this game is a while ahead, but I wouldn't mind seeing a lineup something like such:

......................Kahn
Sagnol.......Lucio....Demichelis...Lahm
........Von Bommel...Ze Roberto.......
Ribery..........................Schweinsteiger
...............Klose......Toni...............

Explanation:
To me the enigma all season has been right midfield spot, with no consistancy there all season between the RB (Lell) and whomever is there (take your pick - at least 4 different players have been there so far). The left is not a problem, and since Lahm is playing confidently with Ribery there and does as well for Germany with Schweinsteiger, coupled with the fact that Ribery has been effective for Bayern on the right as well as left, then let Ribery answer the question on the right.

And to solidify this "union" put his countryman Willy Sagnol on that side as well. This is no dis to Lell, but given Willy's pedigree in big European matches and the likelihood he will be completely fit, then beef up the right side with some compatible teammates.

Lucio back in the lineup will help greatly, as his leadership is missing at present I feel.

I know Schweini in the lineup is not on many's 'to do' list in this forum, but I did feel tactically when Ottmar would use up BS for as much as he could get out of him, then inject say Ailtontop into the 2nd half, that worked very well for Bayern. Why not again....

I just want to see an all out attack that produces and a defense that denies everything from ever building. Is that too much to ask?? :rolleyes:

Toni finally gets his mojo back I say this match. He is way over due.

[leisha]

A little earlier to discuss this one. But who cares? We only have 2 matches this year. The last one we better win. At least we shouldn't lose.:eek: In another word, I can accept another draw.;) Actually I have a feeling that we'll have a goal festival.:cool:

[BayernWake]

Bayern has reached a slump because of the awesome display of goals by Toni and Klose during the 1st few games...now it's time to pay for it.

-The opposing teams play with 11 players in their own box scarted that any other formation might be a "goal festival"!!!
-Bayern gets rallied up since thyey are level after 50 minutes and after all, "We are Bayern Munich!!"
-Bayern score and say, "This works". Continue to play aggressively leaving no one in the back. The defenders become midfielders!
-The opposing team says, "Hey, these guys are wide open" - play and counter attack and level it!!!
-The 90 minutes are up!!!

This is just what I have seen during a few games later this season.

LMAO, I wish I had rep to spread. This is EXACTLY what happens!!

[footyfan1]

LMAO, I wish I had rep to spread. This is EXACTLY what happens!!

I was going to rep him too, but I've given him some rep recently!!

However, THIS might have something to do with it too......

Yahoo World Soccer - Hitzfeld Laments Bayern's "Pretty Football" (http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=afp-fblgerbayern&prov=afp&type=lgns)

I think Hitzfeld has a point here too..... :o

[eissman]

Unfortunately, my server is blocking the above link, FF1, but thanks for it.

I am not sure what it says, but I can only assume that he means for Bayern to be a bit more direct in its play and initiative to attack the goal. I have been thinking as well that despite what many have been saying about getting such-and-such more playing time (myself included), what Bayern needs at this point is to get back to order... the way it was from the outset. Hitzfeld has been demonized on these boards for his lack of personality with the lineup, but realistically, all the switching about with the starting XI the last few weeks has produced nothing. I think we need to buckle down, put the players on the pitch that were getting it done from day one, and let them sort it out.


Side note of interest....
I spoke to a good friend over the weekend. He is an avid Arsenal supporter, a club reknowned in England and over Europe for playing 'pretty' football. See if this sounds familiar: "The stigma that Arsenal play pretty football is rubbish. The fact of the matter is they have not played well at all in the past 3 weeks. This is typically the difficult part of the season for Arsenal - with the FA Cup, CLS, League fixtures - and injuries to Fabregas, Hleb, and Van Persie have not helped. However, we still have a squad that can perform. We were lucky at Villa, scraped somehow the two matches, and lose on Sunday. I think Arsenal simply started out too brilliantly out of the gates for their own good... now reality is catching up with them a bit. The CLS campaign has been the one saving grace, but we have suffered in our form at home in the Premiership".

Hummmmm.... sound familiar? I told him that Arsenal and Bayern could have scripted the same press report for the month of December! LOL. In watching the Real Madrid game over the weekend, the announcers virtually said the identical same thing about Real. My point I guess is that Bayern are simply in the same funk as these other stereotypically "attractive style of football" type clubs.

I guess it is the price you pay for playing 'pretty' füssball... sometimes, it isn't so pretty.

[ForeverRed]

I was going to rep him too, but I've given him some rep recently!!

However, THIS might have something to do with it too......

Yahoo World Soccer - Hitzfeld Laments Bayern's "Pretty Football" (http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=afp-fblgerbayern&prov=afp&type=lgns)

I think Hitzfeld has a point here too..... :o

I agree with him 100%.

The players got too accomodated with their start to the season and are taking the opposition for granted. The pretty football thing doesn't always work. Most of all, when there is no conviction in the players there can be no success.

[ForeverRed]

Unfortunately, my server is blocking the above link, FF1, but thanks for it.

I am not sure what it says, but I can only assume that he means for Bayern to be a bit more direct in its play and initiative to attack the goal. I have been thinking as well that despite what many have been saying about getting such-and-such more playing time (myself included), what Bayern needs at this point is to get back to order... the way it was from the outset. Hitzfeld has been demonized on these boards for his lack of personality with the lineup, but realistically, all the switching about with the starting XI the last few weeks has produced nothing. I think we need to buckle down, put the players on the pitch that were getting it done from day one, and let them sort it out.


Side note of interest....
I spoke to a good friend over the weekend. He is an avid Arsenal supporter, a club reknowned in England and over Europe for playing 'pretty' football. See if this sounds familiar: "The stigma that Arsenal play pretty football is rubbish. The fact of the matter is they have not played well at all in the past 3 weeks. This is typically the difficult part of the season for Arsenal - with the FA Cup, CLS, League fixtures - and injuries to Fabregas, Hleb, and Van Persie have not helped. However, we still have a squad that can perform. We were lucky at Villa, scraped somehow the two matches, and lose on Sunday. I think Arsenal simply started out too brilliantly out of the gates for their own good... now reality is catching up with them a bit. The CLS campaign has been the one saving grace, but we have suffered in our form at home in the Premiership".

Hummmmm.... sound familiar? I told him that Arsenal and Bayern could have scripted the same press report for the month of December! LOL. In watching the Real Madrid game over the weekend, the announcers virtually said the identical same thing about Real. My point I guess is that Bayern are simply in the same funk as these other stereotypically "attractive style of football" type clubs.

I guess it is the price you pay for playing 'pretty' füssball... sometimes, it isn't so pretty.

The only difference is that no one is calling for Wenger's head in London because of this. Arsenal will be back with a vengence once their three most important players come back and so will Bayern once Hitzfeld and Co. get their heads out of their asses.

[Equilibrium]

I know Schweini in the lineup is not on many's 'to do' list in this forum, but I did feel tactically when Ottmar would use up BS for as much as he could get out of him, then inject say Ailtontop into the 2nd half, that worked very well for Bayern. Why not again....

I just want to see an all out attack that produces and a defense that denies everything from ever building. Is that too much to ask?? :rolleyes:

Don't change what isn't broken, I agree with you. TBH, not to sound like a complete Schweini fanboy, but we did start to play boring football AFTER he got benched. :p

The only difference is that no one is calling for Wenger's head in London because of this. Arsenal will be back with a vengence once their three most important players come back and so will Bayern once Hitzfeld and Co. get their heads out of their asses.
Well, when exactly are they going to pull their head's out of their ass, after the first month, it has always been in their asses...

[ForeverRed]

Well, when exactly are they going to pull their head's out of their ass, after the first month, it has always been in their asses...

Hopefully after the winter break.

[Leinad]

u mean in yet another "best training camp of all time"? :o

Every year the same, we always hear after the winter break everything will get better. I dont know from where ppl get this optimism. There is no reason to assume anything will change.