FSV Mainz [R]

[sting-ray]

very impressive!

[footyfan1]

Congrats on the solid and deserved victory!! Your team did to us exactly what we did to Bayern.

Out-fought us, out-played us and simply took it from us.

Well deserved Mainz!! Well f#cking deserved!!!

[todd11]

FCK had a little "World Cup" excuse too..... ;)

True... but they also had a mis-management of the club excuse as well... :)


Thanks for pimpin' the FSV. You were exactly right... we just out fought Dortmund last night. Man, it was like old times again! We pressed the ball all over the field, fought for every ball, got some great saves from Dimo. And the atmosphere was incredible, as well.

Can't wait to have Zidan and Asaouagh back for Frankfurt on Saturday!!

I didn't mind the losing so much in the hinrunde, but we just weren't playing Mainz ball. It's still early, but the enthusiasm and joy of soccer is back in Rheinhessen that's for sure. Now we just have to pray that Bayern doesn't steal our Kloppo this summer! :o

[MicFW]

Congrats, Mainz! I'm really happy for you.

[The Old Lady Hertha]

Congrats, Mainz! I'm really happy for you.

Woah!

They're not out of the woods by any stretch of the imagination...

[F96]

Woah!

They're not out of the woods by any stretch of the imagination...

One can still congratulate them on the wonderful start to the 2nd half of the season and be happy for them or not?

The way this season is going a whole lot of clubs can still go down including 96, it's only 6 points and a horrible gd despite the 5:0.

[footyfan1]

True... but they also had a mis-management of the club excuse as well... :)

Yes, but my point was that without their getting that World Cup spot, they would not have received the help with the stadium. Oder??


Thanks for pimpin' the FSV.

No need for thanks. The truth is the truth. It doesn't bother me to admit it when my club is outdone.

Your guys played like men who wanted something. BVB played like scared punks. We see that too much in Dortmund.


You were exactly right... we just out fought Dortmund last night. Man, it was like old times again! We pressed the ball all over the field, fought for every ball, got some great saves from Dimo. And the atmosphere was incredible, as well.

I've always handed it to the Mainz fans. No more passionate fans in the game. I remember when Kaiserslautern fans were just as good......



Can't wait to have Zidan and Asaouagh back for Frankfurt on Saturday!!

What was wrong with Zidan anyhow??


I didn't mind the losing so much in the hinrunde, but we just weren't playing Mainz ball. It's still early, but the enthusiasm and joy of soccer is back in Rheinhessen that's for sure. Now we just have to pray that Bayern doesn't steal our Kloppo this summer! :o

I guess Bayern would be thinking about him, but he's not the type of guy who would succeed there. I think he's part of Mainz 05 and he knows that. I don't think he can be successful just anywhere.

If Bayern don't try to keep Hitzfeld on, this might sound crazy, but I fully expect them to hire Klaus Augenthaler......

[footyfan1]

One can still congratulate them on the wonderful start to the 2nd half of the season and be happy for them or not?

That's what I would think. They totally just "took" that match from BVB last night.....


The way this season is going a whole lot of clubs can still go down including 96, it's only 6 points and a horrible gd despite the 5:0.

Very true. Very, very, true.......

[The Old Lady Hertha]

One can still congratulate them on the wonderful start to the 2nd half of the season and be happy for them or not?

The way this season is going a whole lot of clubs can still go down including 96, it's only 6 points and a horrible gd despite the 5:0.

Yea, I kinda jumped the gun there lol

[todd11]

One can still congratulate them on the wonderful start to the 2nd half of the season and be happy for them or not?

The way this season is going a whole lot of clubs can still go down including 96, it's only 6 points and a horrible gd despite the 5:0.


Very good point. The biggest fear for me is Mainz's horrible gd this year. (well, besides the fact that we played our two best games of the last round against these same teams, Bochum/Dortmund :( ) Which is kind of funny, since, it seems like forever now, that our goal differential has always been very good (because of Klopp's system), and didn't really worry about that so much.

[todd11]

Yes, but my point was that without their getting that World Cup spot, they would not have received the help with the stadium. Oder??






What was wrong with Zidan anyhow??




I guess Bayern would be thinking about him, but he's not the type of guy who would succeed there. I think he's part of Mainz 05 and he knows that. I don't think he can be successful just anywhere.

If Bayern don't try to keep Hitzfeld on, this might sound crazy, but I fully expect them to hire Klaus Augenthaler......

Well, it's probably true about the World Cup, obviously. However, at the time... it sure was interesting that the president of Rheinland-Pfalz sat on the FCK board. And at about the same time, Mainz 05 had to pony up all by itself a measley 6 mil. to expand the Bruchweg. And our need wasn't caused by mismanagement...but such good management that we needed to expand. But then maybe I've just lived in Germany too long now--- I've really started believing pretty much every conspiracy theory on pretty much any topic. :)

Zidan pulled a hammi. They claim it's prolly not torn. Sucks after he's the most expensive FSV buy in history. But here's hoping they bring him along carefully.

I think you're absolutely right about Bayern being totally the wrong place for Kloppo. (but that doesn't mean he couldn't end up there---a year ago I'd have said there's no way, ever... but he seems more and more to need a bigger stage---look how awesome he was on ZDF during the WC.) But Bayern's just the wrong stage, as you said. I mean, how's Hoeness gonna react to Klopp's antics, when just awhile back on Doppelpass Uli was critizing Poldi for being seen smiling (fer chrissakes) when he's on the bench?

That multiheaded monster of FCB management would kill Kloppo, as well. Besides the fact their players are mostly wrong for his style of pressing all over the field (I have a really hard time seeing Pizza n' Maakay chasing down every ball like Juergen wants) and attacking. Then there's the fact that, a big international club like that... one can easily imagine them thinking, "what's he done? gained promotion for a small time club, sure, but what else? he's just a 2.liga player as well!"

Klopp's biggest success IMHO, is to get a team to work in concert, check the egos, fight for each other, and believe in the collective (I feel like singing the 'Internationale' suddenly!). Sounds a bit like another JK, 'gel? So of course he needs to go to a mid level club before a big jump---but reading the FCB fansite boards, there sure were a lotta Bayern fans clamoring for him.

[soccer krazy]

Connor Casey leaves Mainz
http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=ap-mainz-casey&prov=ap&type=lgns

[aloisius]

Now this is a thread that needs a bump….

Really great signings by them in the winter brake and they’re the form team in the league

[todd11]

Especially since every pundit here and abroad picked us to absolutely have no chance of staying up in discussions this winter. :) not that we're out of the woods by any stretch of the imagination.

My impressions of our signings:
Zidan is Zidan... we knew what he brings from his stint with us last year. What I forgot is how contagious his enthusiasim is. The attitude of the team (as well as the qualitiy of play) is a 180 degree turnaround. In the hinrunde, everybody's body language and facial expressions mimicked what I felt in the stands (frowns, shruggs, general defeatedness). Zidan's courageousness on the ball, trickery, cheekiness... it's just infectious. Make's me realize/remember that there's more to picking a team than simple talent.

Andreasen... this guy... wow. That's the only word for it. I figured, well, if he's on the books at Bremen he's gotta be pretty good, 'specially since a certain player named Frings is standing in his way at his position. But I don't think anyone expected him to be THIS good. He may be listed as a defensive midfielder, but he's fully box to box, hardcore. He's just plain nasty in the tackle, and an intimidating presence---any time any pushing and shoving breaks out... you can be sure to see Leon's shaved head moving in the direction of the problem---if he's not already involved! ;) But we needed a player like this. Mainz was waaay too fair in the hinrunde. When Bayern went up 2-0 against us at HOME, I just wanted someone to at least show some presence... not dirty, but toughness... get a card, foul someone...show you're into it. (sorry, I'm a defender...) Well with Leon... you can just feel and see how he both tightens up our midfield, and expands it for the others because he's there. Before our midfield was horrible... now it's been playing extremely well... and that's down to the control that Andreasen has there. Freeing up (good) players like Gerber and Assaoagh to be more adventurous, to play more their style. And incredibly... in addition... Andreasen's a real honest threat to score as well! His goal Saturday in Berlin... he made a 50 meter run, ends up in the Hertha 6, sticks a straining leg forward to latch onto a cross and tips it into the goal. And he's got a heckuva hard shot from distance as well.

The guy that may be the surprise (for me at least) is Soto. I guess I figured that it would take a Colombian a long time to adjust both culturally and soccer wise. Then came the whole hulabaloo with his contract... does he still have a contract in Colombia? In Ecuador?? Is he on a free?? Finally FIFA settled it---he's out of contract and available for Mainz, and then his old club holds a press conference and says they demand a tranfer fee from Mainz. Say what? And back and forth, and finally he plays for us. In his first game he hits a sublime 60 meter pass that assists our first goal. Then dribbling around confidently into the box, he's fouled... draws a penalty... and we win. But what's really suprised me (I guess I fell into that stereotype of S.American players in that I just expected him to be magic on the ball, a good passer, but perhaps a bit of a liability defensively ) is despite his small, slight stature... he's a real pest defensively as well...a nd surprisingly good in the tackle. In short a very good player.

Now, we could get hit with injuries, or any of the new players could hit a bad patch of form, or what have you. So we're not anywhere yet. But it's fun to watch the 05ern play ball again. In the past, even if we lost it was always entertaining at least... the players played for the shirt, played to the fans... were really almost an extension of the fans. In the fall, to be fair, they weren't as bad as everyone said, but as soon as inevetible bad luck hit, or they went down a goal. That was it, game over. Now we're back to feeling that Mainz is always in it, even down a goal or two. If we continue to show the nice combination, pressing, attacking football. our spring slogan.. "Mission POSSIBLE 15" may have to change that number to a lower one.

[crzdcolombian]

Especially since every pundit here and abroad picked us to absolutely have no chance of staying up in discussions this winter. :) not that we're out of the woods by any stretch of the imagination.

The guy that may be the surprise (for me at least) is Soto. I guess I figured that it would take a Colombian a long time to adjust both culturally and soccer wise. Then came the whole hulabaloo with his contract... does he still have a contract in Colombia? In Ecuador?? Is he on a free?? Finally FIFA settled it---he's out of contract and available for Mainz, and then his old club holds a press conference and says they demand a tranfer fee from Mainz. Say what? And back and forth, and finally he plays for us. In his first game he hits a sublime 60 meter pass that assists our first goal. Then dribbling around confidently into the box, he's fouled... draws a penalty... and we win. But what's really suprised me (I guess I fell into that stereotype of S.American players in that I just expected him to be magic on the ball, a good passer, but perhaps a bit of a liability defensively ) is despite his small, slight stature... he's a real pest defensively as well...a nd surprisingly good in the tackle. In short a very good player.

.

I told u Soto was godlike, also didnt see him playin right away cause germany is 1000x different from colombia. Our players usually do better in italy, spain or france because the language, food and culture is similar. Glad he turned out to be like I said and hope he scores soon... want him to be at 100% when he comes home for copa america, think he might be captain he has been in the past few friendlies he has played in (when we didnt use any european players, he use to play in ecuador which annoyed me cause that league sucks and he was one of our best players)

also really happy because he was rumored to be going to croatia to play for dynamo kiev or something like that cause they wanted him in the champs league or ukraine. also glad that u guys are no longer in regulation zone and hope u guys keep it up to at least get to UEFA u have at least 20 games left and it can happen.

as for Soto defensively he is very very good and seems like he has 3 lungs cause runs the whole field basically the whole game. He was a champion with once caldas in 2004 hope he can do well for ur team, so he can come back and help us qualify for the WC and to win the copa america this summer

as for the transfer think 11 caldas was screwed but who cares, they area known for their questionable practices it happened with John Viafara when he went to england and Heneo when he went to brasil.

[todd11]

I told u Soto was godlike, also didnt see him playin right away cause germany is 1000x different from colombia. Our players usually do better in italy, spain or france because the language, food and culture is similar. Glad he turned out to be like I said and hope he scores soon... want him to be at 100% when he comes home for copa america, think he might be captain he has been in the past few friendlies he has played in (when we didnt use any european players, he use to play in ecuador which annoyed me cause that league sucks and he was one of our best players)

also really happy because he was rumored to be going to croatia to play for dynamo kiev or something like that cause they wanted him in the champs league or ukraine. also glad that u guys are no longer in regulation zone and hope u guys keep it up to at least get to UEFA u have at least 20 games left and it can happen.

as for Soto defensively he is very very good and seems like he has 3 lungs cause runs the whole field basically the whole game. He was a champion with once caldas in 2004 hope he can do well for ur team, so he can come back and help us qualify for the WC and to win the copa america this summer

as for the transfer think 11 caldas was screwed but who cares, they area known for their questionable practices it happened with John Viafara when he went to england and Heneo when he went to brasil.


You were right on... Soto is a real player. I'm really impressed with him.

You're right about him having 3 lungs as well--- again, I have no reason to have felt this way (other than stereotypical nonsense perhaps)--- but I expected him more in the very technical player catagory who glides around the field, accepts the ball, then makes a deadly pass (maybe I since he's Colombian, I expected him to be Valderrama?? ;) ). But he really fights for every inch of the pitch. (as well as having the above mentioned passing and technical skills). He wins 50/50 challenges, tracks back like a terrier, presses every ball in the opponents end and switches the ball forward to attack as quickly as possible. I can see why coach Klopp put him in so quickly, as those are all the attributes that are part of the "Mainz style", so he fits in perfectly here. I'm really excited to see more of him now... it's crazy that what with the whole contract fiasco, hence him not being able to play in the test-matches, I kinda gave up on him in the winter break!

Also impressive about him is that he moved in ahead of two very good wide midfielders here (Feulner and Assaoagh), both former German U-21 stars (and still young) and very gifted technical players in their own right. Our outside midfield was never a real problem... just our central midfield was a disgrace (now, fingers crossed, fixed through the Andreasen loan). So him winning that position quickly shows a lot about how much quality he has.

Aproppo us getting to a UEFA cup spot: In Mainz we like to sing ironic songs about us winning the UEFA Cup, but ehmm... we'll be very happy (extatic even, after our dreadful fall season, really) to stay up this year. While that might be disappointing as a Colombian who wants to see him challenged at the highest level, he'll be an absolute hero here if he helps us stay up. (we have one of the two biggest Karnival parades here in Mainz...we'll give him his own float!)

Also, the pressure of a european relegation battle (at last count there were about 8 teams in the Bundesliga all within danger of the relegation zone) could add some more mental steel to his already impressive array of skills. And then next year he can help us to a UEFA cup spot! If nothing else, playing against the big clubs like Bayern, Bremen, Dortmund, Schalke at all, with so much at stake for his club will be good experience for him going forward at the international level, perhaps. As well as the fact, if he keeps this up, the big boyz will be trying to pry him loose from us as well.

[crzdcolombian]

nice to no you guys like him but he is a very shy guy and would never go to a big club. Once Caldas the team that won the liberatores cup (champs league in SA) think he scored the last pk, is a small club in colombia. He doesnt really like attention from what i here.

but what position does he play??

because in Colombia he is a Left outside mid or a right outside mid.

as for the Valderamma comment as much as I love the guy dont think he would be good in the modern game which is lot less about skill and talent more about speed and strength. Valderamma was tooo slow of a player, dont get me wrong he was a god on the pitch but his speed is really was too slow. Same thing with Riquleme in Argentina an amazing player but just too slow, and when he broke down against germany, so did argentina, which I thought was the best team at the WC.

also liked that Zidan guy he was very good, hope u guys keep winning.. and it would be nice to have more colombians in germany considering they are all basically in itlay or france.

tho the only colombian player that comes to mind is el Tren Valenica think he use to play in bayern muchin during the 94 WC.

[todd11]

nice to no you guys like him but he is a very shy guy and would never go to a big club. Once Caldas the team that won the liberatores cup (champs league in SA) think he scored the last pk, is a small club in colombia. He doesnt really like attention from what i here.

but what position does he play??

because in Colombia he is a Left outside mid or a right outside mid.

as for the Valderamma comment as much as I love the guy dont think he would be good in the modern game which is lot less about skill and talent more about speed and strength. Valderamma was tooo slow of a player, dont get me wrong he was a god on the pitch but his speed is really was too slow. Same thing with Riquleme in Argentina an amazing player but just too slow, and when he broke down against germany, so did argentina, which I thought was the best team at the WC.

also liked that Zidan guy he was very good, hope u guys keep winning.. and it would be nice to have more colombians in germany considering they are all basically in itlay or france.

tho the only colombian player that comes to mind is el Tren Valenica think he use to play in bayern muchin during the 94 WC.


Soto's played left outside mid for Mainz 05 so far.

I only brought up Valderrama to illustrate the stereotype (unfounded of course) of S. American players. You're completely correct that the #10's of old just don't exist in the modern game for any number of reasons. Like I said, I sort of expected Soto to be a very good technical player, but wondered how he would adjust defensively here... he's been great... and I shouldn't have been so surprised.

I knew that Once Caldas had won the Libertedores, but didn't realize it's a small club, I guess I assumed it must be pretty big to win that prestigous a tournament. Thanks for the info. Maybe there's hope for us here in Mainz?

And if he feels comfortable in a smaller environment, this may be the perfect place for him. The team and community are really one and the same. Even as bad as the team was playing in the fall, for instance, there was absolutely no booing or real actions against the team in any way. The fans are 100% behind the club, because the club has always been so down to earth. Another example, after the last home game... I and several friends were having beers at a pub behind the stadium, and at the next table over was the coach eating a nice jaegerschnitzel with a beer, and at another table was the general manager, and the chairman--- all just mixing in the with the fans, just like normal guys/fans. This sort of family feeling might be good for Soto, coming from so far away? Just a thought.

I'd like to see more Colombians here, actually as well. Was Valencia the same guy who played for a while in MLS? He never really settled as I recall, but he was a beast if I remember correctly. There's lots of Brazilians playing in Germany, and they've all managed to acclimate to the differences in culture, and play... most have even really thrived, so I think it could easily be done with Colombian players as well.

We've got a big game against Nuerenberg (the team that's played the best in the whole league since the winter break) this weekend. That's going to be a real test for the whole team.

[crzdcolombian]

i notice a lot of peruvians go to germany which I thought was werid because thier league and NT isnt very good. Pizzaro being one of them, I dont really ever watch the german league because they never show it on tv here but from what I hear PIzzaro is really good for bayern, he just cant do it for peru.

yea I think the whole family thing and that its a small club is why soto went their and will prob stay their. As for winning, ONce WAS VERY VERY VERY VERY Lucky haha. They had an amazing goalie Henao and two very gifted mid fielders Soto and John Viafara the rest of the team sucked but the coach was very smart and played well, I would have loved for him to have been our NT coach but sadly he was shot during a robbery and now cant walk :( he was one hell of a coach..

yea i am glad he plays at left mf like he did for colombia, was worried he was being put at CMF or something werid like that.

i saw the last Mainz game and seems like a real strong squad, and now with your new signings hopefully you can improve and then next year try to fight for a UEFA spot, which at this time prob isnt too realistic but its a nice goal for next season

[OP_M]

with all the respect, i doubt mainz will ever be a serious contender for the european spots in this league. maybe with some luck in the cup or the fairplay rating, but not over the league. the team is just by far not strong enough, there is not enough financial power behind all this, i could go on forever what makes them more of a allways-relegation-canditate than a proper international-ambitioned team :)

congrats btw, deserved victory today, we played absolute rubbish. :)