Die Werkself: Bayer Leverkusen 2010-11 [R]

Discussion in 'Germany: Clubs' started by orng, Jun 30, 2010.

  1. orng

    orng Member

    Feb 11, 2010
    Club:
    Bayer 04 Leverkusen
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    [​IMG]


    After using a 2008-2009 season thread throughout all of the 2009-2010 season, it seems appropriate to finally create a thread that is up to date. Furthermore, the return of the Werkself to the training ground means that it's officially time to start anticipating the start of the Bundesliga!

    After an exciting season (with an admittedly disappointing finish) at the BayArena, changes have been made. Most notably, Michael Ballack has returned to the club, prompting Rudi Voller to say, "We were just lacking something and I think that Michael is that." Hopefully he's right, because optimism runs high that we can challenge for silverware in all three of our competitions this season -- League, Cup, and Europa League. Perhaps Ballack will be the player to push us over the top.

    However, Ballack isn't the only new player to find his way to the BayArena. Hanno Balitsch (Hannover 96), Jens Hegeler (return from loan), Kevin Kampl (Bayer II), Marcel Risse (return from loan), Sidney Sam (Kaiserslautern) and Domagoj Vida (Osijek) will all be playing for Leverkusen this season. Their presence is much welcomed, especially with the departure of Toni Kroos back to Bayern Munich. Hopefully these players will be able to mesh well with the likes of Kiessling, Derdiyok, Renato Augusto, Barnetta, Rolfes, Adler, etc. and form a great team.

    I'm ready for the season to start!
     
  2. Footy Magoo

    Footy Magoo Audaces fortuna iuvat

    Mar 23, 2009
    ♫ Flugelville
    5 more weeks? I haven't seen the fixture schedule.
     
  3. benztown

    benztown Member+

    Jun 24, 2005
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
  4. orng

    orng Member

    Feb 11, 2010
    Club:
    Bayer 04 Leverkusen
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We're opening the season at the Westfalenstadion. :D
     
  5. Donofan_10

    Donofan_10 Red Card

    Aug 20, 2009
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    can't wait to see this team with Ballack
     
  6. orng

    orng Member

    Feb 11, 2010
    Club:
    Bayer 04 Leverkusen
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Oh, wow. :eek:

    It will be interesting to see whose spot he takes in the midfield. Vidal, maybe? Perhaps our lineup will be Augusto, Rolfes, Ballack, and Barnetta. Then again, it is likely he won't be fit at the start of the season so it won't be an issue until he's able to play.
     
  7. Footy Magoo

    Footy Magoo Audaces fortuna iuvat

    Mar 23, 2009
    ♫ Flugelville
    Opening match on the road:

    21.08.10 15:30 Borussia Dortmund : Bayer 04 Leverkusen
     
  8. orng

    orng Member

    Feb 11, 2010
    Club:
    Bayer 04 Leverkusen
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Preseason preparations seem to be going well. After a 12-0 win over some local Zillertal team, Leverkusen beat Wacker Innsbruck 3-1. Patrick Helmes scored twice and new signing Nicolai Jörgensen got the other. Both started, along with Sidney Sam and Domagoj Vida.

    Starting lineup for Bayer 04: Adler; Vida, Friedrich, Hyypia, Castro; Reinartz, Bender; Renato Augusto, Sam; Helmes, Jörgensen

    It's hard to tell how things really were based solely off of a match report, but the team seems to be doing well. I'm getting really excited for this season, especially with our new signings appearing to be a solid overall addition to the team already in place. Also, the report mentioned Lars Bender's name a lot. Hopefully that's a sign of good things to come!
     
  9. footyfan1

    footyfan1 BigSoccer Supporter

    Oct 20, 2003
    San Antonio, Texas
    Club:
    Borussia Dortmund
    Nat'l Team:
    United States


    These matches mean about as much as early pre-season NFL games.

    I'm excited to see what you guys are going to do this coming season, but beating a 2nd League Austrian team in the summer means about as much as BVB beating a sixth-division team 9-0.

    Absolutely nothing.

    The first time both of us will get a real feel for what our teams are going to be like will be either the first round of the German Cup or our Euro League playoff matches.
     
  10. orng

    orng Member

    Feb 11, 2010
    Club:
    Bayer 04 Leverkusen
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I know they mean nothing. It's just the pre-season and I thought I'd report on something the team is doing.
     
  11. ForeverRed

    ForeverRed Member+

    Aug 18, 2005
    NYC
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    Can't wait to track you guys this season! Good mix of young talent and experience. Best of luck in the new season!
     
  12. footyfan1

    footyfan1 BigSoccer Supporter

    Oct 20, 2003
    San Antonio, Texas
    Club:
    Borussia Dortmund
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    OK. Reading your words, it seemed as if you were somehow getting excited by those results.
     
  13. orng

    orng Member

    Feb 11, 2010
    Club:
    Bayer 04 Leverkusen
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Thanks, FR. I'm looking forward to this season as well. Should be a good one!
     
  14. Equilibrium

    Equilibrium Member+

    Sep 21, 2007
    None of your busines
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    I believe a defender, a CB is necessary for your team as other areas in terms of the starting XI is set. Maybe a bit more depth, but you have bought some players for this. The main thing your team needs is guts and some leadership Hyppia & Balla offer it but some players simply need to step up.
     
  15. footyfan1

    footyfan1 BigSoccer Supporter

    Oct 20, 2003
    San Antonio, Texas
    Club:
    Borussia Dortmund
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Why do they need another center back EQ? What's wrong with Hyppia and Manuel Friedrich??


    And even for depth, they signed Croatian U-21 center back Domagoj Vida. Germany U-21 player Stefan Reinartz can back up in the center and at both wing positions too.


    And that's not even counting former Germany international Lukas Sinkiewicz.






    The only position I can see where they might be lacking in "depth" is left back. But they have a few "defensive all-rounders" who can back up there, including Ghana's Hans Sarpei.






    I think their toughest task will be replacing the offensive spark Kroos gave them last season.

    But they'll count on Ballack to give them part of that from the center.

    You can bet we're going to see the old "offensive" Michael Ballack again and not the defensive "machine" Chelsea made him into because those bastards wanted to continue catering to Frank Lampard. :mad:
     
  16. orng

    orng Member

    Feb 11, 2010
    Club:
    Bayer 04 Leverkusen
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Footy, you said everything I wanted to in response to EQ. Well said. Repped. Also, Reinartz played as one of the two defensive midfielders in Heynckes' 4-2-2-2 system last year.

    EDIT: Must spread...
     
  17. footyfan1

    footyfan1 BigSoccer Supporter

    Oct 20, 2003
    San Antonio, Texas
    Club:
    Borussia Dortmund
    Nat'l Team:
    United States


    Yep, I knew Reinartz played some d-mid for you guys too.

    I feel his future will be in the center.

    That's why I didn't mention his ability to play d-mid too.
     
  18. Hollyweird

    Hollyweird New Member

    May 17, 2010
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    Bayer 04 Leverkusen
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    If only they had real support, they'd be amazing to watch. I love their squad.
     
  19. orng

    orng Member

    Feb 11, 2010
    Club:
    Bayer 04 Leverkusen
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well, "officially." He's been with the team but the contract wasn't signed until just now. We've tied him up for five years. This is a signing I'm really excited about.

    What's wrong with our support? I'm under no illusions as to how many fans we have, but it's not like we don't have any fans. Besides, what does "real support" have to do with making us "amazing to watch?" If you love the squad, then you'd love watching them irregardless of the amount of fans in the stadium. The team remains the same despite the size of our fanbase.

    Then again, maybe I'm just confused.
     
  20. Footy Magoo

    Footy Magoo Audaces fortuna iuvat

    Mar 23, 2009
    ♫ Flugelville
    The last time I checked, the perceived level of support doesn't make a team either more amazing or less amazing to watch. There are some awful teams with fanatical support, yet quite boring. If Bayer doesn't have a huge amount of ultras or hooligans, to me, that's a good thing.
     
  21. BeMassiveSoccer

    Jul 27, 2007
    Relegation Zone
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Can someone explain to me why everyone here on BS says this? What is "real support"?
     
  22. orng

    orng Member

    Feb 11, 2010
    Club:
    Bayer 04 Leverkusen
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm glad I'm not the only one who was confused by his post.
     
  23. Hollyweird

    Hollyweird New Member

    May 17, 2010
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    Bayer 04 Leverkusen
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    I'm sorry, I didn't mean any disrespect by my post. I think Leverkusen is extremely fun to watch. I am in the process of choosing a Bundesliga Club. If you want to know the whole story, go here:

    https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1488142

    Anyways, I simply meant that I would love to make Leverkusen my team if they had better support. I have heard nothing but poor reports of Leverkusen's support. I have heard that it is a dreary crowd. Forgive me of my ignorance.
     
  24. Marienburg

    Marienburg New Member

    Jun 11, 2009
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    They have a real nice stadium. It doesn't seat as many as a lot of other teams, but it is very modern and comfortable. The seats are the closest to the field of any stadium in the Bundesliga, so that is a real plus. You don't need binoculars to tell what the heck is going on.

    The club definitely has the stigma of it being a "corporate front" with unpassionate fans who are more business types looking to recline in a nice box seat than be drunk and singing for the whole match. But that is mostly exclaimed by their rivals who try to put them down. Some of it is justified but there's also plenty of passionate fans too.
     

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