Bayern's and The Bundesliga social media outlets love to promote James. They treat him way better in a season compared to Real Madrid and La Liga did for 3 seasons.
Bayern and everyone in the Bundesliga know how much of a treasure he is. Being the magical playmaker talisman and brains of the operation is something the Germans really do love and appreciate. Madrid just treated him like anybody else because they are Los Galacticos with CR7 and other big names that take priority. And as we know Zidane's system and stubbornness kept him off the field.
Don't know why he was subbed in at the 80th minute; he should be resting some more if they can afford it.
I hope that lineup wasn't a preview for next week. Replace Robben for James and move Muller out wide and that lineup is perfect.
If Bayern is going to rely on counter attacks - which wouldn't be surprising - that could mean that Jupp could go with Robben and Ribery.
I could see that strategy on the return leg, but at home I think they gotta go with 1 defensive mid in Javi Martinez and with Thiago and James just above him. Robben was pretty bad last night. He got two assist but both one was a bad touch that went straight to Thiago and the other was a shot that deflected off of Muller and went in. The speed that he does have would be better suited off the bench. But Robben and Ribery carry a lot of weight in Bayern still.
Beautiful long pass by James that leads to a goal eventually. Something that won't show up in the stats but had a nice impact on the game. (It is what many would say is a hockey assist. Not the cross for the goal but the pass before the cross.)
Taken out early which seems to indicate that he will start against Real Madrid. Especially considering he only played 10 minutes in the previous game.
Makes sense when they've already won the league; you would think that they would rest a lot of their best.
Atleast as much as possible. Vidal, Coman and Neuer are still injured. Tolisso and Alaba have minor problems and could be available Wednesday. Rudy, Süle, Bernat, Wagner are the ones that usually will not start Wednesday if no major injuries occur until then - Rafinha right now is the first replacement for both Kimmich and Alaba. Apart from the questionmarks about Alaba - which two of Thiago, James and Robben will start. It is a question about systems, too, not so much about performance even if Robben right now seems a little off. James and Thiago will offer more midfield control - but that makes it more difficult to play more vertically. Against Dortmund we played with James + Müller, against Leverkusen it was Thiago + Müller. As Thiago played 90 minutes in both of the Bundesliga matches and 85 in the Cup match James probably will play Wednesday.
Robben always saves his best for Real Madrid. Even though his game has been average compared to his standards lately I believe both he and James will have good matches. They both have something to prove against their former club.
And both could be tactically important, Robben putting pressure on Marcelo so he cannot move forward easily, and James looking for spaces behind Real’s midfield and hopefully commanding lots of attention from Casemiro.
I'm telling you, James will be the MVP if this series. It's nothing more terrifying than you ex player who is looking for revenge. [emoji6]
If Robben and James play, it will be Müller on Casemiro... Or Casemiro hunting a ghost... James then probably will play a deeper role. Müller is set with Jupp - since the Finale Dahoam he is his lucky charm and will start every of this big matches and end them as long he does not have an injury or we have a big lead. And in the form he is - since Jupp came back he has a goal/assist about every 69 minutes with more than half of them for the equalizers or for the lead - there really is no question about that especially as he is doing a great job as captain. Just to show that - since October Müller has 6 goals and 11 assists for leads/equalizers, Lewy 10 goals/2 assists - next Robben 1/6, Coman 4/2 and then a bunch of players with 4 scorers with James, Tolisso, Ribery, Kimmich, Boateng. So the question just will be on which position he plays and which two of Robben, Thiago and James will play.
The internet is lredicting that James will start. Hopefully it's true. In either case he will have minutes.
Do you guys think if James scores he will do the Mo Salah stick arms in the air I am not going to celebrate type thing? (I hope not. I want to see him dance like the Mundial)
I hope he scores......the celebration will be irrelevant......i doubt that he will celebrated it..........his last match in bernabeu agaisnt sevillla he received a big and nice ovation from the fans
I just want to see him stick it to Madrid these two games and see Bayern advance!!! Some of my best baseball games I played in growing up were against previous teams I was on. Felt so good to have my performances be the FU to the opposing coach James is in the driver seat today. It’s clobbering time!!!!
Doubt he'd celebrate. Moreso because of his former teammates. James starting. STARTING XI and SUBS vs. @realmadriden! 💪#FCBRMA pic.twitter.com/mORy0TSJPI— 🇺🇸 FC Bayern US 🇨🇦 (@FCBayernUS) April 25, 2018 Jupp again going with the same offensive lineup that he played against Sevilla. Means James playing a little deeper than normal again. Hope it isn't a mistake not playing Thiago instead of Robben.
You do not win the midfield duel against Madrid with Martinez, Thiago and James - so why try. If you want to win the midfield duel the line has to be higher to have the distances smaller between the teammates, Martinez is not the ideal 6 for that match and Ulreich not the right goalkeeper - and as Real loves to break and mistakes always happen even then mistakes would happen. If in such a formation you do not get Müller off the wing - like against Sevilla in the first match - the offensives are toothless. James and Thiago are great behind the offense - but if they cannot play the pass as everybody is covered very well that makes it difficult. Jupp is not going for midfield domination but for buildup over the wing. And not to ball possession and vertical play.