Team News 2018-2019

Discussion in 'Borussia Moenchengladbach' started by kgilbert78, May 14, 2018.

  1. LuckyStriker

    LuckyStriker Member+

    Favorite club? a German one..........
    Apr 14, 2010
    in exile-Statute of Limitations yet to expire
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Money is money.......I suppose-but the Viking was one of about 3 on that squad you could count on to show up and give you everything he had. When Southampton is seen as a step up.............................
    Best of luck to Jannik, while I wait to see what Max blows it on.
     
    HANS-GUNTER BRUNS repped this.
  2. Bananenflanke

    Bananenflanke Member

    Jul 23, 2014
    borderland, Maas drainage basin
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    Faroe Islands
    50M sounds good! but difficult now that Hazard hasn't become Belgium's Götze... keep teasing your guy ;-)))
    but maybe Everton is the only club who is able/willing (?) to spend 40M+... that's too much for the clubs below them and Hazard isn't 'much' enough for the clubs above them...
    but they say Hazard's tendency is towards Spain (or even towards staying and looking for A LOT OF hand money after next season)
    his younger brother by the way is at test training at Venlo, just outside Gladbach

    Pléa, they say, has his medical check today
    23M incl. (BILD) or excl. (EXPRESS) bonus payments they say...puh, much money for just one player and for a club like Borussia (the Füllkrug bidding war -Eberl vs. Eberl- ended at 16M it is said] ... transfer fees like this might become a burden for Pléa in the conservative Rhineland ;-))) ah, just score Alassane! they will love you! ;-)
    on the one hand: if he is that great Favre would have guided him to D'mund
    on the other hand: Eberl (I guess) would have never signed him if Favre hadn't recommended him
    a Favre-educated player generally is a big asset and as far as I heard Pléa is versatile which should go well with our planned 'style' in offense

    the Veste-transfer might go through pretty soon... we loose commitment, crossballs and height and gain speed... a lot of speed... furthermore a lot of people claim that Veste and Ginter are all right as CBs individually but that the duo Veste-Ginter wasn't the best of combinations... I'm curious how Ginter & Elvedi gel together

    hard fact of the day: Poulsen, our new young LB, can throw in up to 40m... he was educated by the Pope of throw-ins himself... when do we have special teams in soccer???
     
  3. Bananenflanke

    Bananenflanke Member

    Jul 23, 2014
    borderland, Maas drainage basin
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    Faroe Islands
    #53 Bananenflanke, Jul 11, 2018
    Last edited: Jul 11, 2018
    WC is almost over and it's time for the REAL soccer to start again
    the team is in training for 1 and 1/2 week now
    focus is on 4-3-3 at the moment acc. to several sources
    but Heck already explained that 4-4-2 isn't dead and a back three must be mastered, too
    it seems he figured out that all this talent in central midfield have to find a place ;-)... Neuhaus is a potential starter he said... 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, whatever ... I don't care as long as it looks better than last season ;-)

    interesting to see if Hecking, now that he hopefully can rely on having a plentiful (aka less injuries), has some forward looking ideas...
    there are quite some adjustmenst to make... based on what didn't work last season, based on against which teams we lost and how they 'appoached' us and based on how the game in Bundesliga and at the WC has generally changed
    f.e. scoring at the WC goes like this:
    penalty... deflected ball... headed goal/corner... penalty... free kick... long-range shot... penalty (again)... headed goal/crossball... own goal... free kick ... penalty... headed goal/corner... and not to forget gross goalie errors interspersed once in a while...
    what has become of the flowing style of soccer? good active combination soccer is replaced by defensive wait-and-see battles... the core competence of the most teams is to close down every dangerous inch on the pitch...
    it's boring! I started watching the 'Borussia Barcelona'-video again and again just to see what good soccer is capable of... I found myself almost in tears ;-)))
    our former director of sport and manager Ziege told some days ago that he's watching less and less soccer because he is sick of obsreving all these teams which don't have any idea of how to play in offense
    and the French are most likely winning the cup... it's impressive how self-controlled they are but overall this is doing nothing for me... mostly boring! even though they have all this massive talent in the team! it's a waste of beautiful possibilities!
    venturous ;-) thesis: possession soccer is dead... and the half-baked style of last season's Borussia is dead as a dodo! more or less only clubs with a gigantic quality-advantage (aka more money) are keeping it alive...
    somebody has to tell Kramer...

    curious to see the adjustments... on the one hand it might become even more difficult to accept than last season's Borussia, on the other hand our play got predictable and we cannot continue to give away the points that easily...
    not an easy task (and not much time) for Hecking (and the team)...
     
  4. LuckyStriker

    LuckyStriker Member+

    Favorite club? a German one..........
    Apr 14, 2010
    in exile-Statute of Limitations yet to expire
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    What has become of soccer? A dearth of trigger men. Playmakers, if you will. Central midfield maestro's and all that. Formation changes could be in the offing all around Europe. If you lack one, you have to find a way to play without one.
    Gladbach failed in that a year ago. I worried about Rafael's age catching up to him, and thought that was borne out.
    I wasn't comfortable with Stindl leading the line........... that too.
    I really miss BMG's counter-attacking speed ! * Heard it died on the trainer's table................
    3-5-2 for me with the "current" availables.

    Some Nice fans opined thusly on Plea: "A bit helter-skelter, and a poor crosser of the ball." Shouldn't matter if he stays topside though. ( apparently he played often in a wide role there?) They need somebody capable of splitting CB's and banging in the kind of goals that allow Lars the room he didn't have a year ago.
     
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  5. Bananenflanke

    Bananenflanke Member

    Jul 23, 2014
    borderland, Maas drainage basin
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    Faroe Islands
    the thing is: nowadays playmakers get incarcerated within seconds ... just like that! compactness all over... no room to breath... (maybe Socrates was right: sooner or later they have to take one man out... 10 vs. 10)
    one solution is to make the playmakers ultra-agile and 'impossible' to capture ... like Speedy Gonzalez (Atletico Inventiva) ... nice idea but big problem in reality: 99% of the clubs fail to sign players like this... no wonder the barely exist ... and it's not easy to raise them: even Barca's 'La Masia' although scouting worldwide has problems to find another Iniesta
    and furtermore: ideally you need more than one!
    in our case: while I like Kramer and Zak very much and both certainly have their skills they are no playmakers... not even close... Benes? don't know, he's always injured... Cuisance & Neuhaus? definitely! that's our future! Raffa? yes! I'm sure (in my case being sure sometimes turns out to be wrong at the end, so I warned you) this season will be better than last
    Stindl has to be relieved from doing two jobs at a time... then he will shine again... Hecking should withdraw him a little bit... working the spaces 'in between' and making use of his excellent shooting technique... the name of the relief is Pléa (I hope)

    we all do! I think Hecking generally wants to play offensively but he doesn't favor the fast switching from defense to offense (like Klopp)... maybe (I'm just guessing) he's afraid to become too vulnerable...
    but it's mostly about speed (in the bones and in the head) nowadays... and relating thereto: space
    but is it the fault of Hecking? Hazard (don't want to loose him unless somebody is offering A LOT OF money) & Traoré (always injured) are quite speedy... but generally we don't have a downright fast team I would say... and quick thinking was pretty bad last season, too... or it wasn't orchestrated right at least (now we are talking about Hecking, partly at least)... and one could sense the uncertainty slowing them down, too...
    but to counter-attack you need speed AND space... space the Augsburgs and Frankfurts and Stuttgarts (of last season at least) don't give you...
    if there is no space you need penetrating power... or players with excellent ball control who don't hesitate to play risky vertical-passes towards (again) players with excellent ball control ;-) ... we have to take more risks in this regard I guess...
    Cuisance kept a low profile in media last season (I guess the club advised him to) but there was an interesting interview at the end of the season: he told that he is in constant talks with Zak & Kramer about when to go in the risky and creative 'avant-garde'-style and WHEN NOT TO (because in this case a turnover most likely would catch the team on the wrong foot)... and, good guy!, Cuisance told that taking risks will always be part of his play... maybe that will be the key: if Cuisance and/or Neuhaus figure out when it's time to hurt WITHOUT getting hurt we'll suceed...
    but generally Hecking is screwed! ;-))) it's much more easier to defend than to attack an organized defense which never dissolves it's compactness

    I think they have three key issues at the moment:
    a) mentality (Grifo OUT, Lang IN, the Füllkrug-attempt, more to come?)
    b) speed (Veste, Boba OUT, Bennetts IN, more to come?)
    c) offensive 1on1s... players who can dribble or at least get past a defender on their own... or like you said: who are capable of 'splitting CB's' (Pléa) ... Bennetts already got told that he has to try again and again even if it doesn't go well more often than not...

    p.s.:
    + contrary to what I've implied yesterday Hazard's contract runs until 2020....
    + medical check (Pléa) shunted to thursday (today)
     
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  6. Bananenflanke

    Bananenflanke Member

    Jul 23, 2014
    borderland, Maas drainage basin
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    Faroe Islands
    what is the future of soccer and what is the future of Borussia's style of play? I'm puzzled...
    the set pieces world cup ends tomorrow (I hope it doesn't transition into the set-pieces-'Meisterschaft' season of 18/19)
    I'm with Croatia, one of the few teams which is able to score from open play (only! 25%! of their goals are a result of set pieces ... but 80% of their conceded goals are...)

    Umtit's header in the semifinal was the 72th goal after a set piece... the 26th from a corner
    22 goals from the penalty spot, 20 goals after a free kick, even 4 from throw-ins!
    England scored 9 (of 12) after a set piece
    boy oh boy, Favre was soooooo wrong to sniff at set pieces ;-)))))))))))

    maybe there is another solution: instead of taking one field player out FIFA could make soccer a sequence of 'stationary' balls... this would make the inconvenient running redundant (diving also!) and the coaches would gain more time for practising thrilling avant-garde set pieces (or 'rehearsing' them like Müller's play-acted free-kick-approach at the WC 2104 when he suddenly flopped down to the ground -like hit by a sniper from the main stand- just to distract the Algerian defense)... could be fun...
    and the players wouldn't be stressed like they are today: "I have no room, I have no time, I have no clue and the manager hasn't either, and where the hell are my support players? what shall I do? oh, this ugly Schalke-guys are really pestering me... I think I'm gonna dive..."

    so I don't see a particularly opalescent future for soccer in my crystal ball
    tactically this all might be very interesting for one person or the other... but not for supporters who like a more 'open' style of play, a 'seesawing' match with more than two or three shots on goal throughout 90mins, or three or four or more 'minds' acting accordingly to move the ball over multiple stations within seconds ...
    as for Borussia: Bennetts already scored after three minutes in his first match for Borussia yesterday... so the future has to be b-r-i-g-h-t ;-)


    quotes from the last days (use them for any point you want to make ;-):

    Leipzig's Rangnick is making fun of the trustful disciples of possession soccer; acc. to him they're usually wondering:
    "Ouch, the game is over and we haven't scored yet."
    and:
    "Without speed, without depth, without upshifting into fifth, sixth, seventh gear and without getting in the back of the defense you nowadays don't even win against Panama or South Korea.“

    Courtois:
    "We have problems against a deep defense"

    Heynckes:
    "You need an anchor up front."

    Favre:
    "In midfield we have to dominate the game, cleverly find the gaps, and we have to stand very very high but also counterattack. A team which cannot counterattack isn't a great team. All this will take time, it's not happening within one month."
     
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  7. LuckyStriker

    LuckyStriker Member+

    Favorite club? a German one..........
    Apr 14, 2010
    in exile-Statute of Limitations yet to expire
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If they can't find the right players, they have to find new ways to attack the scheme.

    Coaching and adaptation, what makes American rugby the national obsession it is. Team admins spend entire offseasons copying, adapting and brainstorming against what made the prior champions so successful the season just past. (* here's hoping they fail this time round muahahahaha*)

    Less surrender-more dismember. Put your thinking cap on Hecking ! That's what they pay you for-right?

    WC Final: 2 teams willing to play as ugly as it takes to win. ET? PKs? Could be...................
    Croats have been the best balanced, most consistent squad in the tournament. France the most talented, but they play down to their fear.

    M'Bappe is the transcendant-Luka the biggest difference-maker-because he has vet teammates who can finish what he starts..........
    1st goal is big. Might be the only. Anybody gets 2 & it's over.

    I'll go with the fightin' picnic tablecloths as well: 2-1
     
  8. LuckyStriker

    LuckyStriker Member+

    Favorite club? a German one..........
    Apr 14, 2010
    in exile-Statute of Limitations yet to expire
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    More offense than I thought, which would always favor the French Pastries in this one. Congrats to them.

    @Bananenflanke :

    I was thinking a bit about the "style" conundrum you see the game as facing, and though Zurich would never consider them......they "might" open up your game a bit more in terms of spacing without changing your rules too much or forcing a player off the field......................


    I will pull two ancient examples out of my memory back using 2 different sports as an analogy:

    Hockey and-believe it or not- Girls HS basketball as uniquely participated in within only 1 of our 50 states............

    So:
    Back in the day, when soccer was first attempting to gain a foothold here we had the forerunner of MLS which was the North American Soccer League. (NASL) In days of old, I actually had a good squad to watch in person and cheer for. Best, Cubillas, VanBeveren, and some guys named Muller and Holzenbein-who I heard "did OK" for Germany long ago. We also had this one, only 1 change from the game you know absent OT. That was a hard and fast offside line-memory fades, but I believe it was 35 yards from the goals. As long as you were on your own side of that attacking line before the ball......you were on. Makes it a bit easier on the linesman, and go ahead and condense or high-press against that.

    The scores were never ridiculous, and folks seemed to enjoy the idea of open play, some scoring and a winner-at least here. Then, at some point THIEFA got wind of it, and forced the league to abandon it mid-season under threats of permanent bans against players and officials. Didn't go over well. Crowds dried up.......and soon the league did. Has taken decades since to get the standard of play to levels within horizons of the game we first got to experience. Color me not a fan in terms of the modern game in this country. Might something like that eventually be proffered? Who knows-but if play stagnates it might be worth some consideration.

    I continued my secondary education in a state that is rarely even considered by most of my country. When I first arrived, one of the things that shocked me was how well attended and supported the High School girls basketball teams were in that region. I soon learned that in order to raise the quality of their game the HS Assoc instituted a rule that I had never seen copied before or since-but caused the State tournament to pack Coliseums across the State every year.

    What they did for the females was first to increase the amount of active participants from the standard 5 to 6 per side. Then, they created the stipulation that neither the attacker nor defenders could cross the center line into the opposite end. So, it was in effect a 3-on 3 half court contest over the length of a full basketball court. Defenders defended, attackers attacked-but other than the mid line never could those trains ever meet. That opened up some space........

    Soccer wouldn't need to add an extra player. Since the keeper is the extra man, it would in effect be a 5 defender (+1) vs. 5 attackers on each side. If room is what you're searching for........all I got at this point.
     
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  9. Bananenflanke

    Bananenflanke Member

    Jul 23, 2014
    borderland, Maas drainage basin
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    Faroe Islands
    simply speaking the German discussion at the moment is partly based on Scholl‘s awakening (?) complaint that German Soccer has produced too many streamlined players in the last years: fast and with good ball control but lacking individuality and most of all creativity (dribbling etc.)... Scholl: „instead they can run and fart 18 systems backwards.“
    Kuntz, Kovac & Reschke joined in recently... so they talk about players but basically it's the "ways", too

    you right about adaptation but maybe it‘s just more rewarding to smash up the whole and thoroughly analyze the pieces one by one in American Football than in Soccer … the soccer flow ('plays' are only a part of it) produces so many variables, the ‚interception‘ is the rule rather than the exception (with all the cards being reshuffled in close succession) and soccer‘s job description for each position isn‘t as precisely defined… more freedom it always seemed to me ;-)… and there are no pass combinations in your type of Rugby, right?... and when you are in offense you HAVE TO SHOW UP! it's not as easy to 'hide' in defense like in soccer and to signal the opponent: "YOU do the thinking!" ... but I better stop RIGHT HERE: my American Football knowledge is rudimentary at best! …. so I don‘t want to make a fool of myself (I already did this today… elsewhere)…
    but the more ‚stationary/standing‘ the game becomes the more reasonable & important the American Football-approach should be, that‘s for sure
    Southgate f.e. explained that they have p-r-e-c-i-s-e-l-y analyzed the German way to WC 2014… it seems the English didn‘t adopt the possession style and instead focused on set pieces (smart in hindsight!) and he further explained: with set pieces you have much more control (and less variables) over what happens/has to happen

    gotcha!: "I want to fly like an eagle"... à propos: did you watch Union vs. the German Eagles yesterday?

    ;-)... I hope he already did the thinking and already knows what to do (media says Kramer is the new Casemiro in Hecking's 4-3-3, hm hm aha! ;-) ...)
    and Veste's farewell means the team is going to stand higher/attack earlier... it is said
    anyway Hecking HAS TO come up with SOMETHING... he's the most experienced and one of the best paid coaches... a little bit of this and a little bit of that... a little bit possession and a little bit pressing or a counterattack in third gear... that's leading us nowhere... we need at least! ONE thing we are really good at...
    but Hecking already made clear that he isn't looking for any excuses next season and he isn't complaining about starting into the season with an expiring contract either ... some are best under maximum pressure... lets' see... realistically speaking finishing 7th would be a huge success... actually, I just want to see more dedication and will to win and more creativity... don't put us to sleep again and again!

    Deschamps: „I never was in it for the game, I always was in it for winning.“
     
  10. Bananenflanke

    Bananenflanke Member

    Jul 23, 2014
    borderland, Maas drainage basin
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    Faroe Islands
    good one!

    good one, too!
    actually, I was thinking about something like that the last days: f.e. two (?) players (no matter which ones) of each team have to remain in the opponent's half at any time ... but this obviously needed complicated further thinking ... so I postponed it ;)))
     
  11. Bananenflanke

    Bananenflanke Member

    Jul 23, 2014
    borderland, Maas drainage basin
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    Faroe Islands
    Pléa told Borussia was the first club which approached him
    he chose Borussia in favour of bigger and better paying clubs
    as uncanny as it may seem it makes sense because he speaks also of the 'next stage' of his career: in this case being a starter up to approx. 90% is better than being a benchwarmer at a 'bigger' club

    "Lucien Favre told me that Gladbach is a great club which would be a great next step to take in my career. And Dante said: “If you have the chance to go there, do it.”"
    https://www.borussia.de/english/tea...=35033&cHash=4929c3dae739121b16b97f85915ea491

    interesting thing:
    both the sports directors of Nice (Pléa) and Basel (Lang) told that there was no bidding contest because both players expressed a clear leaning towards Borussia right from the start... and both clubs played along because both players never did anything wrong and both have served their clubs very well... I guess it helped that Borussia (in the case of Pléa at least) wasn't that stingy, too ;-) anyway: good persuading, Max!
     
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  12. LuckyStriker

    LuckyStriker Member+

    Favorite club? a German one..........
    Apr 14, 2010
    in exile-Statute of Limitations yet to expire
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Potpourri as I wrap these conversations up....................

    1), Union? Yeah-I saw the uh....."highlights"-but don't get me started on that Glorified Ponzi Scheme..........
    Saw footage of BMG's most recent scrimmage though. :)
    2). The Eagles........all you need to know about "The Green Legion" is this: During the parade, people were emptying the Urns of their forebears onto the route. 57 years we waited........so many died before they ever got the chance to see it. Gonna enjoy the hell out of it for as long as I can.

    3).I was reading some commentary from fans of the bowels of English football (only ones I respect) who were lamenting the fact that big clubs there and elsewhere were vulturing their academies to swipe kids from their families who had only just begun their training there. The argument is that it makes no damn sense to forcibly hold clubs down by stealing their talent on the cheap to the effect that their fans are openly starting to ask themselves what the hell reason they remain supporting the home side for anyway.........This is my ultimate viewpoint on the game.......and Europe as a whole. They are ultimately going to cannibalize their sports to the extent there's nobody left playing the game to steal from. I despise all big clubs for this reason. Would that "the Great Disruptor" found enough time in his schedule to order a MOAB drop on the Hague from the Helsinki Airport. The game needs another chance to get it right...........Bosman this!:devilish:

    My take on transfer windows as a complete outsider:
    When all is said and done.....there's always a lot more said than done.
    I don't fault Max money mgt. skills-but the amount of buys that constantly lay on the shelf there...............ugh. Let's hope this batch stays healthy. The problem all size clubs seem to have is that everybody knows how much money they have ! In a way-it makes it easier to get your business done-and on time-if you're Gladbach. Easy to flesh out the rumors for them, because the press isn't interested in clickbait for them. Can trust the rumors a greater % for them rather than Madrid.......... Teams that might want to negotiate keep their demands more reasonable.

    I should ask: Most years Max kinda tells you when he's wrapping up shop. With the disparity now in windows it wouldn't surprise me if he sold and saved funds for Jan.-but I'm thinking the buying finished with the Frenchman. Heard Sevilla was sniffing around Thor again, Max's comments intrigue: " You cannot just expect us to give him away for nothing"...........hmm. Hazard says he wants to stay "1 more year" and then reevaluate. Double hmmm........................
    Anyway; we asked for thinking.................that's what I thought about. Maybe one day.
     
  13. kgilbert78

    kgilbert78 Member+

    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    United States
    Dec 28, 2006
    Cowlumbus, OH
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Fly Eagles, Fly!
     
  14. LuckyStriker

    LuckyStriker Member+

    Favorite club? a German one..........
    Apr 14, 2010
    in exile-Statute of Limitations yet to expire
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    ...on the road to victory-
    Fight Eagles Fight (Should be: Fly-talons high-guy who wrote the song must not have known the history)
    Score a touchdown 1-2-3..............
    Hit 'em low, hit 'em high
    and watch our Eagles fly, fly.......
    Fly Eagles fly-on the road to victory!

    E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles !!!!!! ( chanted with the impact of a sonic boom )
     
    kgilbert78 repped this.
  15. kgilbert78

    kgilbert78 Member+

    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    United States
    Dec 28, 2006
    Cowlumbus, OH
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
     
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  16. LuckyStriker

    LuckyStriker Member+

    Favorite club? a German one..........
    Apr 14, 2010
    in exile-Statute of Limitations yet to expire
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Thanks for that Kev. My dad grew up on those streets.......but watching that I got the vibe some Mummers lost their costumes:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
    Doesn't have quite the same effect as game day-but you can't fault them for trying.
     
  17. Bananenflanke

    Bananenflanke Member

    Jul 23, 2014
    borderland, Maas drainage basin
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    Faroe Islands
    Sommer rumors
    many of them!
    (different clubs)
    at the same time KICKER ranks Sommer as the best BuLi-goalie of the 2nd half of the season...

    CB rumors
    many of them!
    Marlon (Barcelona); option B it is said (Barca-players are only alternative solutions for us... that's how great Borussia is ;-)))
    Diogo Leite (Porto); option A it is said (played only for the 2nd team, 15M buyout it is said)
    and (believe it or not):
    Oxford rumors!
    let's see... the CB-situation: Ginter & Elvedi with Strobl and Jantschke (also RB backup) as backups... and the 'backupbackups' are young miracle bags: Mayer (looks solid), Hanraths (talent, but thrown back by injuries), Doucouré (will he ever play again?)... this doesn't look exactly heavy staffed... but given the fact that the squad is still too big and given the expectation of 4-3-3 it's ok I guess... give youth a chance!... 3-5-2 or 3-4-3?.... different story! in this case we're not overstaffed it seems ... and a left-footed CB (Diogo Leite) wouldn't be bad at all...

    and (believe it or not):
    no Hazard rumors!
    Hecking emphasized how satisfied he is with Thor (except for the scoring, of course)... and Eberl told that they are not planning to sell him... which either exactly means what it says... OR it's just another type of saying: 'don't even think about coming around the corner with shitty bids'...

    good old Xhaka is addressing Lang (who voluntarily came several days early to his new workplace) at social media:
    "Good luck! And take the club to where Borussia deserve to be. Enjoy the club. Top club, top people!“
     
  18. kgilbert78

    kgilbert78 Member+

    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    United States
    Dec 28, 2006
    Cowlumbus, OH
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ken not Kev...;):)
     
  19. LuckyStriker

    LuckyStriker Member+

    Favorite club? a German one..........
    Apr 14, 2010
    in exile-Statute of Limitations yet to expire
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sorry. :(
     
  20. LuckyStriker

    LuckyStriker Member+

    Favorite club? a German one..........
    Apr 14, 2010
    in exile-Statute of Limitations yet to expire
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    A: Don't know about you, but I find the Arsenal ones absolutely farcical. If the money's right he can go for good money-he's not TerStegen level. This one is where the "Shitty bid" theory works best for me.

    B): no, I wouldn't mind that (LCB) at all....................

    C). Tea leaves seem to indicate Thor is controlling his own transfer at this point-and isn't interested in going anywhere this year.
     
  21. LuckyStriker

    LuckyStriker Member+

    Favorite club? a German one..........
    Apr 14, 2010
    in exile-Statute of Limitations yet to expire
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Why anybody agrees to play for this club anymore I don't know. #accursed.

    Lang = torn LCL. fts.............................
     
    HANS-GUNTER BRUNS repped this.
  22. Bananenflanke

    Bananenflanke Member

    Jul 23, 2014
    borderland, Maas drainage basin
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    Faroe Islands
    Benes out, too :-((
    torn hamstring ... it's a tradition...

    and he looked so fine it is said
    didn't watch the match against Augsburg so far... Neuhaus and Hofmann looked strong on '8' it is said (that might be the adequate position for Hofmann I guess... he's no winger... I'm still sceptical)
    Beyer (RB) won high praise from Hecking (something like that happens often in pre-season with younsters... after that we usually don't see the player surface again in the season ;-)
    Raffa is on a roll!
    Drmic' future is open acc. to KICKER

    didn't comment on the Sommer-rumors in detail because they all sounded far-fetched... but if he's aiming to get one last 'big' contract it has to be now... sure, he's no ter Stegen but a good Bundesliga-goalie (with obvious strenghts... and weaknesses... would be not that easy for the club to get a better one... some think Sippel is as good but I don't think so)

    BILD claims that Marlon and Diogo Leite are nothing more than smoke grenades... they are after other fish!
    it's ... flourish ... OXFORD! (financial fair play problems at West Ham it seems)
     
  23. Bananenflanke

    Bananenflanke Member

    Jul 23, 2014
    borderland, Maas drainage basin
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    Faroe Islands
    Elvedi OUT (he did not train with the team for days it seems)
    hopefully not that serious but anyway this is really BAD!
    it's very important for him to get into routine with Ginter
    I'm getting a little bit concerned about our defense... most likely they are going after Oxford when the transfer window at the big isle has closed.... Leite is out, he extended his contract
    the Southampton match today should be a kind of final rehearsal for the back four
    for the last two pre-season matches (Espanol & Wegberg) a back three is planned

    Kramer is a victim of the boling heat here around and isn't visiting southern England today either
    Benes might be back earlier than expected

    Herrmann talked with Hecking/Eberl and apparently he found out that his chances to get reasonable playing time are pretty thin... Nürnberg seems to be interested... an impoverished club (with a big history) who most likely would fit him... I have no clue how the wage-problem can be solved...
    Herrmann was part of 'Borussia Barcelona' and I'm deeply distressed if he leaves... sweet memories...
    on the one hand I would stick to him and instead let Hofmann go (not the same kind of player, I know, but we are overequipped in central midfield) but on the other hand Patrick needs a fresh start, his last two season were for the garbage can, we're not going to play counter attack soccer (his speed seems to be gone anyway) and the club has to reduce the number of players who are more often injured than healthy
     
  24. LuckyStriker

    LuckyStriker Member+

    Favorite club? a German one..........
    Apr 14, 2010
    in exile-Statute of Limitations yet to expire
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    and in view of all that...................In Re: Southampton:

    With regard to the mish-mash of exhibition line-ups-a view from a computer screen.........................

    Aesthetically; I very much like the look of the new garb. Hearkens back to the old days a bit. Last year they resembled penguins.
    Strobl: not sure if eyes are now gone, but he looks in better shape than he was pre-Leicester. Maybe a bit "quicker" in his movements off ball. Can only help.
    Got a first look at some of the kids I haven't seen before. Everybody did OK-though Neihaus had a moment in his own box he'd like back. On late, but the one who impressed me the most was Egbo.
    Plea cuts the forlorn figure of a guy who comes late to the party, and hasn't figured out how to fit in. Couple of nice lay-off's.....an excellent cross...but they seem to be having a hard time finding him where he can do the most good.
    English fans have taken some liberties in running down Zakaria of late. Debating his worth in the context of a purchase I'd imagine. They can eat that shot !

    As to the game:

    Less than 7 minutes. That's all it took for Ibra to tear his groin. I love the guy, and appreciate all he's done there-but it's become clear to me his soft tissues are made of paper mache'. He now joins the rest of the "eternally broken" for me. They need to move on. Herrmann came on, and would have turned the trick had he not botched the easiest chance he got all game ! If he's leaving, hope the price went up...........
    BMG outclassed the Saints. Better soccer, better players. Still, there were 5 quality chances in the first (Fabian/Patrick/Gabbiadini) Combined, they were 1 for 5. Yuch.

    Cuisance comes on. Does Cuisance things........puts game away. His ability to help Rafa run the O gives me a palpable sense of relief.

    All in all; good to see some semblance of the token press, trap-snap and counter soccer I enjoy when the club are healthy enough to play it. I know Max is trying to recapture Oxford. Can only hope Nico is OK. We have depth in midfield, but are lacking chemistry up front, and warm, healthy bodies at the back. Set piece concessions and control look like they could once again be a problem for the Foals when the league play returns. Enjoyed the experiments formational-wise, and will wait to see how Hecking constructs his 18 in a few weeks.
     
    HANS-GUNTER BRUNS repped this.

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