The NT Players Performance and Ratings Thread 2011/2012

I think he most he ever scored was 13. This is definitely his best chance to break that, on course for 20 at this rate. I think Solbakken has been the best thing to happen to him.

 

Numerous factors, including the challenge to his NT spot, the growth of the NT players (many of them looking to become starters at big clubs) as well as Solbakken's coaching of course, and don't forget maturity. There is definitely not one factor now, I am hoping to see him really do well this season. Must say I'd rather see Schuerrle play for the NT though.

 

Yes, another brace today. His play this season has been incredible. I too think he will break 15 goals.

In terms of his competition with Schuerrle, domestically Podolski is winning by a landslide. Schuerrle's only realistic shot at becoming a starter is to dominate Podolski in the NT this season in equal measure, which will be no easy task.

 

If Schürrle and Podolski keep playing and scoring in NT games like they have in the past months respectively (i.e. Schürrle scoring almost every time, often with just half an hour of play and Podolski scoring in hardly any game at all) until the Euros, PLUS Schürrle scores another 3, 4, 5 important goals in the CL against top opposition, it's going to be a close race, regardless of domestic performance.

If these two things don't happen, I can't see Jogi benching Podolski after such a season, in case he keeps up his current level of play and scoring ratio.

 

It's also impressive since at least in my opinion Cologne's midfield is very average.

Sometimes it really really struggles to keep possession of the ball. Kinda like 96.

Is it possible to talk about Podolski's performances without mentioning Schürrle? Just once? I'm sure everybody has made it clear by now which of the two players he prefers to start for the NT.

 

Klose scores for Lazio as well.

 

*raises hand

Also after this season, I really think Podolski should move to a better club. Leverkusen, Dortmund, Hoff, Schalke or Bremen imo.

 

ForeverRed

Any insight to Kicker's article? Ozil: his life at Real Madrid

http://shop.kicker.de/kicker/heftbestellung/artikel/9026/heftjahrgaeng/2011


From what I can gather, different sources, Mourinho and Mesut may not be in the best of relationships. Mou in interview with German source said " Mesut is incredibally talented but we don't know what road he is going to take?"

At first this may seem surprising given Mesut's numbers last year, but with a character like Mourinho the always calculating politician his fart can be dismissed as someone whose ego gotten best of him. Simply put he is saying Mesut needs to follow my orders and how I set up madrid or otherwise. Interestingly this coincides the same week Ozil's father publically asks Madrid to build the team around their play maker.

In the 6-2 win against Rio Vallecano where Mesut saves Mourinho's ass after going down 1-0 Mourinho down plays Mesut's contribution @ the press conference saying both he and Kaka did well. At the end of that game u can clearly see Mesut walking off hurriedly into locker while Mou wanted to talk him(ESPN3 Replay)


There was also an interview with Keiser where he tells Mesut how he recommended him to Voldano when Madrid came for his services. Valdano also said last year that Madrid needed to build a team around Ozil. Voldano gets ousted by Mou and the overreliance to Ronaldo's vertical counterattacking football continues into the 2nd season. Valdano in interview with Marca this week said Madrid can play great without Ronaldo and that Madrid has other great players. Between this and the Ozil's demanding Madrid to be built around Mesut it is possible we may have an explantion why Mesut seems uninterested to commit himself.



==

 

You know, I wouldn't read into any of that to be honest. Let's remember, Özil is Mourinho's player, someone he was watching before most people even heard of him so I think this is all a bit overblown. This usually happens at Madrid no matter who is in charge. When a certain "star" is dropped, or out of form, the press goes rampant, exaggerates certain things the manager says, blows out of proportion certain pieces of player interviews and anything else that might sell a headline.

I think a lot of things need to happen, and in public, for that "story" to gain real credibility. For now, Mourinho will always drum up controversy. He's the yellow press's favorite subject.

 

People can play all sorts of games with nationalities - after all, these are the days when disgraced Bulgarian weightlifters can add an al-Jabbar to their end of their name and compete for Qatar.

Had Merkel been born a few months earlier, he would have been eligible for Russia, given that he would have been born in the CIS - which would have made him eligible for any country that was part of that construct. (He was born in Feb 1992, and Kazakhstan only became an independent nation in December 1991).

Although he is a Kazakh by birth, the fact that his parents are Russian - which would make him eligible for a Russian passport (though they'd have to bargain with his having to do national service if he achieves this).

The guy has worn a German shirt at various youth levels, and should be rights be putting all of his eggs in the Nationalmannschaft's basket. If he wants to play mercenary and switch to Russia, then f*ck him I say - I've had enough of these greedy kids using the German shirt as a vehicle of convenience.

Off topic slightly, but I'll repeat what I have said before elsewhere - if a player chooses to play for a national team at any level there should be a cooling off period of three years before he can play for any other nation. It might make them think more carefully about where their loyalties really lie.

 

Given the way RM manage their roster I don't think there's too much to worry about - hopefully - but this is the reason why I was slightly nervous about him moving there.

If any club can turn a player into a basket case, it's Real Madrid - though Man Cini are catching up fast.

 

Repped, just for the mention of Zickzack.

 

The problem with this theory is that Father is starting to knock them in in the BL as well. Two this week, seven in the last six games - it's like Poldi is finally listening to those folks who for the last couple of years have been begging him to pull his finger out of his Arsch.

Better watch out Schürrle had - especially if Yoda Löw is in the stands.

 

Podolski is playing well for the same reason Klose is.. they know if they don't perform at club level, Schurrle & Gomez will take their position. That's why they aren't playing like a bunch of lazy a-holes anymore and actually giving it their all.

Competition.. srs business.

 

This is interesting, in a bad way tbh... It's difficult for Mourinho to make the play for Ozil, when he has Ronaldo for example but imo it should revolve around those two.

 

I wouldn't say he's being greedy. I'm guessing that he's like any other ambitious 19 year-old, and that is that he wants to start his international career as soon as possible.

Fans need to remember how young some of these guys are. They could be immature and, if they're not getting the best advice, that only complicates things.

 

I'm not sure it's immaturity either. Right now, his chances of playing for Germany are rather slim. I can totally understand why he would be considering other options. He's playing well, but he doesn't have a realistic shot with Germany until after 2014.

 

I think Reus would thrive on either flank but to be fair, his best has come from a central position this season. Favre moving him up the field and playing him in the middle has been the key development for Gladbach's attacking game and the match against Hannover showed why he is such a great threat from that position.

He isn't like Goetze or Oezil in the sense that they like to drop deep (and do not mistake this for lack of workrate, he's absolutely one of the hardest workers out there) but his inclination is always to go towards goal.

 

He came in from the left as always, his best position is as a second striker on the left. He has one of the best left foots in the world, and that gives him an opportunity to utilize it.

That time you have there, I can score a hattrick against them.

 

As a false 9 he is deadly. Likely going to be used as a sub for Germany when they need a goal. He's looking terrific this season, has really grown. I hope he does not leave either because it is this continual playing time which will let him develop. Maybe in 2 seasons, he can go to England.

 

Rubbish. Di Maria and Alonso are actually, to a large degree, the creative force for Madrid this season. Maria has almost 10 assists already or some ludicrous number like that, he might not be flashy or elegant and his movement limited, but give him the ball and he can carve out the perfect through ball.

Of course Ronaldo scores, and Oezil is a wonder who can do great things - but in reality, the team should revolve around the attacking players as a whole at this point. Oezil is not necessarily that kind of player.

 

Moritz Leitner vs Stuttgart
It looks like he is the guy who will replace Schweinsteiger in the future.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMa6pBEhwn0"]Moritz Leitner vs VfB Stuttgart - 29.10.11 - YouTube[/ame]

 

Wrong thread. Are you Kirsten's twin?