Bundesliga 2023/24 - Wolfsburg or Bayern? - It's the same question as the years before

.. Essen are consistently the youngest team in this league, because they actively seek to provide a home for some of the games most promising young talents, helping them to develop into better players regardless of the risk of relegation.

Not only continuing to defy the odds on the field, but in the process making the identity of Essen as a club being associated with them being a great pathway for their best talents to potentially reach the summit of club and senior international football.

Yet with this recent history, all you have to say about their latest match, is their football somehow unrefined lol; with standout individuals like Elmazi probably being better served by becoming part of a club with better pay...

Of course this league with every club being fully professional is the goal here, but your seriously missing the forest for the trees, if your only ever going to view everything associated to clubs like Essen as a lesser product.

I mean, it's crazy you'd watch a 5th place Essen side, with the joint 3rd best defensive record in the league, only lose 0-1 to Freiburg, and then claim there football clearly inferior, all because their not fully professional... wow...

 

Stephan Lerch confirmed at the TSG Hoffenheim press conference that Chelsea FC are interested in signing Mara Alber. 👀

However, Lerch also referred to Mara Alber's existing contract. #MaraAlber #Chelsea #rumourmill pic.twitter.com/d54Gh1sdHh

— Soccerdonna (@soccerdonna) December 13, 2023

If people around Alber knows what's best for her career, she doesn't listen to any offers from WSL clubs, and concentrates on the next 3 years firmly establishing herself within Hoffenheim's first team.

By that point, she'll be 21, having cemented herself as a standout 1.Bundesliga player, featuring in a u20 WC which most likely also sets a direct pathway to her being part of the senior wnt too.

After all this, then it makes sense to asses what she do next.

 

Hmmmm u17/19 international Mathilde Janzen leaves Hoffenheim to join Werder Bremen this winter. And I'll say this now... this could be another very good young signing for Bremen...

 

The game’s momentum changed to Benfica favor since Anyomi been subbed out

 

Freigang’s been offside an half dozen times, she’s running herself to the ground, but that’s due make up for some of her slow poke teammates

 

Yes... Arnautis removed the most effective player in his team, then saw everything fall apart for 10 mins where they'd also go 1-0 down, before going on to try and rectify his mistake by bringing Martinez into the match...

LOL... the clout Freigang's managed to generate for herself, has people overlooking all the very obvious flaws in her own game right now, leading to increasingly underwhelming contributions to her teams efforts to create and score goals...

However, it should also be said Prasnikar's general play stinks this season lol, meaning Freigang not alone in this aspect of Frankfurt's offense posing very little imagination within the opponents final third of the field.

Seeing the crazy scenario where once Anyomi needlessly pulled from the field... Frankfurt's already struggling offense would go complete MIA Vs Benfica...

 

Ughhh... with Hoffeheim's defensive shape turning into garbage, we'll have to see more of Frankfurt's winger-less nonsense in next seasons UWCL...

And if this the case, I just hope Frankfurt will really push themselves to bring in new/better players to make this trash system actually effective within European competition.

Two world class FB's would be great, at least one more senior international level CM, and a real FW instead of CAM's pretending to be forwards probably a dream lol.

But knowing how Frankfurt typically act in recruitment, I'd just like to see Arnautis finally accept his system needs to change when it comes to competing within a tournament you always see width, pressing, and quick transition, remain absolute king.

 

Oh, and now I see Bühl is injured, said to be missing for an extended period....

This not a major issue for Bayern's team, as their style under Straus doesn't seem to have any interest in getting the best from wide players like Bühl.

But I hope this isn't something that keeps her out of the national team's Olympic playoff match; Bühl being a major key to Germany having relevant effectiveness as an attacking force.

 

so looks like DAMN(that)JANOVIC has taken Magull starting spot at the #10, Bayern should allow Magull & Rall to transfer or a least loan somewhere else

 

I thought the arrival of Harder already confirmed this being a thing months ago....

Regardless of Magull's previous best with Bayern being more impressive than Stanway's current from, Straus has decided Magull has no future playing centrally in his team.

And with Harder arriving, it's made sure both Magull, and Lohmann now, are no longer part of this teams central mid-field plans lol.

 

the 16 year old American m(#20) for Ajax could of been an big hit in the 1970’s(especially on Soul Train)

 

Bayern’s allowing Ajax to dictate the game???

 

Erickson leaves injured 22 min mark

 

1-1 37th min. Well I mean they allow Ajax control of the ball, what you expect

 

1-1 HT in part due to Straus misreable coaching

 

Ok, please, keep that as the final result, ok? No need for a 2nd Half.

 

LOL... as usual I expect nobody prepared to call out Straus, but if his goofy vision for Bayern goes into a 3rd year, I'm convinced it will set this team back YEARS in development...

Yet again Stanway - Zadrazil as a double 6 is still underwhelming in Europe, and exposed even more in this seasons UWCL with Straus changing his system to help accommodate Harder playing as a second striker.

No width, having everything out wide completely dependant on FB's Gwinn, or KN, getting the ball inside the oppositions half of the field. It's just enabled Ajax to become the latest opponent to shut down Bayern's main source of offence...

And so inferior are Bayern tonight, we've seen Ajax playing the game at a walking pace, with a 16yo dominating the games CM battle, as Ajax's tactical superiority allows them to constantly have an extra player inside Bayern's half.

 

I wouldn't be shocked to see Straus remove Schüller from the game now; his intent this season to shift all focus towards a type of football that doesn't benefit her at all...

But with Magull and Lohmann in this Bayern squad, I find it honestly ridiculous seeing Lohmann out wide tonight, with Magull firmly stuck to the bench. Knowing this teams best performance this season coming away to Leipzig, where it saw Magull playing in CAM/CM, with Schüller wide left...

 

Bayern have to win this match, or they'll find it very difficult to qualify for the knock out rounds...