Pep Guardiola has obviously taken a liking in Luis van Gaal's doctrine 'running is for animals, you have to use your brain and run the right way'. Here's a statistic showing that Bayern München is ranked 13th regarding ran kilometers per match in the Bundesliga. We're even dead-last when it comes to the total distance covered and maximum distance covered in one match in the Bundesliga. Should come in handy towards the end of the season as well.
Make the ball do all the running. That's his philosophy, and it's so true.. Why run aimlessly for 90 mins, when you just let the ball do all the work. I bet you what gets our players more tired then actual running around, is the pressing..
Thank you for the post. Well thought out analysis I hope your right about the 2nd half, I would hate to be knocked out of CL because of complacency. These days you never know what could happen in football
"We are the laziest team in the league, but we score the most goals," he told Bild http://www.foxsportsasia.com/football/bundesliga/news/detail/item699807/
Per match they are on rank 12 as they have a match less. And I think that they still run a lot for a team that really has the highest ball possession - you have to compare it with other big teams in Europe with a similar style.
You're right, the game against Stuttgart will make a significant difference. It's even written below. However the overall point should be still accurate, we're at best average when it comes to the covered distance and this should benefit us towards the end of the season.
Milestone for Mandzukic. He's won Croatian Sportsman of the Year, the first soccer player to do so in Croatia since Davor Suker in 1998. Congrats Mario!!
How many of us rooted for this guy coming to us? Admittedly, I did back then. Thanks heavens this didn't happen. Anyway, check out this Gem.
Agreed. He's already been surpassed by Alaba. Makes me want Germany (and the US) to crush Portugal even more this summer.
The whole balon dor is stupid to me. It's nothing more then a marketing popularity contest. It makes no sense and there's no rhyme or reason to it. Even if ribery wins it... And mr coentrao, if balon dor was based solely on goals then it would called golden boot..
For me it is not the covered distance but the intensity of the runs they make what is most important in this. I remarked that e.g. Alaba, Ribery, Müller and Robben do a lot more of this than they did one or two years ago. Our central midfield does not - only Schweinsteiger if he plays. Both Thiago and Kroos aren't the most mobile players. In addition to this our defenders - Boateng and Dante often beat our central midfielders with the amount of intensive runs and sprints - that is very different to the rest of the league where it is especially the central midfielders that are the ones with the most faster runs. ------------------- For me Ronaldo ain't the Ballon d'Or winner either - but if I would not be Bayern fan I might not give it to Ribery either. Even if he was for sure the best Bundesliga player last year he just has not been in the international competitions. Ronaldo - yes, he had 12 goals in the CL - but a lot of them against smaller opponents. Müller and Lewandowski for sure had the more impressive goals. And he is somebody that needs a lot of chances to get a goal.
Spiegel posted an interview, in English, with Lahm the other day. He discusses the treble campaign, playing under Guardiola, and the impending World Cup. http://www.spiegel.de/international...ahm-on-life-under-pep-guardiola-a-940002.html
Amen, brother, AMEN. First, CR and Messi are great players, but they score so many goals in a league that doesn't know how to play defense and against some teams that couldn't stop my pub team from at least scoring 3 in a match. As Dhajj says, if scoring is all it as about, then give them the golden boot. Ribs does so much more than simply score goals. He runs the team. All you need to know is how they look so much more out of form when he isn't there. The main issue is that he played for a club team that was one of the best EVER in Europe and was very much the driving force for that team.
Despite being Bayern fan, im not quite sure if Ribery deserves that title, i would've prefered some other players from our squad and out of that top 3, im not convinced at all he'll win it.
a) hilarious picture of Neuer in Franck mask!!! Made my day! b) Congrats to Mario. More than deserved. Massive performer. Much respect. c) High praise from Thiago to Mario G. It is obvious watching the two play together of their chemistry. The future is exciting with these two, Alaba, and the youth potential of our reserves. d) Ballon d'Or -- it is a shame longevity is never taken into account. The award will not go to Franck, I am convinced of that. However, it staying with a club that sticks by you and builds a team around your talent, then you reward the club with the best year of career in the process of winning every single trophy available that season, then there would be no debate. Franck was just as instrumental in France's advancing to the WC, he just didn't score a hat-trick in the process. I am okay if Franck doesn't win it, personally, but for Franck's sake this is his last possible year to likely ever win it. And all this from Ribery's #1 fan on these boards...