Fair points. Germany was knocked out twice 0-1 by Spain (ie, Barca) in the Euro 2008 Final and the World Cup 2010 Semi-Final. If Bayern and Dortmund had to face Barca in the Bundesliga, the number of tropies they collected would be much, much lower.
Like the Straus article it is simply an op-ed piece stating the writer's opinion. Like the Straus piece it presents points that have been circulating in German football and have gained intensity since Euro2012. The following is similar to the Jozy/JK complaint: "Even key players for Löw’s team have struggled to reach the same heights of club football under his tenure. Bastian Schweinsteiger, Germany’s vice captain, is close to double figures in goalscoring for Bayern this season, yet he hasn’t scored a goal for Löw since late 2011. Müller failed to score a single goal at Euro 2012 – and has only scored two since for his country – but has 29 in for Bayern over the past two seasons." This following, just like Straus insisting that JK had lost the locker room, is just pure speculation: "It won’t be too long before this German team, a locker room full of top-class, international stars, begins looking for a coach to win some international trophies to go alongside their domestic collection." Just like the Straus piece, it is good National Inquirer style entertainment for the fab base.
Bienkowski clearly understands that putting anonymous quotes from a few players in a op-ed piece conveys the impression that the article is something it is not. As for people in the know. Are they 'agents, other media, fans', B.S. posters, ...
What are you going on about??? The Beinkowski is a pure opinion blog article. It is nothing at all like the Straus story, except that is is about soccer and written in English.
I respectfully disagree. But that is a conversation for a different thread. To get us back on track let me tell a joke that relates to the thread title. Why does Pinocchio lie? Because hes a f*&#ing liar.
I stated my opinion clearly in the first sentence. There was no pretense of investigational journalism in that piece.
As you know, I'm much happier now that 2011 and 2012 MLS All-Stars Gonzo and Besler showed in March of 2013 that they can play international ball and deserve more chances to actually play international games. I've said many times recently that this may be the #1 development of 2013. It certainly begins to address my #1 concern since the 2010 Cup ended. But anyone who thinks the CB problems are already solved is a fool. Gonzo and Besler have 7 Caps between them, a level of international experience that is highly underwhelming with World Cup Qualification on the line during the Hexagonal. These two players will have good games and bad ones in the coming months, and I still wish they had been given a chance to play an extra 3-5 international each during JK's first 1.5 years in charge. As JK has said, "you only gain experience if you play." They will have to gain that experience during the Hex, and the team will have to accept the bad with the good as they hopefully grow and develop into the roles.
Me to. Pretty much. Might as well listen to the kids in the youth forum proclaim a guy as a sure thing at 17. It's a start, and Gonzo looks to be taking a step up we desperately needed from someone, but they are inexperienced, and it's early. Let's see how they do over time and when coaches have had the time to throw different looks at them, which they will.
You mean the ones that say that same players should be put on the Gold Cup team or capped for other full NT matches?
I've found the posters in the Youth National Teams Forum to be literate, well informed analysts. I don't know who you guys are talking about-please post recent examples to support your viewpoints.
You are absolutley right. I used to spend a lot of time there because I knew a lot of what was going on in our youth system. Used to spend a lot of time beating down people making proclamations about kids. I really have not seen that recently, and I shouldn't get stuck in the past, which is an easy thing to do. Well pointed out and I will pay more attention. Clearly not what it used to exuberance wise.
Anyone who thinks any of our problems are solved is very optimistic. The question is when does a problem rise to the point where it is a crisis. I would rank the following issues as bigger crisis than our CB situation: The lack of effective (in JK's system) wide players The coaching staff seems to think so. They dragged in a clearly unfit/injured Shea in 3 camps in the last 9 months. A clearly injured LD in 1 camp. The lack of an effective creative moment-of-brilliance force. This is compounded by crisis #1. The unavailability of first choice FBs due to consistent injuries? FJ and Castillo have (partially) been unavailable 3 of 5 WCQ camps. Dolo , 2.5 of 5. Chandler has only played 1 of 9 WCQs and Parkhurst is missing in action. This exacerbates issues 1 and 2 from an offensive output perspective. I have no problem going to Brazil with (worst case) Cameron and Goodson as our starting CBs backed up by Boca/Gooch/Ream. If we don't solve issues 1-3 above we will not be able to score a single goal.
If the defense is on lock-down then I don't really care about our lack of goal production. If our results are all 0-0 ties and 1-0 wins so be it. We can bunker all the way to the Cup for all I care. If the defense is giving up goals then we need to find a way of generating more offense regardless of what players are available. If that means opening up the field and getting into a shootout so be it. We need to find out who we are in the next 6 months (+-).