Bundesliga

[parkersafc]

Don't know why but I've become intrigued by German football after reading a couple of articles, one poignantly that it is the most watched/attended in the world. Does anyone watch much Bundesliga? What do you think the standard is like and could it pose a threat to the premier league in the upcoming years. I used to love watching Italian football on sundays channel 4 and miss it now its gone. Would love more showings of german, italian and french football on our screens. There's only so much of the Real/Barca monopoly I can take in from sky.

 

[billofengland]

Living in Holland I can pick up most of the games, a very high standard, much better than the Dutch or Belgique leagues, well worth watching.

 

[Commachio]

The biggest threat to the prem has to be the Spanish league........

 

[MackemMatty]

The biggest threat to the prem has to be the Spanish league........

ON a commercial level perhaps. In terms of atmosphere and quality of football, the Bundesliga is damn good.

 

[Ballin' Boy]

It's available here for free. A decade or so ago, our public broadcaster used to air a lot of DW content, always used to watch the highlights.

 

[Nads]

I watch a load of Bundesliga on bet365, the standard of play, the crowds and the stadiums are fantastic.

The thing that stops it competing with the EPL and Liga BBVA at the minute are the ownership rules in Germany, which prevent a wealthy benifactor throwing money at the club, this may in time be the factor that brings German club football back to the fore, with the new rules.

A side effect of this is Bayern's dominance (generally..), as they have a far greater turnover than any other club in the league, hence signings like Ribery and Robben, the only club that gets close in terms of income is Dortmund, but they almost went bust a few years back.

They won the title last season, suprisingly but deservedly, but they rather limped over the line, Leverkusen and Bayern looking far stronger at seasons end.

Great league to watch, even clubs like Cologne, Monchengladbach etc who see little success, will pull in 40-50k a match (in the main though, it's due to the sheer size of German cities)

 

[UNITEDTOON]

With the exception of the Barca/Real monopoly as you said the spanish league as a whole is not a patch on the bundesliga. Quite a lot of it is on ESPN. Good viewing, some very good football and I am suprised English clubs dont foray into the market over there more often as they play a similar type of football as to over here and the standard is very high.

Good Thread!!

 

[Mackemneil]

So who should we be looking to sign from the Bundesliga?

 

[Nads]

So who should we be looking to sign from the Bundesliga?

Well, the Pogrebnyak link makes perfect sense, a very similar player to Pavlyechenko, but would cost us less and is 2 years younger.

We need a good attacking left back, there's a few in the Bundesliga, one i like is Christian Pander of Schalke, his careers stalled a wee bit, but he's a cracking player, and has a rocket left foot, the other is Marcell Janssen of Hamburg, started at Bayern and is comfortable as a wing back or left midfield, slight lack of pace but uses the ball really well, and a great crosser.

Neven Subotic at Dortmund is a magnificent defender, he'll end up at a super club, his partner Mats Hummels is an imposing and composed defender as well, both are very young indeed.

We should have moved for Piotr Trochowski, he was on a bosman, but Sevilla nipped in for him, watch out for him in La Liga, a really exciting player when he's on his game.

It's a league awash with good strikers, if we could take one striker from the league, Mario Gomez of Bayern is textbook what we need, a big strong lad who links well and is a strong finisher, Lucas Barrios at Dortmund is a superb finisher, but a little bit smaller, and with our track record with Paraguayans,i dare say a non starter!

I've always liked the look of Ciprian Marica at Stuttgart as well, he seems one of those thats's got summat, but it's never quite came through, at some point, it will.

I haven't mentioned midfielders as we look covered there, but players like Vidal and Augusto at Leverkusen, Kroos, Schweinsteiger, Robben and Ribery at Bayern, Farfan & Jurado at Schalke, are all exceptional talents, and that's just the tip of a large iceberg.

 

[Ballin' Boy]

I haven't mentioned midfielders as we look covered there, but players like Vidal and Augusto at Leverkusen, Kroos, Schweinsteiger, Robben and Ribery at Bayern, Farfan & Jurado at Schalke, are all exceptional talents, and that's just the tip of a large iceberg.

More info on him please? Came across him on CM. Quite young, a highly rated prospect. I assume he's worth quite a bit?

 

[Nads]

More info on him please? Came across him on CM. Quite young, a highly rated prospect. I assume he's worth quite a bit?

He's a centre midfielder, very good close control, and has a great shot on him from range, he went on loan to Leverkusen season before last, and was supposed to sign permanently, but he was one of the players of the year and as a result Bayern kept hold of him.

His only weakness is a bit of a lack of pace, but it's quite well hidden by his use of the ball and his movement into space.

I'd wager he'd be a £10million ball park player, should Bayern sell, he'll still struggle for games due to the sheer brilliance Bayern have across the middle, he was in the World Cup squad aged 19, but barely figured for Bayern last season, dunno if he was injured, or just not fancied by Van Gaal.

Good player.

 

[Ballin' Boy]

What of Neven Subotic? You mentioned him, he was in every big club rumour a few transfer windows ago, seems to have died down. What are his strengths? His style? Etc?

 

[Nads]

What of Neven Subotic? You mentioned him, he was in every big club rumour a few transfer windows ago, seems to have died down. What are his strengths? His style? Etc?

Subotic is a lot like Woodgate (bar the glass joints!), in that he reads the game very well, almost as if the ball is drawn to him and is very graceful on the ball.

He and Hummels are a superb double act, they compliment each others styles, Hummels being more of an out and out defender, although he's still a decent player, way better all round than Mertesacker, who gets a lot more credit for some reason.

He's 6ft 4, so as you can imagine he's very strong in the air, his form dipped a wee bit mid season, but the only reason the rumours have died down, for now, is because of a) the massive asking price (around £20million) and b) Dortmunds automatic qualification for the Champions League.

If he proves himself in the Champions League, super clubs will be queing up to buy him, Milan, Arsenal, Manchester United and Real have all been heavily linked even without the CL experience.

Liverpool were briefly linked this summer.

 

[Ballin' Boy]

Subotic is a lot like Woodgate (bar the glass joints!), in that he reads the game very well, almost as if the ball is drawn to him and is very graceful on the ball.

He and Hummels are a superb double act, they compliment each others styles, Hummels being more of an out and out defender, although he's still a decent player, way better all round than Mertesacker, who gets a lot more credit for some reason.

He's 6ft 4, so as you can imagine he's very strong in the air, his form dipped a wee bit mid season, but the only reason the rumours have died down, for now, is because of a) the massive asking price (around £20million) and b) Dortmunds automatic qualification for the Champions League.

If he proves himself in the Champions League, super clubs will be queing up to buy him, Milan, Arsenal, Manchester United and Real have all been heavily linked even without the CL experience.

Liverpool were briefly linked this summer.

he's also quite young as well, isn't he? Perhaps Wenger should have gone all out for him when he was available. From what you've said, looks like it'll be quite costly to buy him now. Great info as always Beaky!

 

[MackemMatty]

I remember seeing a Bayern game once. The atmosphere in the stadium was incredible, even on TV. A cauldron of noise, the fans never stopped. And when Podolski scored the winner, the announcer does that thing where they only say the scorer's first name and let the crowd chant their second name, and the sound of "Podolski!" being chanted by every fan in total unison booming around the stadium was amazing...No English team has come close to that

 

[Nads]

he's also quite young as well, isn't he? Perhaps Wenger should have gone all out for him when he was available. From what you've said, looks like it'll be quite costly to buy him now. Great info as always Beaky!

Cheers.

Yeah from memory he's about 23-24ish, so no age really, especially for a CB, he will go on to a massive club (having said that, Dortmund average well over 70,00 at home, staggering)

I remember seeing a Bayern game once. The atmosphere in the stadium was incredible, even on TV. A cauldron of noise, the fans never stopped. And when Podolski scored the winner, the announcer does that thing where they only say the scorer's first name and let the crowd chant their second name, and the sound of "Podolski!" being chanted by every fan in total unison booming around the stadium was amazing...No English team has come close to that

I like that that the PA's do in Germany, Bayerns stadium is absolutely sensational, it changes blue when 1860 play, fantastic.

The old olympic stadium was only built in the 70's, but the fans were miles from the pitch, and it was a dump.

The Allianz is unreal, i think there's a couple more similar stadiums being built around the world now, high sided, so the noise gets 'trapped in'.

I'd love to go to a game there, sort it out Brucey!

 

[parkersafc]

I was chuffed to see Dortmund win the league, would always consider them my "german team" after seeing them shock everybody by defeating juve to win the champions league, theres just sonething about the yellow and black. There stadiums are incredible (aided by a word cup of course) and as aleady been the attendances are quite something. When I'm looking at the results from games I always pay attention to what the attendance was. Its gotta be one of the moat open 'quality' leagues in Europe, 4 different winners in the past 5 seasons. Similar to france ligue 1, after lyons spell of dominance there's been 4 different winners in the past 4 years. I think similar will happen in italy with inters dominance being broken serie a will be wide open.

 

[Nads]

I was chuffed to see Dortmund win the league, would always consider them my "german team" after seeing them shock everybody by defeating juve to win the champions league, theres just sonething about the yellow and black. There stadiums are incredible (aided by a word cup of course) and as aleady been the attendances are quite something. When I'm looking at the results from games I always pay attention to what the attendance was. Its gotta be one of the moat open 'quality' leagues

It's very competitive indeed.

Bayern compete well in the Champions League year on year, Dortmund themselves are Champions League winners, a while back now like, but they did hit financial trouble and struggled for a few seasons.

Real shame for them to lost Sahin, for all he lacks pace, he has a wonderful left foot, i can't help but think he'll be wasted, and unused at Madrid.

I think our top teams are stronger, but around mid table you had teams like Schalke and Cologne, so you'd think they'd gve teams like us and Villa a tough time, counting as they do on players like Raul, Westermann, Farfan , Podolski etc.

It's a good league, and as close as you'll find to the Premier League in terms of style, a lot of teams use the wings and target man/nippy striker combo.

Re Serie A, i think Roma may be the side to watch this season, they are really trying to make a change, and have managed to keep Di Rossi, a massive player.

 

[parkersafc]

Didn't know they'd lost Sahin, big loss in the middle. Id love to see di rossi in the prem he's an absolute beast. he's exactly what arsenal lack and need, even man u are desperate for some bite in the middle. On the issue of Roma they are my Italian newcastle as I've always liked Lazio haha.

 

[Nads]

Didn't know they'd lost Sahin, big loss in the middle. Id love to see di rossi in the prem he's an absolute beast. he's exactly what arsenal lack and need, even man u are desperate for some bite in the middle. On the issue of Roma they are my Italian newcastle as I've always liked Lazio haha.

My team in Italy is Fiorentina, as my nan was a Tuscan lady, although she was born in Siena, she was absolutely die-hard Viola.

No one has a clue whats going on at Fiorentina at the minute, missing the Champions League (by some distance) has hit hard, to lose Montilivo is gonna hit hard, if he actually goes, but if they can hang onto Vargas and get a decent partner to replace Mutu alongside Gilardino, they could be back in the shake up.

Napoli are the real boom club, and they are battling hard to keep the team together, Marek Hamsik is my favourite player in Seie A, and Cavani and Maggio are great players as well, and the Uruguayan Gargano is a little animal in the middle.

Add Esquiel Lavezzi, who is a Tevez clone, a little pit bull with incredible control and pace in the turn, and you have a team that is at times an absolute joy to watch.

Signing Dzemali gives them something different for next year, as they had no plan b last year, other than gung-ho attack, which saved them a few times, but cost them dearly others.

There achilles heal is a hatful of players who like to 'put it about' a bit, suspensions to key players, Cavani included in the run in, stopped them from posing a genuine threat to Milan in the last few weeks, but they should be a good team to watch again next season.