German Bundesliga 2023/2024

[Kramerica Industries]

Tuchel got everything wrong in that game. Goes with an unorthodox (for Bayern) 3ATB set-up, and it nerfed their entire game. I've never seen Bayern look so toothless in attack, but when you've only got seven players in attacking roles, you're outnumbered. He played right into Xabi's hands.

Fantastic performance from Leverkusen. Their adaptability impresses me more than anything else. Key players like Boniface out through injury, Kossonou still out through AFCON, and it's guys like Adli, Tella, and Stanisic making the most of their opportunities after not playing too much in the first half of the season. Wirtz had a quiet night and it didn't matter. It's a shame this Leverkusen isn't in the Champions League knockouts right now, there wouldn't be too many people betting against them. (Good for us though, I guess.)

xG for Bayern was 0.71...I'm surprised it was even that high. TOOTHLESS.

 

[DiegoMilito22]

Harry Kane's no trophy curse continues.

Bayern already lost the super cup and DFB Pokal. Now they are losing league as well

 

[brehme1989]

It's Leverkusen, I wouldn't say anything until the full time of the 34th match day

 

[IM21]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1756767805754536005

 

[#NotForMe]

@wera's video explains it quite well already, the minor 3 back helped a few things, including the pressing, and Leverkusen's attack phrase (all video mentioned), but also possession control, even it was not easy to transform to final third; the only thing went so wrong was the players was extremely not used to the formation and tactics, that they cannot capitalize the advantage part (video mentioned side overload)

their usual 4 back is good with tearing Leverkusen's defensive phrase, but like the video mentioned it won't work in a 2-0 lead, but it didn't mention it would make Bayern have less control and even more vulnerable on counters, despite when they played 3 back Dier pressed up too high, which defeats the purpose reminds me back when Cannavaro kept drawn out by Pep's plan at Real Madrid, which means the coordination of the defense is messed up.

I won't say "Tuchel got everything wrong in that game", but really a quite few major mistakes that was too significant, but the players also lacked something (Muller was not entirely wrong".

I am more interested in seeing Leverkusen playing Jube kinda style team and some extremely physical and compact team (2 years older A.Madrid), cause we have seen them against possession team already.

 

[Kramerica Industries]

I am more interested in seeing Leverkusen playing Jube kinda style team and some extremely physical and compact team (2 years older A.Madrid), cause we have seen them against possession team already.

The good news for them is that those teams don't really exist in the Bundesliga. The average team in the Bundesliga concedes 1.5 goals per game. Only Leverkusen has conceded under 1 goal per game (Bayern are at 22 in 21 games after yesterday). There's six teams in Italy conceding <1 goal per game right now, average is something like ~1.25 goals per game conceded. Even in the case of yesterday, only one of Leverkusen's goals were really from open play in the traditional sense...the first goal was almost directly off a throw-in (it was certainly the direct result of a throw-in) and Boey on the weakside being completely switched off, the third goal was obviously an end-of-game goal scored into an empty net from the middle of the field. The remaining goal was Pavlovic and Kim having a communication breakdown in transition...from my layman POV, it felt like Pavlovic expected to stay defending the ball and Kim would switch onto Grimaldo's run because Kim was the one deeper in the box and in an easier position to pick up the run, but he stepped up instead and both of them converging on the ball (without checking the video I don't remember who Grimaldo played the give-and-go with) Grimaldo was in free behind. Even that goal itself was something of a transition goal instead of trying to figure out a low block.

I dunno, it's one thing to have tactical schematics for games like this, but it's another thing to use them depending on how well suited your personnel is for playing it. Upamecano and Kim don't play as wide CBs the way Bastoni and Pavard do for us (the irony of Tuchel using a 3ATB for a huge game after the Pavard sale is not lost on me). They don't have those attacking instincts and attributes. In a sense, as I wrote in the first paragraph, it worked in a defensive sense, and Leverkusen only had 1.2 xG for the entire game, which isn't much and definitely below their norm (I think they had ~2.46 xG in the first game in September). But what it gave them defensively, it completely screwed up their build-up and attack. Bayern also have been a team this season that is extremely dangerous when they can get into a transition game and get Sane and Coman (when healthy) outrunning their markers and then either going for goal or playing a cutback for Kane. They're an incredible transition team. Their play in build-ups has not been nearly as impressive with their usual formation; playing an on-the-fly formation only made it worse.

 

[brakbrak]

@Il Drago , that's a ridiculous stats for BOTH of their wing backs. How different is their 3-5-2 to ours? They must be flooding their flanks for the WBs to have that kind of numbers.

 

[Kramerica Industries]

@Il Drago , that's a ridiculous statement for BOTH of their wing backs. How different is their 3-5-2 to ours? They must be flooding their flanks for the WBs to have that kind of numbers.
View attachment 11402

You know how Darmian especially is reserved and more defensive when he plays out wide? Frimpong isn't used that way. Their 3-4-3 usually sees the RCB (Kossounou) push into the midfield directly in build-up, and Frimpong plays ahead of that. For most of the season, Frimpong has operated in the channel with Hofmann holding the width on that side although they also interchange regularly. We don't use Dumfries in the same way, we definitely don't use Darmian that way...maybe we'd use Hakimi in that way, but, you know...

Left side is a little different because that's the side Wirtz usually plays on, and Boniface also tends to drift towards that side, so he benefits from superior quality on his side and combination play. He's also got a lethal left foot.

I haven't seen too many of their games in 2024 so, with Boniface injured, I can't speak to some of the adjustments they've made this month. I've only seen their games against Augsburg and yesterday.

 

[Il Drago]

@Il Drago , that's a ridiculous stats for BOTH of their wing backs. How different is their 3-5-2 to ours? They must be flooding their flanks for the WBs to have that kind of numbers.
View attachment 11402

On paper those numbers look insane but if you watch them play they're more or less expected. Two great attacking wingbacks whose defensive weaknesses are well protected from the system. Frimpong already was Leverkusen second top scorer last season and Grimaldo has been a revelation. Bundesliga signing of the season imo with all due respect to Kane.

Frimpong and Grimaldo aren't the typical wingbacks who will just stay wide and cross. Leverkusen play with 3-4-2-1, using Wirtz, Hofmann, Tella, Adli and anyone else who plays there as inverted wingers leaving space for the wingbacks to cut in and go deep in opponent's box. When Leverkusen attack their wingbacks become two extra wingers who are very technical and very good finishers. They often combine and interchange roles with the wingers, making it even more difficult for the defending team to adjust. Grimaldo is also an excellent set piece taker which gives another dimension to Leverkusen game.

maybe we'd use Hakimi in that way, but, you know...

For me Frimpong is the closest player i have seen to Hakimi. The way he moves, the way he combines with Hofmann, the way he attacks the box. It's all Hakimi.

I haven't seen too many of their games in 2024 so, with Boniface injured, I can't speak to some of the adjustments they've made this month. I've only seen their games against Augsburg and yesterday.

They mostly use Schick which has made their attack less fluid than it used to be. Guess that's why Alonso chose to go for Adli against Bayern.

 

[NimAraya]

 

[Il Drago]

Lets see if a tweet about sacking Tuchel occurs in a couple of months

https://twitter.com/x/status/1756973416882614349

De Ligt has been a benchwarmer all season so it wasn't really news . He has started only when Kim and Upamecano were absent. He's just now even behind Dier in the pecking order.

Tuchel benching Kimmich has created a lot more noise in Germany.

 

[Il Drago]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1758832785303703812

I love German fans

 

[wera]

Frankfurt goal for 2:3 was a banger

 

[Il Drago]

Bayern are losing 2-1 to freaking Bochum

 

[armendsh]

I cant believe my eyes what i am watching, bayern team has freaking good players
Still they cant connect two passes
They are so bad in positioning , frustrated.
I saw Kane defending no one is in attack while they are losing 2-1 wtf is that
They need to change Tuchel assap

 

[Jnr]

Just put the game on for Bayern funeral @2-1 and now they've scored 3rd.

Tuchel sacked tonught??

 

[Il Drago]

Just put the game on for Bayern funeral @2-1 and now they've scored 3rd.

Tuchel sacked tonught??

I thought he would at least survive till Lazio but i don't know how he can stay till then. Losing to Bochum is Bayern hitting rock bottom. They had 1 win in 5 games in 2024 before tonight.

 

[Il Drago]

Lovely. +8 for Leverkusen. Now Bayern have to go to Freiburg and host Leipzig before Lazio. Fun times ahead.

 

[Jnr]

Imagine Xabi goes unbeaten. Would shit on all of Bayern's 76 or whatever number their BL titles are.

They are about to break the consecutive unbeaten games in 2-3 games? But season ends after 12 matchdays.

These things start to weigh on players imo, and teams they face would find a bigger motivation too, for the historic books.

 

[Il Drago]

Imagine Xabi goes unbeaten. Would shit on all of Bayern's 76 or whatever number their BL titles are.

They are about to break the consecutive unbeaten games in 2-3 games? But season ends after 12 matchdays.

These things start to weigh on players imo, and teams they face would find a bigger motivation too, for the historic books.

Not in 2-3 games. Just 1. Their next game is against 17th placed Mainz.