Bundesliga 2018/19

Red Stone

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Subbing Jovic on now as if he's going to win them the game... Where's the logic in that? Might as well rest him fully?
 

unplayable

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Leverkusen is the most fun team to watch in Europe right now. Playing some absolutely beautiful football. :drool:
 

do.ob

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Subbing Jovic on now as if he's going to win them the game... Where's the logic in that? Might as well rest him fully?
With the current score Frankfurt and Leverkusen are level on points with Eintracht leading by +5 GD. I guess they want to salvage what's left of that advantage.
 

Damien

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Crazy game. Looking at their respective remaining fixtures, fourth is possible for Leverkusen with Frankfurt going away to Bayern last game of the season.

I'm shocked at Schalke's position in the table. Was Goretzka that big a loss, or did they lose some more players/have poor recruitment?
 

uamini

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I'm shocked at Schalke's position in the table. Was Goretzka that big a loss, or did they lose some more players/have poor recruitment?
They also lost Kehrer and Meyer. They were an average team that massively overperformed in 2017/18 and this year they went the opposite way. The whole club is a mess right now, on all levels.
 

hasanejaz88

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They also lost Kehrer and Meyer. They were an average team that massively overperformed in 2017/18 and this year they went the opposite way. The whole club is a mess right now, on all levels.
Dude how did you change my post in your quote, I didn't say that :lol:

I've been critical of Schalkes recruitment since the start of the season, freaking signing Salif Sane :rolleyes:
 

do.ob

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Crazy game. Looking at their respective remaining fixtures, fourth is possible for Leverkusen with Frankfurt going away to Bayern last game of the season.

I'm shocked at Schalke's position in the table. Was Goretzka that big a loss, or did they lose some more players/have poor recruitment?
After years of mismanagement Schalke were essentially an ambitious midtable side with bland destructive football which needed quite a bit of luck and their competitors having a bad season to finish second. Over the summer they lost their two good midfielders in Goretzka and Meyer, Kehrer was sold, Naldo apparently lost his legs, their luck turned sour and so they sank into a deep crisis. Keeping Tedesco until the loss against City despite him clearly being unable to turn things around also didn't help.
 

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I sort of hope Leverkusen gets top 4. I think other than Dortmund, Bayern and Leipzig they are the only other Bundesliga club that could actually do something in the CL.
 

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After years of mismanagement Schalke were essentially an ambitious midtable side with bland destructive football which needed quite a bit of luck and their competitors having a bad season to finish second. Over the summer they lost their two good midfielders in Goretzka and Meyer, Kehrer was sold, Naldo apparently lost his legs, their luck turned sour and so they sank into a deep crisis. Keeping Tedesco until the loss against City despite him clearly being unable to turn things around also didn't help.
Thanks. Forgot about Meyer and Kehrer. Meyer's not done well at Palace but he's one of their top earners.
 

hasanejaz88

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I sort of hope Leverkusen gets top 4. I think other than Dortmund, Bayern and Leipzig they are the only other Bundesliga club that could actually do something in the CL.
I'm not too hopeful about next season, they'll definitely lose Brandt who has been their best offensive player since Bosz has come in. Maybe one of Tah or Havertz might leave as well.

What's worse is that Brandt will leave for a price well before his value so they won't get the finances to replace him.
 

Zehner

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I'm not too hopeful about next season, they'll definitely lose Brandt who has been their best offensive player since Bosz has come in. Maybe one of Tah or Havertz might leave as well.

What's worse is that Brandt will leave for a price well before his value so they won't get the finances to replace him.
Calling it now: Brandt, Havertz and Tah will stay. Bailey might leave but I was never too fond of him to begin with, so that's alright.
 

hasanejaz88

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Calling it now: Brandt, Havertz and Tah will stay. Bailey might leave but I was never too fond of him to begin with, so that's alright.
Brandt has a buy-out clause of 27 ME right? Nothing Leverkusen can do if a club is willing to pay that, which I'm sure a lot will given how good he has been in the second half of the season.
 

do.ob

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Calling it now: Brandt, Havertz and Tah will stay. Bailey might leave but I was never too fond of him to begin with, so that's alright.
Didn't Brandt give the good old "we'll talk after the season" statement? Most of the time that means the player is leaving.
 

Zehner

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Brandt has a buy-out clause of 27 ME right? Nothing Leverkusen can do if a club is willing to pay that, which I'm sure a lot will given how good he has been in the second half of the season.
Didn't Brandt give the good old "we'll talk after the season" statement? Most of the time that means the player is leaving.
True. But I doubt the player wants to leave. Brandt always had the reputation of the incredibly gifted but inconsistent youngster. Always one of those players to be criticized immediately when things didn't go our way. Now he's at 17 scorers in 15 games under Bosz. He's finally found his perfect position in the perfect system for him but this development is still fragile. If he moves now all this could go to shit real quick.

Last year, after we missed out on the CL due to goal difference, he said he wanted to stay because he's got the feeling here's something great in the making. Now this is really the case and not only that, he's even the one everything revolves around. I don't think he'll be willing to risk that, he's way too smart and reflected for that. It would be best for him to play a whole season under Bosz, establish himself as a CM (also in the general perception and especially in Löw's who just recently - again - used him in his weakest position (RA), the one Herrlich put him, too) and then move on. He knows very well that many of the clubs interested right now are primarily interested because 25 million is a real steal.
Just imagine if he keeps scoring like he does through a whole season. He'll end up with 30+ goals and assists as a CM, these are Hazard/Sterling type of stats playing as a number 8. He can move with a completely different standing and there would be less risk of being used in the wrong spot again. And since he usually makes really profound and insightful decisions on his career and is very self-critical, I'm sure he'll come to the same conclusion.

By the way, when Brandt was asked if the rumours of his buy out clause were true, he said "the kicker can talk as they want, I've still got a long contract here in Leverkusen". The quote you (do.ob) you are talking about was something along those lines: "I'm going to think about this after the season has ended. Everything else would harm my performance and thus the team" and thing is, he said similar stuff in the previous seasons, too, and in the end he stayed. Add to that that he has a special bond with Bosz (he even said he's thinking of making Brandt captain in Bender's absence), Havertz and many others and I'm positive we'll see him in a Leverkusen shirt for another season.

I still think there's a chance of him leaving, though. But that would be to a club like PSG or Liverpool, where Klopp and Tuchel could convince him with good arguments and perspective. But Dortmund exemplarily, not a chance. Bayern maybe, but less so under Kovac.
 

Synco

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It was a Horrendous error, not the error where you can say he maybe should've done better. It was a shot a kid should've saved.

The second goal as well I think he could've done better with. It was straight at him but he flayed his arms in a dramatic fashion and ball went past him.
It was horrendous for sure, but I'm talking about a whole season of almost 40 games. The way you see the Pizarro goal also indicates that we probably have different views on goalkeeper performances.
 

FootballHQ

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Had my doubts about Boaz but seems Leverkusen is better fit for his style of management than Dortmund.

A fun Leverkusen is always good to see. They might never win anything of note but since I've been watching football they're always produced very talented 11s through excellent scouting.
 

do.ob

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@Zehner
I'm no expert on Brandt's character, but I think for someone with his CV, who already played plenty of Bundesliga seasons despite his relatively young age and who wants to break into Die Mannschaft, it's very important to prove himself at a higher level than top 6 and EL football, so I would be very surprised to see him stay if Leverkusen don't make it into top 4.

If they do make it then I agree that staying for another year to solidify his progress seems like a very logical or safe route.
However on the other hand (and without trying to be overly offensive) within the current financial realities of football Leverkusen is not a club to dream or build something great. Leverkusen's dreams are other clubs expectations. So I'd say the comfort zone is Leverkusen's only pitch.
And in the end players often don't take the safe route, after 5 years he might be looking for a change, he might be looking for a better chance at silverware, a bigger wage, more exposure (-> NT), better team mates, he might feel confident that he doesn't need to wait another year.

Neither him leaving or staying would surprise me. I think there's good arguments for both and it'll depend on his very personal preferences, which he won't discuss beforehand.
 

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Had my doubts about Boaz but seems Leverkusen is better fit for his style of management than Dortmund.

A fun Leverkusen is always good to see. They might never win anything of note but since I've been watching football they're always produced very talented 11s through excellent scouting.
The thing with Bosz is his tactics are a bit naive..far too open and actually easy to break for the more cynical teams with enough quality of course.. but I admire him for such a bravery in the modern days where that kind of romantic way of playing football is rare.