Leroy Sane watch | Feb 2020: Returning to fitness with City's U23s

[Jacko21]

His new hairstyle is reason enough to leave him out.

 

[Abizzz]

Fecking Löw, ffs. Fecking ey. Hard to believe.

Watching Sane latch onto Özil/Gündogan/Kroos passes was all I was waiting for when waiting for the WC.

Fecking Löw.

 

[Mourinhonista]

He's been totally underwhelming for Germany, good decision from Low. Not many coaches would have done the same. Highly unlikely that Sane would have done something good and maybe he would have been quite moody as a bench player. It could be the case that Sane thinks he's already made it big time, i wouldn't want such a player.

 

[Synco]

Not so surprising, based on his performances for the German NT. His tendency of doing too much on his own and losing the ball can be fatal in a tournament, and there hasn't been a significant upside so far. I guess Löw simply figures the time to get him properly integrated is not the WC, but the qualifiers afterwards.

Still a bit baffling how far apart his performances for City and Germany have been.

 

[Alfie092]

Wow, he has been immense for City this season. Haven't really seen him play much for Germany but have been told he doesn't really perform for the Germany team.

 

[CM]

Crazy decision. Impossible to justify after the season he's had.

 

[shuggie]

Good news for City... he'll be on it from game one in the new season.

 

[Abizzz]

He's been totally underwhelming for Germany, good decision from Low. Not many coaches would have done the same. Highly unlikely that Sane would have done something good and maybe he would have been quite moody as a bench player. It could be the case that Sane thinks he's already made it big time, i wouldn't want such a player.

Have there been any signs of him being moody or of having a bigger ego than justified? Yes he's not been as great for Germany but he's hardly played any competitive games for us. This WC would have been his first proper showing.

 

[Treble]

Can understand Low's reasoning but he's made a mistake, imo.

 

[Nick7]

Not so surprising, based on his performances for the German NT. His tendency of doing too much on his own and losing the ball can be fatal in a tournament, and there hasn't been a significant upside so far. I guess Löw simply figures the time to get him properly integrated is not the WC, but the qualifiers afterwards.

Still a bit baffling how far apart his performances for City and Germany have been.

He doesn't play the same role for both teams, good in the City team, a little lost with Germany

 

[HTG]

Crazy decision. Impossible to justify after the season he's had.

It’s easily justifiable and makes sense. Performances in a completely different tactical set up for a club, don’t equal the performances for the national team. His best role does not exist for Germany.
You don’t have to share the opinion, but acting like it is some inexplicable decision is unjustified.

 

[totaalvoetbal]

Not surprising. The only people shocked as usual are the people that haven't watched him for Germany. He has been awful for them and he's had 15 games to turn opinons around, his decision making is terrible when he doesn't have Pep Guardiola's automatisms to help him and he is always trying things by himself.

People forget he was benched at the start of the season. He was not even better than Sterling and should never have won that young player of the year award over him.

Brandt is a much better fit for Germany and Reus is simply a superior player in almost every category. Good decision by Joachim Löw.
.

 

[Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87]

Pathetic choice. He has had sn outstanding season, while Draxler has been shit.

 

[charlenefan]

Mental decision, at least have him as an option to come on surely?

 

[Don Alfredo]

Crazy decision. Impossible to justify after the season he's had.

It's not impossible. He is the worst player on the pitch every time he plays for Germany. He also felt playing at the Confed Cup was beneath him, thinking he deserves a spot at the team without earning it.

 

[SqualorVictoria]

People forget he was benched at the start of the season. He was not even better than Sterling and should never have won that young player of the year award over him.

He was benched for other reasons though as Pep even admitted that he wasn't happy with the way he returned after summer. Whether it was fitness issues or just arriving late, I don't know, but it seemed clear that it wasn't related in any way to performance issues.

 

[redshaw]

Surprising to not at least make the squad

Few times I've watched Germany he was either playing at the start or brought on. Seemed like he was part of the new young players.

 

[Synco]

He doesn't play the same role for both teams, good in the City team, a little lost with Germany

I can understand it making a difference, but I would've expected his individual qualities to carry him nevertheless, making it possible for him to adapt. Which didn't happen at all.

 

[totaalvoetbal]

He was benched for other reasons though as Pep even admitted that he wasn't happy with the way he returned after summer. Whether it was fitness issues or just arriving late, I don't know, but it seemed clear that it wasn't related in any way to performance issues.

The defensive side of his game is the worst in that squad. Brandt covers his blind side. Leroy Sane doesn't follow his man. His talent is not so other worldly that he would beat those players for a place without helping the team out and it was the same for City. Plenty of times during a game when he failed to track his man and just jogs back.

He is not better than any of those players, only flashier.

Great decision by Joachim Löw.

 

[K2K]

The lad must be thinking what else can I do to get in the squad, like most very straange decision.

Play well for Germany?

 

[totaalvoetbal]

Play well for Germany?

It's starnge that people still don't get this...

 

[Nick7]

I can understand it making a difference, but I would've expected his individual qualities to carry him nevertheless, making it possible for him to adapt. Which didn't happen at all.

Yeah it's really weird, but I guess that just happens with some players. Some are the opposite, fantastic for their national team but poor at club level.

 

[K2K]

You can see why Germany are so good. The squad is chosen not simply to fit all the big names and find a way to make them work like other countries.

I think Louw has a specific style he wants to play and will choose the right players for it. Ballsy move. I doubt Germany will miss Sane much tbh, and are still one of the favourites at this tournament.

 

[Mourinhonista]

Have there been any signs of him being moody or of having a bigger ego than justified? Yes he's not been as great for Germany but he's hardly played any competitive games for us. This WC would have been his first proper showing.

My take on this is that i think he's a bit arrogant. He definitely knows what he did but can't replicate it for Germany because of a different approach. He had a handful of games but squandered all of them. Brandt or Draxler suit us a lot better atm. We're talking about bench players, looking forward to seeing Reus in action. Not a single chance that Sane could have taken his place.

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

You can see why Germany are so good. The squad is chosen not simply to fit all the big names and find a way to make them work like other countries.

I think Louw has a specific style he wants to play and will choose the right players for it. Ballsy move. I doubt Germany will miss Sane much tbh, and are still one of the favourites at this tournament.

Isn't that what Southgate is doing by dropping Smalling & taking Cahill?

 

[donkeyfish]

He should tattoo his reaction when he heard the news on his chest.

 

[Zehner]

Guardiola himself said that he often has a hard time when teaching Sane because he's stubborn and refused to play like Pep wanted him to. Can see the same happening with Löw. When they came on the pitch after half time, he exemplarily seemed to have a discussion with Özil about directions and runs and definitely didn't look too happy. That's possibly also a reason why he looks so out of place for Germany. Also, although he plays for a Guardiola team, he's still bad in tight spaces and his passing is mediocre. Doesn't really shine in the half spaces and that's where our wingers operate. The sideline is full back area.

Brandt has a better touch, a better close control and far auperior passing abilities (especially in these quick one twos in tight spaces) than Sane and is a brillant and considerable pacy dribbler in his own right.

Didn't expect that to happen but it definitely makes sense. I think Guardiola's system overshadows Sane's weaknesses. Can imagine Pep will even feel supported by Löw's decision in a "I told you so" kind of fashion.

 

[fcbforever]

Have there been any signs of him being moody or of having a bigger ego than justified? Yes he's not been as great for Germany but he's hardly played any competitive games for us. This WC would have been his first proper showing.

Made up some bullshit reason to not play the confed cup. Can imagine that not sitting well with Löw and it was a decision by him I couldn’t understand at all at the time. Probably thought he didn’t need to and that it was beneath him.

 

[totaalvoetbal]

Guardiola himself said that he often has a hard time when teaching Sane because he's stubborn and refused to play like Pep wanted him to. Can see the same happening with Löw. When they came on the pitch after half time, he exemplarily seemed to have a discussion with Özil about directions and runs and definitely didn't look too happy. That's possibly also a reason why he looks so out of place for Germany. Also, although he plays for a Guardiola team, he's still bad in tight spaces and his passing is mediocre. Doesn't really shine in the half spaces and that's where our wingers operate. The sideline is full back area.

Brandt has a better touch, a better close control and far auperior passing abilities (especially in these quick one twos in tight spaces) than Sane and is a brillant and considerable pacy dribbler in his own right.

Didn't expect that to happen but it definitely makes sense. I think Guardiola's system overshadows Sane's weaknesses. Can imagine Pep will even feel supported by Löw's decision in a "I told you so" kind of fashion.

Spot on.

Xavi made some comments in his interview touching on some of the points you brought up as well. He is a very one dimensional player that depends too much on his athelticisim rather than smart decision making.

Brandt is far more adaptable and Sane can only play on the wings because that place theoretically has the most space.

His decision making is subpar both with passing and off the ball movement. Brandt is the superior player for the way Germany play as is Draxler.

Reus is a level above him.

Sane is just extremely ovverated it's baffling. the only reason I can give for it is that he is flashy when he runs with the ball. He is tactically inflexible, defensively weak, inconsistent perfromances despite Pep providning the platform for him to maximise his talent and generally average off the ball movement.

 

[fcbforever]

All the more reason they should have taken him to provide an extra option in case Plan A fails. They've taken Rudy who isn't gonna play unless they have an injury crisis at CM, but even then Kimmich could have slotted in there with Boateng shifting to RB. Its a really weird move and could be telling against the likes of Spain where Germany won't be able to dominate through the middle and could have used genuine width.

Rudy obviously isn’t a CM in this squad, never been for Germany bar the confed cup. He’s backup for Kimmich.

 

[Don Alfredo]

Spot on.

Xavi made some comments in his interview touching on some of the points you brought up as well. He is a very one dimensional player that depends too much on his athelticisim rather than smart decision making.

Brandt is far more adaptable and Sane can only play on the wings because that place theoretically has the most space.

His decision making is subpar both with passing and off the ball movement. Brandt is the superior player for the way Germany play.

Reus is a level above him.

Sane is just extremely ovverated it's baffling. the only reason I can give for it is that he is flashy when he runs with the ball. He is tactically inflexible, defensively weak, inconsistent perfromances despite Pep providning the platform for him to maximise his talent and generally average off the ball movement.

He is the Douglas Costa of Germany. Both players are worshipped on here.

 

[Abizzz]

My take on this is that i think he's a bit arrogant. He definitely knows what he did but can't replicate it for Germany because of a different approach. He had a handful of games but squandered all of them. Brandt or Draxler suit us a lot better atm. We're talking about bench players, looking forward to seeing Reus in action. Not a single chance that Sane could have taken his place.

Other than that it's 90 % certain Reuß will injure himself at some point during the tournament. I see Sane heads and shoulders above Brandt and in a lot better form than Draxler has been in 5 years, I don't buy the "doesn't fit the system" argument when Brandt does fit the system despite being the same just worse...

 

[Abizzz]

Made up some bullshit reason to not play the confed cup. Can imagine that not sitting well with Löw and it was a decision by him I couldn’t understand at all at the time. Probably thought he didn’t need to and that it was beneath him.

Oh ok I somehow missed that.

 

[CM]

It’s easily justifiable and makes sense. Performances in a completely different tactical set up for a club, don’t equal the performances for the national team. His best role does not exist for Germany.
You don’t have to share the opinion, but acting like it is some inexplicable decision is unjustified.

It's not impossible. He is the worst player on the pitch every time he plays for Germany. He also felt playing at the Confed Cup was beneath him, thinking he deserves a spot at the team without earning it.

Maybe impossible was the wrong choice of word but I still find it really difficult to believe. Draxler has posted underwhelming numbers this season and Reus has 15 appearances in all competitions. Surely club form has to play some part in selection?

 

[Vanya]

Players like Sane and Douglas Costa have bags of ability and thrive in a setup where they are allowed the freedom to express themselves. Of course not many players can thrive in all kinds of tactical systems.

Of course there are players with limited attributes who have performed very well for their national teams but have had little impact at the club level. And then there are world class players that have had little impact on their national teams.

It doesnt imply that said players are "overrated". They wouldnt be playing for the best club sides in the world week in and week out and racking up goals/assists if they were "overrated" and average players. This way of viewing a player in a black or white way with lack of any sort of nuance is indicative of a limited understanding of the game.

 

[FootyGirl88]

I'm sure Low knows what he's doing he's guided them to a WC already, So he knows his stuff. Not sure why everyone is up in arms about it.

 

[Bubz27]

Sane should probably leave City and play for a manager who can make him more tactically flexible.

 

[Abizzz]

I'm sure Low knows what he's doing he's guided them to a WC already, So he knows his stuff. Not sure why everyone is up in arms about it.

Yes Löw guided Germany to a WC. He also set up a team without a left midfield against Italy in semifinals... and conceded 2 goals from their right side.

He's hardly beyond questioning.

 

[HTG]

Other than that it's 90 % certain Reuß will injure himself at some point during the tournament. I see Sane heads and shoulders above Brandt and in a lot better form than Draxler has been in 5 years, I don't buy the "doesn't fit the system" argument when Brandt does fit the system despite being the same just worse...

Brandt and Sane are very different players.

 

[tomaldinho1]

An example of decent management from what I can gather - His club form clearly doesn't translate to the national team and seems he has a bit of an attitude (not bothered about confed cup) so why are people shocked he's been left out.

Germany have excellent squad depth and they're very very good when it comes to tournaments. I reckon he's just got a bit big for his boots and Low doesn't want him around the squad.