Pep Guardiola's Bayern

[Piratesoup]

What would the Lewandowsky of the last weeks have changed in that match? The thing is that somebody can look great in a counter attack system but less in a ball possession system...

The problem was more that they were very cautious (something we have not been in knock-out away matches with Heynckes but now with Guardiola) and scared to run into counters. And the refereeing was not so great - even if Alonso's yellow-red was well earned.

If he had played a more conventional formation with only one out of Schweinsteiger and Alonso, Lewandowski up front would have given Müller and Götze more chances to roam the midfield. It was scary to see how our defenenders or our two midfielders had the ball several times only to see that there's a 25m radius betweend the opponents box and the middle line where not a single Bayern player was to be found.

It's all a bit worrying because the way we play now reminds me of the way we played last year when we entered the important stages of the CL. No energy, nobody's running, nothing gets created once we cross the middle line. This doesn't bode well.

 

[PedroMendez]

Not long ago everybody wanted to see Alonso and Schweinsteiger together and now everybody seem to hate it

Anyway. We have more problems than this one. At the beginning of the season Pep started to use the 343 and after a couple of matches I really started to like it (with one of the CBs being a hybrid). It looked really exciting but sadly Alaba got injured and Pep started to change things up. I feel like we play with a different defensive system/player almost every single match and it really start to hurt us. Our offensive tactics are also changing quite a bit from game to game. Pep should really start to stick to one (defensive) line-up and allow the players to get used to it. He is overdoing it.
+
Alonso and Schweinsteiger should not player together.
Only two of Ribery, Götze and Robben should play. (or more precisely: Robben + Götze/Ribery)

 

[NoPace]

It was a pretty standard 4-1-4-1 for the most part, nothing revolutionary. The silly thing was leaving out Lewandowski and playing Alonso and Schweinsteiger together.

Did have the Pep thing where Rafinha (the RB) plays more infield than a normal fullback, though I guess Marcelo does that too at Real Madrid.

 

[NoPace]

Thiw probably just sets up a 7-0 win for Bayern in the second leg.

I have no idea why Shaktar were so cautious once Alonso went off. They should have pressed like a coked up Bielsa side. Are they really going to get a 1-1 or something in Munich to advance?

 

[Bojan11]

I have no idea why Shaktar were so cautious once Alonso went off. They should have pressed like a coked up Bielsa side. Are they really going to get a 1-1 or something in Munich to advance?

To be fair even Man City were struggling against Bayern, when Bayern had 10 men for the majority of the game.

I guess they rather not risk anything in the first leg.

 

[Trizy]

Pep maybe crazy and cost them a win but my god does that badly cnut play some beautiful football.

 

[Trizy]

There were a lot of rumors at the time of Fergie's retirement that he would take the helm at Old Trafford but then with the appointment of he who shall not me named there was more rumors of Pep doing 1 contract at Bayern and then taking over Manchester.

Sounds very unlikely but how many years has Pep in his contract after this season? And are there any signs of him resigning?

 

[Xaviesta]

There were a lot of rumors at the time of Fergie's retirement that he would take the helm at Old Trafford but then with the appointment of he who shall not me named there was more rumors of Pep doing 1 contract at Bayern and then taking over Manchester.

Sounds very unlikely but how many years has Pep in his contract after this season? And are there any signs of him resigning?

Pep's contract is until 2016. What happens after that is anybody's guess.

 

[MarkC]

Fergie met him in New York didn't he a few months before Moyes was announced?

I like him liked him as a player as well part of a great Barca team and a very elegant smart footballer.

As a manager though I worry that unless he was to come in a few years down the line after Van Gaal would he succeed. Even though he has won it all with Barca and done well so far with Bayern he walked into a squad full of some great players on both occasions.

Mourinho did it with a largely unfancied Inter side playing some great football even against Peps Barca. Gaurdiola still has this to prove.

 

[FC Ronaldo]

There were a lot of rumors at the time of Fergie's retirement that he would take the helm at Old Trafford but then with the appointment of he who shall not me named there was more rumors of Pep doing 1 contract at Bayern and then taking over Manchester.

Sounds very unlikely but how many years has Pep in his contract after this season? And are there any signs of him resigning?

All signs suggest that he will not renew - http://www.espnfc.com/german-bundes...a-does-not-sign-a-new-deal-raphael-honigstein

Back to reality rather than dreamy hypothetical wishing, this team are an absolute juggernaut. Fully expect them to reach the final of the Champions League, regardless of who they draw.

 

[Xaviesta]

Fergie met him in New York didn't he a few months before Moyes was announced?

I like him liked him as a player as well part of a great Barca team and a very elegant smart footballer.

As a manager though I worry that unless he was to come in a few years down the line after Van Gaal would he succeed. Even though he has won it all with Barca and done well so far with Bayern he walked into a squad full of some great players on both occasions.

Mourinho did it with a largely unfancied Inter side playing some great football even against Peps Barca. Gaurdiola still has this to prove.

The Inter Milan team Jose took over had won numerous Serie A titles in a row. They'd just under performed in the Champions League. The Inter Milan Jose inherited was in a better state than the Barça Pep inherited.

 

[Trizy]

I agree that Pep has walked into great teams on both occasions but Jose has done the same with Inter and Madrid, he's also still gets labelled as a cheque book manager by some.

There isn't many managers in the world that can walk into United and launch a title charge with one transfer window under their belt but there are a few who could get us top 4 and playing good football. Poor seasons would be much easier to watch with better football on display.

 

[MarkC]

It was a sham of a league back then partly due to the match fixing stuff going on seria a titles were not what they used to be.

Nobody expected Inter to win it Infact hadn't they just sold there "best player" to Barca for 40 odd million plus Etoo?

Wasn't Peps Barca team the team that had just reached the champions league semis against us outplaying us largely? And then with the genius of Messi, Xavi, Iniesta. You really think he had it tougher?

 

[Xaviesta]

I agree that Pep has walked into great teams on both occasions but Jose has done the same with Inter and Madrid, he's also still gets labelled as a cheque book manager by some.

There isn't many managers in the world that can walk into United and launch a title charge with one transfer window under their belt but there are a few who could get us top 4 and playing good football. Poor seasons would be much easier to watch with better football on display.

Was that Barça side he inherited really that great? Two straight trophy less seasons, a third place finish 18 points off the top in Rijkaard's last season. The point about him inheriting a great team at Bayern is impossible to argue with. I agree with the rest of your post.

 

[Trizy]

And then with the genius of Messi, Xavi, Iniesta. You really think he had it tougher?

Have to agree, although I'd still rather watch this against a Man City team than us yesterday against Swansea.

 

[Scarecrow]

There were a lot of rumors at the time of Fergie's retirement that he would take the helm at Old Trafford but then with the appointment of he who shall not me named there was more rumors of Pep doing 1 contract at Bayern and then taking over Manchester.

Sounds very unlikely but how many years has Pep in his contract after this season? And are there any signs of him resigning?

If he repeats the 3 years work, 1 year break cycle he'll be back to work at a new club just as Van Gaal finishes his contract in 2017 (hopefully). So far there are no signs of him wanting to extend his stay at Bayern, despite their efforts to persuade him.

 

[PvsNP]

Wasn't Peps Barca team the team that had just reached the champions league semis against us outplaying us largely?

It's not that impressive when you think about who they faced on their way to the semis. Their group consisted of Lyon (who were already on a decline), Stuttgart and Rangers. In the round of 16, they faced Celtic, afterwards they played Schalke in the quarters. Yes, they outplayed us largely, but apart from one or two chances, I didn't think they were that threatening.

Barca had the talent for sure, but they were in shambles. No discipline or whatsoever coupled with complacency. For instance, IIRC, Ronaldinho went out partying the night before several games. Pep reshaped them by getting rid of deadweight and selling two of the biggest stars in the team. I agree on Bayern though, I just want to add that he accepted their offer midway into their Treble season.

 

[Blackwidow]

All signs suggest that he will not renew - http://www.espnfc.com/german-bundes...a-does-not-sign-a-new-deal-raphael-honigstein

Back to reality rather than dreamy hypothetical wishing, this team are an absolute juggernaut. Fully expect them to reach the final of the Champions League, regardless of who they draw.

Nobody knows what he will do. But after Barca he told that there was a time after 3-4 years when he just could not make a difference anymore. When a change was necessary.

He and his family feels very well in Munich and at Bayern after all what we know. And you see that he has a special relationship with his players. That there is media theatre when you loose after dozen wins is just normal at about every top club... That they question every top player who is on the bench... - he is rotating his 15 or 16 first team players smartly so that nobody sits twice on the bench in a row.

He will stay in Munich atleast another season - could be that he stays as then there will be a new era when some players will end their career and the young ones will need to be integrated. But I think that he will make another year off after Bayern - probably this time at home in Spain.

 

[Jaytay]

Would chuck Van Gaal if Guardiola became available.

 

[PvsNP]

Would chuck Van Gaal if Guardiola became available.

I wonder if Woodward has the balls to do that.

 

[OutlawGER]

what a great video about bayern and their history with arsene wenger

 

[Theafonis]

Would chuck Van Gaal if Guardiola became available.

Would definitely love to see a Mourinho/Guardiola rivalry again.

 

[Blackwidow]

what a great video about bayern and their history with arsene wenger

I think it is interesting how he talks about each of the current players (after minute 18:00)

 

[Piratesoup]

I think it is interesting how he talks about each of the current players (after minute 18:00)

Great to see that Wenger, who knows his stuff, calls Lahm the best wingback of the last 10 years, but it's a little surprising that he calls it a "masterstroke" by Löw to use him on the right side again. Everybody and their dog could see that he would provide much more there than in the middle, especially with the alternatives being so dreadful in the national team.

 

[kouroux]

what a great video about bayern and their history with arsene wenger

Wenger knows so much about football it is crazy. A real fountain of knowledge.

 

[FC Ronaldo]

From the Daily Fail but interesting nonetheless...

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[Blackwidow]

From the Daily Fail but interesting nonetheless...

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It actually means that Guardiola had the offer to take over United - or to take over Bayern. We know what job he took. I do not think that Guardiola is the person that really likes to start with the basics with his team and has the patience. That is what van Gaal made at Bayern.

There is the story that the Pep and Hoeneß wanted to meet in the restaurant of the hotel in which Hoeneß was staying overnight but he incidently met Ferguson there so they postponed the meeting and Pep sent Hoeneß a car to get him to his house where they had the final talks and Guardiola signed the contract.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

From the Daily Fail but interesting nonetheless...

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Whether it's true or not, it seems a bit tasteless to me to bring up a possible falling out between Tito and Pep given the fact Tito has died since. Should keep it private.

 

[Blackwidow]

Whether it's true or not, it seems a bit tasteless to me to bring up a possible falling out between Tito and Pep given the fact Tito has died since. Should keep it private.

They were friends again.

 

[Stretford End Phil]

what a great video about bayern and their history with arsene wenger

Very interesting video. Interesting how he avoided discussing the Van Gaal period.

 

[steve9]

I'm not sure how to put this. Somehow I'm absolutely convinced that this years incarnation of Pep's Bayern will win the CL. Although, this season there has been no real showing of greatness by this team except for the 60 or 70 minutes of an utter 10-men-away-domination of City, only to lose it in the end. Their performances lately were only business as usual. Or worse, see Wolfsburg. Nothing really great about it. But maybe that's it: Maybe last year's crazy-over-the-top-honeymoon with Pep is over, and now they are just focussing on the job.

They are certainly better than last year. And everything is much more businesslike. That could work out. And let's face it: Anything else than winning the CL is a desaster for Bayern.

 

[Asger]

Would chuck Van Gaal if Guardiola became available.

And if he flops.. Then what?

 

[Blackwidow]

 

[strongwalker]

nice piece on Bayerns tactics

Stevie Grieve - "the mind game pt6"