as they called it on ZDF yesterday: Braunschweig is in "striking distance" to the clubs in front of them. Considering their attitude at the moment i think it might not be over yet: they have planned with a relegation all along and it wouldn't be a disaster for them. Because of that they seem to be playing more focused and with a "clear head" compared their current rivals. They literally have nothing to loose.
Stuttgart, HSV and some others in front of them (Werder) simply can't get heads wrapped around the idea of 2. league football
the fight at the bottom is gonna be really interesting
i only watched the Sportschau- review of Schalke vs Dortmund: Schalke playing with 7 players which came from their own youth system (squad age average 23 years yesterday)and holding out to a 0:0 in Dortmund ? that's not so bad, considering their 10 injured players
They have to be doing something right at their football academy
What you say about Braunschweig seems very true and might be a big portion of the result of the Mainz game. I have seen a summary in the meantime and I'd like to add, it was Mainz's stupitidy/failures in the defense sometimes (different from the Bayern game, though the first half a major part of the defense was actually to keep Bayern away by attacking them) and bad luck with goal chances (well that was the same, though
).
About Schalke, yeah saw that, too. Very good sign. Also Draxler coming back.
It seems that there are being more academies that do something right and they seem to get more and more "detailed" in what they teach, when you hear what young players talk about tactics or how they self reflect their playing, when they are asked in interviews. Also it seems with every young generation the players come with even better technical abilities, or let's say, the class is getting broader.
Btw. I just saw a thriller U17 women's match a few minutes ago. Excitement I had not expected. Italy (first time qualifier) vs Ghana (several times). Though the referee was a part of adding a lot of (unfair) thrill to it against Ghana.
One update for you about SV Neulengbach, they have lost their first CL 1/4th final match 1:8 against Tyresö FF. But the Italian club ASD Torres Calcio had lost 0:8 against Turbine Potsdam as well. (... though that contradicts, what I had just said some days ago, about results like 7:0 not being common anymore.
).
Now that I have begun, I can complete the report anyway, so: Barca lost 1:3 against Wolfsburg. Against a fast and very present Wolfsburg, they couldn't get their ticki-tacka implemented (strict academy philosophy ruling here, too, I'd say. Also women's Barca is all Spanish, other teams are more mixed. Though that might have to do more with the unattractiveness of the Spanish women's league for other European players). I wonder, why they not change their playing style accordingly, when it is not appropriate to the situation, but they might have in mind to train them for the national team at the same time
- I'd like to see what would happen, if men's Barca would play against men's Wolfsburg.
Birmingham City won 1:0 against Arsenal. (Guess I was wrong with my prediction here.
But let's wait for next weekend.)
Is it right, that you can't get Eurosport free in Austria? I just noticed that lately. I wonder how that is possible, since the satellite areas should overlap. I can get austrian and swiss Pro7, Vox, etc. for example.
Has anyone been reading up on the new
Nations League that is about to be implemented? An intriguing attempt to add meaning to international football matches. I do have one criticism though; I fear that it will increase Eurocentrism as far as international matches go, reducing opportunities for Euro sides to play nations from outside Europe.
If that would be the outcome, it would be a pity. When I think of how I underestimated Chile and it was quiet entertaining to see them play against Germany.
