FCB - General Talk - Page 23 - TalkSoccer

**Trim** · 23-02-2007, 06:06 PM

^ Indeed, well said.

**Trim** · 24-02-2007, 08:42 PM

Brazzo didn't get a yellow card today, well done to him.
He should be careful against Hertha aswell, so we'll have him for the match against Bremen.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 24-02-2007, 08:46 PM

He is very important to the team.
He can't get that yellow card!

Peddi_Kahn · 25-02-2007, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-Red

^ Hey dude, are you serious?
Do you know that we desperately need a striker???

wht????
makaay+pizza+podolski+schlaudraff+santacruz = 5 good strikers. why we should have 6 strikers when we need just 2 of them??!!!!!!!!!!

**Oliver_Kahn** · 25-02-2007, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peddi_Kahn

wht????
makaay+pizza+podolski+schlaudraff+santacruz = 5 good strikers. why we should have 6 strikers when we need just 2 of them??!!!!!!!!!!

Santa Cruz is shit, he shouldn't play for Bayern.

Schlaudraff is known as an atacking midfielder, not a striker.

Pizarro is leaving Bayern.

That leaves us with only 2 strikers, Podolski and Makaay.

Do you still think we don't need a new one ?

**Oliver_Kahn** · 26-02-2007, 01:45 PM

Slowly but surely, normal service is being resumed at Bayern as the champions battle their way out of a sporting trough. Four days after a morale-boosting Champions League performance away to Real Madrid, the Bavarians registered a second league victory of 2007 with a 2-1 win over VfL Wolfsburg to remain within touching distance of a Champions League qualifying place.

"We needed the three points, to stay in touch at the top and get started on a winning run," coach Ottmar Hitzfeld commented after Saturday's fixture in front of a 69,000 full house at the Allianz Arena. "It's something to build on," added Lukas Podolski, scorer of the opening goal from the penalty spot on 26 minutes and one of the home side's stars on the day.

More determination

The Reds were a trifle fortunate to preserve a clean sheet in the opening phase, only the brilliance of Oliver Kahn denying the visitors' Marcelinho and Alexander Madlung. "We're starting a little too cautiously at the moment, as we all saw in Madrid and Aachen. We've conceded early goals in both matches," captain Kahn observed. "That has to stop. We have to be wide awake from the kick-off."

Kahn's troops appeared fully alert once the match was a quarter of an our old. "We controlled the play after that," Hitzfeld remarked, praising his side's attacking efforts: "We played some penetrating balls forward and fashioned a couple of very good moves."

Van Bommel in command

Once again, Mark van Bommel was a commanding presence in midfield. "He's happier in a central role," Hitzfeld revealed. The Netherlands international spent the afternoon shouting orders, geeing up his team-mates, playing intelligent passes and getting into shooting positions. "We've taken a good step forward, but we need to take a few more steps to get where we want to be, which is right at the top," the combative player declared.

Van Bommel made the score 2-0 on 55 minutes with practically a carbon copy of his late strike in Madrid, crowning a phase of the match which saw Bayern continuously on the attack. Nor did the Reds give up and settle for what they had at that point. "In normal circumstances we should have won 3-0, or 3-1 would have been about right. But we neglected to score a third," Hitzfeld complained.

Improvement still needed

Instead, Cedrick Makiadi pulled one back 11 minutes from time to give the visitors an unlikely glimpse of a point. "Their goal goes down as unnecessary," Hitzfeld observed. "You'll often concede the odd goal when your opponents take a few risks. But after they'd scored, I was pleased with the way we prevented them creating any more chances. That was another step forward."

Bayern are not in action again until this coming Saturday away to Hertha Berlin. "We have a full week for training. We'll be trying a few things out," Hitzfeld announced. "We'll still have to improve if we want to take something from Berlin." Summarised Van Bommel: "We're heading in the right direction. If we can keep it up, there has to be plenty of hope for the future."

**Trim** · 26-02-2007, 08:22 PM

Ottmar Hitzfeld set alarm bells ringing with a dramatic summary of Bayern's Bundesliga predicament just a week ago. "We're in it up to our necks," the coach declared following a 1-0 defeat away to Alemannia Aachen. That result left the champions five points off third spot and a Champions League qualifying finish, seven adrift of second place, and a whopping 12 behind leaders Schalke. To compound the situation, Nuremberg and Berlin were breathing down Bayern's necks, so that even a Uefa Cup place could have been in danger.

Just one round of matches later, and the situation has taken on a far more promising outlook. Bayern looked an entirely more menacing proposition in beating Wolfsburg 2-1, but the routine victory had an even greater significance for the standings, as Munich were the only team in the top six to collect maximum points.

Just three points off third

A highly satisfactory weekend began on Friday evening when second-placed VfB Stuttgart were held to a goalless draw at home by Hertha Berlin. The following day, Nuremberg lost for the first time in 11 matches with a 2-1 reverse in Mainz, before the crowning glory arrived on on Sunday: Schalke fell by the only goal of the game at home to Leverkusen, the leaders' first defeat in 13 matches, while third-placed Bremen conceded a stoppage time goal in a 2-2 draw with bottom club Monchengladbach.

From a Munich point of view, the table has taken on a far more promising perspective. Nuremberg and Berlin now lie four and six points behind respectively, with Bayern closing the gap on Bremen to three points. Second-placed Stuttgart have reappeared on the Reds' radar with the arrears now down to five points, but despite the surprise result in Gelsenkirchen, Schalke remain a daunting nine clear of the champions.

Series of showdowns

Bayern have been provided with a launching pad, but the situation could alter for the worse unless the men in red can deliver the goods. "We need a winning run in the league, and to get through against Madrid. Anything's possible after that," Mark van Bommel argued on Saturday. "Provided we keep it up, there's plenty of hope for the near future," Hitzfeld echoed.

The various permutations should become clearer over the next month or so. Bremen visit the Allianz Arena in two weeks' time, before Schalke come to Munich another two weeks after that. Bayern then travel to Stuttgart in mid-April, so the champions could still take points off all three of the leading group. And this coming weekend, the Bavarians can effectively kill off the challenge from Berlin with a win in the capital.

Battle to the end

Hitzfeld called on his men to replicate their gritty attitude from Madrid: "We must believe in ourselves right to the end." There are still 33 points to play for in the league, so a number of outcomes lie within the realms of possibility - including the ending wherby the side who were in it up to their necks a week ago sweep the competition aside on a wave of success.

Title contenders' next four fixtures:

Bayern	Schalke	Stuttgart	Bremen
Berlin (A)	Hamburg (H)	Leverkusen (A)	Bochum (H)
Bremen (H)	Hanover (A)	Wolfsburg (H)	Bayern (A)
Frankfurt (A)	Stuttgart (H)	Schalke (A)	Mainz (H)
Schalke (H)	Bayern (A)	Aachen (H)	Cottbus (A)

**Trim** · 26-02-2007, 08:23 PM

My optimism is back, lol.

**Trim** · 27-02-2007, 09:39 AM

Tuesday, February 27th

10:00 GMT+1 -> Training
15:30 GMT+1 -> Training

Wednesday, February 28th

10:00 GMT+1 -> Training
11:30 GMT+1 -> Press conference with Owen Hargreaves and Philipp Lahm
15:30 GMT+1 -> Training

Thursday, March 1st

10:00 GMT+1 -> Training
11:30 GMT+1 -> Press conference with Ottmar Hitzfeld and Roy Makaay

Friday, March 2nd

n/a -> Private training
12:30 -> Press conference with Willy Sagnol & Bastian Schweinsteiger

**Trim** · 27-02-2007, 10:18 AM

One day before Sosa's beginning of service, Claudio Pizarro's contract ends, in June 30th, 2007.

And, it has not been extended still.

The case is said to be discussed those days, as Pizarro's agent is already in Munich for talks.

(Translated from German to English by T-Red)

**Oliver_Kahn** · 27-02-2007, 12:35 PM

I would renew his contract.

**Trim** · 27-02-2007, 05:39 PM

^ Most of Bayern fans I spoke to don't want him to stay.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 27-02-2007, 07:12 PM

I'm represent the fans that want.

I don't think he is that bad mate and it wouldn't be easy to find players that would make our team.

**Trim** · 27-02-2007, 07:57 PM

Even before all the first team squad had arrived at the Säbener Strasse on Tuesday, fitness coach Oliver Schmidtlein was out on the training ground setting up a series of exercises for Mark van Bommel and company. The long-serving member of the coaching staff brought with him an array of utensils including medicine balls, low hurdles, elastic ropes and dumb-bells.

Watching the players tackling the routines a little later was highly reminiscent of the training methods chosen by Germany coach Jürgen Klinsmann ahead of last summer's World Cup. "That's right, we did those exercises with the national team," Bastian Schweinsteiger confirmed to fcbayern.de. The main aim of the workout was to improve pace and reaction time.

Spring awakening in the air?

Klinsmann's men certainly benefited from their specifically tailored training routines last summer, but Bayern are hoping for a spring awakening in their efforts to seal a decent finish or even silverware from what has proved a turbulent season to date.

"I'm still convinced we'll finish third or maybe even second," head coach Ottmar Hitzfeld later declared. Munich were the only team in the Bundesliga's top six to collect maximum points last weekend, "and that was a boost to our morale," the coach continued, making no secret of his delight at struggling Monchengladbach's stoppage-time equaliser at home to Bremen.

No talk of title

Hitzfeld declined to become involved in discussing the various mathematical permutations now applying to the title race, refusing even to mention the championship shield by name. "This would be entirely the wrong time to speak about that. We have to continue looking at ourselves and continue delivering the goods. We need to set off on a winning run."

The Bavarians are determined to follow up the 2-1 home victory over Wolfsburg at the weekend with another good result this coming Saturday in Berlin, as the Reds continue to pursue a Champions League qualifying finish. "Berlin is a pivotal match. It's high time we gave a good account of ourselves away from home," the coach demanded. "We're going to Hertha looking for a win."

Upbeat mood

Four days after the trip to the German capital, the Reds entertain Real in the Champions League last 16 return leg, before taking on third-placed Bremen at the Allianz Arena the following Sunday. "We have a huge chance to make great progress in the space of a single week," Hitzfeld summarised, well aware that the campaign is approaching a truly decisive phase.

**Trim** · 01-03-2007, 07:41 AM

God damn!