World Football Thread 19/20

[StanSP]

Haaland scores again...

[oxford blue]

Neymar is one of the most talented footballers of any generation. Yet he gets booked for being disrespectful because he tries a rainbow flick:

 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/10874055/neymar-yellow-card-video-rainbow-flick-psg-montpellier/

 

Unbelievable, as this is a skill he has used before (often successfully):

 

 

Football is about entertainment. It is not for the referee to decide a football skill is disrespectful; he should be censured.

[Matt_Lcfc]

Think I’m going to try and get into German football, looks interesting.

[MC Prussian]

46 minutes ago, Matt_Lcfc said:

Think I’m going to try and get into German football, looks interesting.

Willkommen zu the Bundesliga, ja!

 

It‘s a great season right now, so many teams crammed at the top. Any score is possible, there‘s plenty of goals and it‘s so hard to predict who‘ll become champions at present - every team is beatable on the day, no clear favourites.

[Matt_Lcfc]

9 minutes ago, MC Prussian said:

Willkommen zu the Bundesliga, ja!

 

It‘s a great season right now, so many teams crammed at the top. Any score is possible, there‘s plenty of goals and it‘s so hard to predict who‘ll become champions at present - every team is beatable on the day, no clear favourites.

I have BT sport and have noticed that a lot of the games seem to be on there, so may start watching them if I get time. Any recommendations on teams to support/back?

[MC Prussian]

6 minutes ago, Matt_Lcfc said:

I have BT sport and have noticed that a lot of the games seem to be on there, so may start watching them if I get time. Any recommendations on teams to support/back?

Dortmund because of the boy wonder Haaland.

Hoffenheim because of the Kramaric Connection.

Union Berlin because it‘s fantastic football club.

[Matt_Lcfc]

Just now, MC Prussian said:

Dortmund because of the boy wonder Haaland.

Hoffenheim because of the Kramaric Connection.

Union Berlin because it‘s fantastic football club.

I really don’t know a whole lot about German footy, aside from the elite clubs. Hoffeinheim have always been appealing as I always like Kramaric and watched a bit of them around Christmas and they were pretty entertaining.

[StanSP]

44 minutes ago, Matt_Lcfc said:

I really don’t know a whole lot about German footy, aside from the elite clubs. Hoffeinheim have always been appealing as I always like Kramaric and watched a bit of them around Christmas and they were pretty entertaining.

I'd watch a few games and see who takes your fancy. 

 

Dortmund are an interesting proposition given their ultra attacking style and Haaland now scoring for them so freely. They've been my preferred club in Germany for years and even when they lose it can be entertaining. 

 

But even teams at the bottom can sometimes play alright and at least be involved in good games. What I love about German football is that pretty much every game is a sell out in any sized stadium even down to Bundesliga 2 and therefore creates ridiculous atmospheres for any kind of game. 

 

Also, there's always a decent variety of games that come on TV, not always those that are at the top. Monday nights sometimes have a Bundesliga 2 game on TV too. 

 

As much as we can recommend who to support or back it should be entirely down to you to see who you take a liking to or get an affinity with

 

Edited 6 February 2020 by StanSP

[KrefelderFox666]

1 hour ago, StanSP said:

I'd watch a few games and see who takes your fancy. 

 

Dortmund are an interesting proposition given their ultra attacking style and Haaland now scoring for them so freely. They've been my preferred club in Germany for years and even when they lose it can be entertaining. 

 

But even teams at the bottom can sometimes play alright and at least be involved in good games. What I love about German football is that pretty much every game is a sell out in any sized stadium even down to Bundesliga 2 and therefore creates ridiculous atmospheres for any kind of game. 

 

Also, there's always a decent variety of games that come on TV, not always those that are at the top. Monday nights sometimes have a Bundesliga 2 game on TV too. 

 

As much as we can recommend who to support or back it should be entirely down to you to see who you take a liking to or get an affinity with

 

Not just the fact it sells out but simply the fact of a fan culture in Germany. Always an atmosphere, the ultras/kop end fans are always making noise.

 

Myself, I support Bayern but most of my family have season tickets at Borussia Monchengladbach. I habe a friend who goes to most HSV games and some friends who support Dortmund.

 

I must say, Dortmund for me were big favourites for the title pre season, they bought so many good players. However, they have two problems. A weak defense and Favre. Awful manager, has a touch of Puel almost. Other than that great attacking side and especially with Haaland now.

 

RB Leipzig are a good side, like to utilise the space. However, they have hit a bit of a wall now. Out the cup, lost top spot. Big game Sunday, Bayern vs RB, a must watch.

 

A few surprises this season, Schalke have come back stronger, Freiburg had a good first half but are starting to drop now. Hoffenheim are a decent side who are improving this season.

 

Everyone always slates the Bundesliga as being boring but it really isn't. You won't regret getting into it.

[Matt_Lcfc]

2 hours ago, StanSP said:

I'd watch a few games and see who takes your fancy. 

 

Dortmund are an interesting proposition given their ultra attacking style and Haaland now scoring for them so freely. They've been my preferred club in Germany for years and even when they lose it can be entertaining. 

 

But even teams at the bottom can sometimes play alright and at least be involved in good games. What I love about German football is that pretty much every game is a sell out in any sized stadium even down to Bundesliga 2 and therefore creates ridiculous atmospheres for any kind of game. 

 

Also, there's always a decent variety of games that come on TV, not always those that are at the top. Monday nights sometimes have a Bundesliga 2 game on TV too. 

 

As much as we can recommend who to support or back it should be entirely down to you to see who you take a liking to or get an affinity with

 

 

49 minutes ago, KrefelderFox666 said:

Not just the fact it sells out but simply the fact of a fan culture in Germany. Always an atmosphere, the ultras/kop end fans are always making noise.

 

Myself, I support Bayern but most of my family have season tickets at Borussia Monchengladbach. I habe a friend who goes to most HSV games and some friends who support Dortmund.

 

I must say, Dortmund for me were big favourites for the title pre season, they bought so many good players. However, they have two problems. A weak defense and Favre. Awful manager, has a touch of Puel almost. Other than that great attacking side and especially with Haaland now.

 

RB Leipzig are a good side, like to utilise the space. However, they have hit a bit of a wall now. Out the cup, lost top spot. Big game Sunday, Bayern vs RB, a must watch.

 

A few surprises this season, Schalke have come back stronger, Freiburg had a good first half but are starting to drop now. Hoffenheim are a decent side who are improving this season.

 

Everyone always slates the Bundesliga as being boring but it really isn't. You won't regret getting into it.

Cheers, some really good and insightful stuff on here. Them prem can get a bit boring at times and I’ve always been somewhat intrigued by the supporter culture in Germany. Are the games on quite regularly on BT then? The Friday night fixtures look pretty interesting and yeah, I’m looking forward to getting into it a bit. Will hopefully write a bit on here when I start watching it.

[StanSP]

1 minute ago, Matt_Lcfc said:

 

Cheers, some really good and insightful stuff on here. Them prem can get a bit boring at times and I’ve always been somewhat intrigued by the supporter culture in Germany. Are the games on quite regularly on BT then? The Friday night fixtures look pretty interesting and yeah, I’m looking forward to getting into it a bit. Will hopefully write a bit on here when I start watching it.

Yep. 

Friday night game, Saturday 5.30 and both games on Sunday afternoon. 

[Fox in the North]

So the Copa Del Rey semi finalists are

 

Granada (beat Valencia thanks to a last minute VAR penalty) 

Mirandes (a mid table 2nd division side who comfortably beat Villareal)

Real Sociedad (won 3-4 away at Real Madrid)

Athletic Bilbao (won 0-1 away at Barca in the 93rd minute)

 

Absolutely awesome stuff!

[Brizzle Fox]

56 minutes ago, Matt_Lcfc said:

 

Cheers, some really good and insightful stuff on here. Them prem can get a bit boring at times and I’ve always been somewhat intrigued by the supporter culture in Germany. Are the games on quite regularly on BT then? The Friday night fixtures look pretty interesting and yeah, I’m looking forward to getting into it a bit. Will hopefully write a bit on here when I start watching it.

Went to my first Bundesliga game last Friday night. Typically managed to pick probably the only 0 0 this whole season in Hertha Berlin vs Schalke! 

 

Standard of football was pretty much lower Champs level (well this game anyway), but the fans were something else.  Made me misty eyed for the 80s when I first started going to football in England. 

[deejdeej]

I find the Bundesliga and Serie A much more interesting than the PL and especially La liga. Far too many empty seats in Italy though for whatever reason. 

[filbertway]

On 05/02/2020 at 18:06, oxford blue said:

Neymar is one of the most talented footballers of any generation. Yet he gets booked for being disrespectful because he tries a rainbow flick:

 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/10874055/neymar-yellow-card-video-rainbow-flick-psg-montpellier/

 

Unbelievable, as this is a skill he has used before (often successfully):

 

 

Football is about entertainment. It is not for the referee to decide a football skill is disrespectful; he should be censured.

Well, he got booked for continually arguing and mouthing off to the ref.

[boots60]

3 hours ago, deejdeej said:

I find the Bundesliga and Serie A much more interesting than the PL and especially La liga. Far too many empty seats in Italy though for whatever reason. 

Far too many empty seats can be a good thing when planning a foreign trip.Trying to buy tickets at many German clubs & most European clubs with small stadiums can be a pain.

[CosbehFox]

18 hours ago, MC Prussian said:

Dortmund because of the boy wonder Haaland.

Hoffenheim because of the Kramaric Connection.

Union Berlin because it‘s fantastic football club.

Some suggestion with Union about being a fantastic football club and then suggesting Hoffenheim as well 

[CosbehFox]

5 hours ago, deejdeej said:

I find the Bundesliga and Serie A much more interesting than the PL and especially La liga. Far too many empty seats in Italy though for whatever reason. 

 

2 hours ago, boots60 said:

Far too many empty seats can be a good thing when planning a foreign trip.Trying to buy tickets at many German clubs & most European clubs with small stadiums can be a pain.

 

From my trips abroad, Serie A so far has been the best of the major leagues. Bundesliga can easily get a bit samey - with their fans all seemingly singing the same thing and you struggle to find uniqueness.

 

Italy is very regional hence unique; the South is very different from the North and that's before you throw in some of the cities centrally and the coastlines. The empty seats are because the ultras still rule the stadiums. There's a rawness still in existence at Serie A which is hard not to love - where else do you see fans still jibbing in and complete ignorance of stewards. 

 

I've seen Inter have just 40k in San Siro and still cause a noise and half. However Rome's Olimpico can a pretty soulless place when it's half full. 

 

13 hours ago, Brizzle Fox said:

Went to my first Bundesliga game last Friday night. Typically managed to pick probably the only 0 0 this whole season in Hertha Berlin vs Schalke! 

 

Standard of football was pretty much lower Champs level (well this game anyway), but the fans were something else.  Made me misty eyed for the 80s when I first started going to football in England. 

Hertha are an awful watch - though typically they rested a shedload in the week against Schalke in the cup, lost 3-2. 

 

The stadium is architecturally a total beauty but it's probably one of the most average atmospheres within Bundesliga. 

 

[MC Prussian]

1 hour ago, Cardiff_Fox said:

Some suggestion with Union about being a fantastic football club and then suggesting Hoffenheim as well 

One doesn't have to exclude the other.

 

For what it's worth, I don't particularly like Hoffenheim due to the club having that "plasticky" feel to them (similar to RB Leipzig - and VfL Wolfsburg to an extent).

If Kramaric weren't part of their squad, it'd be a nothing club to me.

[Brizzle Fox]

3 hours ago, Cardiff_Fox said:

 

 

From my trips abroad, Serie A so far has been the best of the major leagues. Bundesliga can easily get a bit samey - with their fans all seemingly singing the same thing and you struggle to find uniqueness.

 

Italy is very regional hence unique; the South is very different from the North and that's before you throw in some of the cities centrally and the coastlines. The empty seats are because the ultras still rule the stadiums. There's a rawness still in existence at Serie A which is hard not to love - where else do you see fans still jibbing in and complete ignorance of stewards. 

 

I've seen Inter have just 40k in San Siro and still cause a noise and half. However Rome's Olimpico can a pretty soulless place when it's half full. 

 

Hertha are an awful watch - though typically they rested a shedload in the week against Schalke in the cup, lost 3-2. 

 

The stadium is architecturally a total beauty but it's probably one of the most average atmospheres within Bundesliga. 

 

Re the last point that only emphasises my point even further. One of the most average atmospheres in the Bundesliga but still better than pretty much any English game I've been too for ages. 

[CosbehFox]

Depends how you feel at times Bundesliga atmospheres lack spontaneity and their chants lack originality with very little wit. Can’t really imagine a English fan base screaming Ha Ho He like Hertha do for example 

[StanSP]

@Matt_Lcfc Hertha Berlin vs Augsburg on tonight on BT Sport if you want to have a taster. 

[Matt_Lcfc]

3 hours ago, StanSP said:

@Matt_Lcfc Hertha Berlin vs Augsburg on tonight on BT Sport if you want to have a taster. 

Just tuned in. Frankfurt playing some very good stuff.

[RonnieTodger]

Was watching Leverkusen v Dortmund until VAR had to be the star of the show. 
 

Forest v Leeds it is

[deejdeej]

31 minutes ago, RonnieTodger said:

Was watching Leverkusen v Dortmund until VAR had to be the star of the show. 
 

Forest v Leeds it is

It's a cracker!