And don't get me started on Upa

Honestly, keep Musiala, Muller, Tel, and deLigt. Everyone else is available.

For all of his brilliance and skill at times at Leipzig, I'll always remember Upamecano for this:

https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/rb-leipzig-wolfsburg-live-line-ups-stats-tyler-adams-timo-werner-john-brooks-7525

I can't find a vid on youtube or twitter, so sadly this is the link to the article and the official Bundesliga video. It comes in the first 30 secs and is a howler of a WTF error. As a new fan of soccer, this was my first exposure to the very rare back-pass resulting in an indirect free-kick in the box, so I'll never forget it.

I was sad when y'all got him. But I legit wouldn't trade him for Orban or Gvardiol. Perhaps not surprising to say with the latter who's worth a bajillion on the market, but Orban's reliability makes him more valuable for me, too.

Yeah Gvardiol is the type of staple CB I see playing at Real Madrid or Barcelona for 12+ years.

Upa is out of position, takes terrible angles, and plays poor passes. Not good combos for a CB. He's fast enough to take some of those negatives away, on the UCL level it is so apparent.

It's such a shame cause he has all the physical tools in the world to be dominant

Worst hire in Bayern history

I don't like TT at all, but it's probably too soon to declare that.

I think it'd be more than fair to say that it was the worst firing in Bayern history though.

Tuchel has 3 defeats in 7 matches. Nagelsmann had 3 in 37 games this season.

Players don't look like they care any more.

And it's coming out now that Kahn is probably getting sacked as CEO. Dortmund is playing with the emotion that I wish Bayern played with.

German clubs have the best admins.

🫣 pic.twitter.com/HtA3JJaYbt

— 1. FSV Mainz 05 (@1FSVMainz05) April 22, 2023

Big match for Dortmund today and for Bayern on Sunday. If Bayern can't get more than a point against Hertha then heads will roll.

Bayern with the easier schedule heading in as with 5 matches left Dortmund have

15th Place - Bochum - 22pts
8th Place - Wolfsburg - 43pts
10th Place - 'Gladbach - 36pts
13th Place - Augsburg - 30pts
7th Place - Mainz - 45pts

While Bayern have:
18th Place - Hertha - 22pts
12th Place - Bremen - 35pts
17th Place - Schalke04 - 24pts
5th place - Leipzig - 51pts
11th Place - FC Koln - 35pts

Outside of Leipzig, those teams are terrible. In a normal year Bayern should expect 10 points or so from those 4 matches. Here is my prediction for the remaining 5 matches:

Bayern - WWWLD
Dortmund - WWLWW

Leaving Dortmund as champions.

Leipzig are in disarray too, so I have a tough team seeing them beating Bayern in Munich. I think summer departures are already on a lot of guys' minds and they're just going through the motions. Nkunku and Laimer already have deals agreed and Gvardiol is being courted by everyone. Tons of other rumors as well.

We've had two years in a row now where we start poorly, go on a huge run with a new coach, and then fade late. Something's in the water.

Damn, wonder why. Y'all were in fire for a good 5 years or so

Can't believe Dortmund drew and allowed a down and put Bayern right back in it

Legal Custodian said:

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Damn, wonder why. Y'all were in fire for a good 5 years or so

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A decent amount of folks on this board won't like this answer, but for me it correlates strongly to Rangnick leaving the RB organization. He was the coach who got them promoted to top flight. He brought in Hassenhuttl and willingly took a director role. When Hass left for saints, he hired Nagelsmann from Hoffenheim, and when they wouldn't release Nag's contract he took the reins as interim coach for that year until Nag's contract expired (and he did well). And then he moved to be RB head of global football until he left for ManU to get crucified by Ronaldo.

So… evidently Nagelsmann riding to work on a skateboard is childish and unprofessional, but…

Thomas Tuchel pulls down Sadio Mane’s pants and then walks away. pic.twitter.com/uPZBPSEoT7

— Football Talk (@FootballTalkHQ) May 2, 2023

Well this Pokal game is fun so far. Where's this team been recently?

ETA - got real spicy despite an early 4-0 scoreline. Red for Gvardiol on a very soft, but barely legit DOGSO - flipped the script and gave Freiburg momentum.

If Dortmund fans are still around - you're welcome.

Now don't screw it up.

Leipzig!!!!

Honestly I hope this makes us clean house. Musiala and Mller are the only untouchables in my eyes. Maybe deLigt too

Need to clean the front office and board room first IMO.

This isn't really on the players. Still dumbfounded at the Nagelsmann firing.

deadbq03 said:

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Need to clean the front office and board room first IMO.

This isn't really on the players. Still dumbfounded at the Nagelsmann firing.

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Super long post, so I apologize in advance.

I agree completely and you already know my stance on it all but I will type it out anyway cause it's cathartic for me. Nagelsmann firing was beyond stupid.

While I wasn't his biggest fan, I don't think he did that bad of a job. The timing was atrocious after dominating in Champions League and being 1 point behind Dortmund with Der Klassiker coming up. Not to mention failing to replace a generational #9 with anyone with a pulse. We gave him Mane and deLigt in the transfer market and a bunch of youngish midfielders who weren't expected to crack the starting11. Mane turned into a huge bust while deLigt has been great. Couple that with losing the best #9 in club history, an aging Muller, an aging Neuer, and FC Hollywood wingers who care more about stats than winning, and this is what you get. A team that can't keep up on the pitch and one who doesn't seem to care.

Kahn needs to go (and seems to be on his way out) and Hainer needs a long look in the mirror to develop a plan. They need to build a youngish team from within and then add 1-2 pieces of technical footballers like they did with Ribery and Robben. Those guys weren't just 1 trick ponies like Coman, Sane, and Gnabry seem to be. Although Gnabry is a better passer than I tend to give him credit for.

In 2010, Bayern had a 24yr old Gomez, 20yr old Muller, 17yr old Alaba., 26yr old Lahm, 25yr old Schweinsteiger, and a 33yr old van Bommel. And then they added Ribery and Robben to make just an absolutely devastating attack and overall team that lasted them a good 5-7 years before having to revamp when age and the retirements started trickling in.

Muller, Alaba, Lahm, and Schweinsteiger all came up through their youth development. They were able to learn the proper way to train and how to handle the big demands of a huge club. But what has happened since then?

Who have we brought up through our academies that's currently on the team? Muller (still) and I want to say Musiala. And who has everyone said are the hardest workers on the team on the training pitch? Muller and Musiala. We've got into the habit of buying 22-24 year old up and comers from elsewhere in the Bundesliga who think they've made it because they're on big/bad Bayern and hope to get 4-5 years out of them before selling them off or letting them walk after their contracts are up. And if they don't develop into anything, well at least we kept talent off of other Bundesliga teams. We're not building lifers any more.

I know this is easier said then done, but our scouting department needs to get its ass in gear in a hurry and start developing the next core group of guys. Matthys Tel should have been playing for Bayern Munich II this year after we bought him. But instead he trained with the first team and got to play like 4 times this season in mop up duty. Send him to the second team and make him fight and train and earn his way to the top. At least for 1 or 2 seasons. Build that fire and desire in him, but instead you put him on the 1st team and he's on third base thinking he hit a triple. Hell he's only like 17 years old. Call him up when he's 19 and you still haven't lost a damn thing.

I'm talking a complete and utter gutting and rebuild. We'll still be talented enough to make the Champions League every season, but probably not enough to win the league every year. I think over the next 5 years Bayern might win it twice or so. But if this rebuild is done correctly, the 5 years after that can turn into hopefully another decade run of dominance.

Bayern up early and Dortmund a goal down. Classic.

Dortmund get a pen. And the attempt is weak and saved.

Dortmund have a great shout for another pen but VAR doesn't even review this time.

2-0 Mainz. Oh no. The knees of Dortmund are quaking.

Yeah they probably would've been much better off to have an away game today. They seem shaken by the pressure of winning the league in front of their fans.

Can Köln save Dortmund? They look dangerous.

Bayern 2-0. Dortmund have to win.

Nvm. Bayern 1-0. Goal was chalked off due to a handball.

Can't believe the Bees are choking this away

Bayern get the 2nd they were denied in the 1st half

Once again Bayern's goal was ruled out. Lol.

Reyna on. No Bellingham. Must be a bad injury.