<b>Bavarian FIFA Works: Trophy #1 is Ours</b>
<a href="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/LLAblTZbZXHhFZXSZon_wCwEVeI=/0x0:5568x3712/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66526482/1166049835.jpg.0.jpg">Borussia Dortmund v Bayern München - DFL Supercup 2019</a> Photo by Stuart Franklin/Bongarts/Getty ImagesWe talk the DFL Supercup result, send another player on loan, and need your help with a decision!So, I’ve never done a major post-match wrap-up or highlights for this blog once, despite the many opportunities I’ve had covering <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/bundesliga/teams/bayern-munich">Bayern Munich</a>. So, I’ll be doing my best describing the match and then giving out awards.Bayern vs. Dortmund - DFL SupercupWell, it was a fun and dark day at Sanderson Park (our Allianz Arena) as Bayern took on BVB in the first Mickey Mouse trophy of the season. The quadruple was on as our Hernan Crespo/Jake Fenner manager brought his team out onto the field. The starting lineup for us was a 4-2-3-1 ofLewandowskiSané-Müller-GnabryThiago-KimmichAlaba-Hernandez-Süle-PavardNeuerThis officially marked Leroy Sané ‘s debut for Bayern Munich.Meanwhile, Dortmund lined up in some weird 3-4-1-2 combination, which featured their newest signings <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/bundesliga/players/250387/julian-brandt">Julian Brandt</a>, <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/bundesliga/players/251719/thorgan-hazard">Thorgan Hazard</a>, Nico Schulz and Gabriel Jesus.Unlike previous editions of FIFA, I was forced to actually play the game instead of being able to simulate them while watching it (more on that later), which left me unprepared and brought in some shocking results.5’ GOAL from Paco Alcacer (FCB 0:1 BVB)Well, this one was just ugly on my part. Niklas “Chonky Boi” Süle took too heavy of a touch as he tried to take a run upfield. Jesus intercepted, slotted it over to Alcacer who scored and put Dortmund ahead early.43’ Yellow Card to Benjamin Pavard (FCB 0:1 BVB)It was an important Yellow Card, as it forced me to make some changes to the team on the fly. A <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/bundesliga/players/236841/marco-reus">Marco Reus</a> free kick from the edge of the box didn’t scare <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/bundesliga/players/110254/manuel-neuer">Manuel Neuer</a>, and a few minutes later, we hit half time.45’ Sub: <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/bundesliga/players/253660/leon-goretzka">Leon Goretzka</a> for Benjamin Pavard (FCB 0:1 BVB)The switch pushed Kimmich back to the Right Back position and allowed a second natural defensive midfielder to join Thiago in distributing abilities.74’ Sub: Timo Werner for <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/bundesliga/players/236837/robert-lewandowski">Robert Lewandowski</a> (FCB 0:1 BVB)For those who listened into the livestream, you’ll remember this tangent. One of the few things I really dislike about FIFA is that they really rely on the abilities of pacy players while absolutely nuking the stats for strength. For example, Lewy, who has a strength rating of 82, was getting shoved off the ball by players like Zagadou and Hakimi, who are both not as strong. Even in my time playing FUT, I bought Adebayo Akinfenwa, the strongest player in the game, and he’d still get pushed off by a pacier player. This makes no sense to me. So, we were forced to have the #TimoTrain make its first stop.83’ GOAL from Thomas Müller (FCB 1:1 BVB)Just a wonderful strike from the <em>Ramdeuter.</em> Thiago’s passing skills have been amazing all game and it shows from a great ball to Werner. He slotted it over to Müller who hit a shot near post that Roman Bürki should have easily saved. No matter, we have a tie game.90’ GOAL from Timo Werner (FCB 2:1 BVB)TIMO TIME AT THE DEATH. Once again, Thiago has a great pass into the box for Müller, who sends a little dink of a pass to Werner, who calmly places it home and makes it 2-1 Bayern and ends the game there!Match…

Germany v North Macedonia - FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar QualifierPhoto by Alex Grimm/Getty ImagesIt’s just the three of us now, Timo — and you need to make Hansi, Uli, and myself look good, bub.Welp, it looks like it might be down to Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick, RTL pundit Uli Hoeneß, and me...we might be the only three left.It’s true! It seems like everyone else has bailed off of the #TimoTrain.This ride has not been for the faint of heart for sure, but I think I can pinpoint when things started to go wrong for Timo Werner.Let’s take a look back into the recent past and figure out how we ended up with no brakes, derailed, and skidding off a cliff.Contrary to popular belief, Werner’s path to success did not go awry when he signed with Chelsea (or when he was born...ha ha...we already know you were about to type that comment Ineednoname), but when Werner made the fatal decision to bypass a Champions League match with his old squad in order to leave early for London.While London was, indeed, calling, Werner could have done what we all do when we see an incoming call: Hit decline and deal with it later. Instead, Werner tested both karma and fate by leaving a team competing in the Champions League for no good reason— and now he’s paying the price.When a player makes a decision like that, he loses any sense of understanding that people might have when you fail. If he makes a mistake, they criticize you a little bit harder. Go through a tough spell and they’ve got no sympathy for said player.This is where Werner stands after yesterday’s flubbed opportunity right in front of the net, those voices are going to get louder, and more harsh, and certainly more angry.The internet is certainly an unkind place.And that’s how we ended up here. Just me, Hansi, Uli, and a bunch of empty passenger cars once filled with people eager to see a young player’s success.To quote a wise, distinguished looking fellow in a top hat that we saw back at the rail yards before we left on the journey, “Timo...you’re causing confusion and delay!”And yesterday’s bottled performance against North Macedonia won’t change anyone’s ideas about you, Timo — you’ve certain made a mess of this season at times. It will be up to you now to find a way to clean things — first with yourself and then for both club and country.People aren’t easy to please. For many of them, you’ve now got two strikes against you (and maybe three if you count that I’m one of the three people still in your camp!), so whatever is next, you’ll need to get yourself together, own that failure, repair your mentality, and get back on the rails.Take this trip one stop at a time because we all know a runaway train ain’t never comin’ back, especially if you’re going the wrong way on a one-way track.(Okay, you got me....paraphrasing Soul Asylum on BFW again.)Anyway, get your battle armor on Timo, and keep your head clear. Confidence is key and you are not playing like you have any at this point. You’ve got to get that right before you can move on and get past this season — and everything that has come along with it.Things aren’t going to get much easier from here, but you’ve got time (#TimoTime?) to totally redeem yourself — and at least three of us think you still can.

via Bavarian Football Works - All Posts https://ift.tt/3rBFNBj

North Macedonia v Germany - 2022 FIFA World Cup QualifierPhoto by Alex Grimm/Getty ImagesThe Germans put together a big second half to cruise past North Macedonia on their way to being the first country to qualify for Qatar 2022.Germany are officially the first nation to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with a big 4-0 win over Macedonia to win Group J with two matches to spare. It wasn’t a pretty much in the rain down in North Macedonia, but the Germans gritted through a first half to explode with goals in the second half.That first half really sucked.If you watched this game, you know what an absolute slog the first half of the match was. North Macedonia is terrible, and Germany looked very disinterested in doing anything of consequence for the majority of the 45 minutes. The Germans had 76% of the possession in the first half and probably only really threatened the North Macedonian goal a couple of times.There were things that were ridiculous to see like Timo Werner finding oodles of space on multiple occasions, only to have his first touch fail him or, in one case, hit the post. There were also inexplicable things like Serge Gnabry pulling up from 35 yards out on a 2-on-1 counterattack and hitting a cross to nobody. It was almost like he got tired and said, “screw it.”Still, in recent years, it’s very likely that we would’ve seen Germany concede a goal in a first half like that; however, Niklas Süle and Thilo Kehrer were pretty good at the back today in stifling most of the North Macedonia counters. Germany survived that awful first half without conceding, and it helped spark their victory.If Werner can figure out the goal-scoring side of the game, Germany can win the World Cup.If you heard a loud noise in the second half of the match, it’s because our fearless leader Chuck Smith blew the horn while attaching another car to the #TimoTrain.Look, nobody thinks Timo Werner is perfect. He’s a forward, and the weakest part of his game is his finishing. It’s painful to watch at times, because Werner regularly finds himself in open space due to a lot of hard work prior to receiving a pass; however, it’s almost like his brain goes blank and he forgets how to put the ball into the net most of the time.He should’ve had at least one goal heading into halftime, but he was unable to convert the best chance for either side, hitting the post in the process. It was bad!Still, with that said, Werner showed the potential that he’s always had in the second half. While his first goal was thanks to the brilliant assist more than his finish, Werner’s second goal was a brilliant curling ball to the far post to seal the match.Müller’s assist on Werner’s first goal was otherworldly.While a lot of the talk in this match will rightfully be about Werner’s two-goal performance, Thomas Müller’s two-assist performance was just as incredible. If Germany have any hope at being successful next November/December in Qatar, it’s going to be in large part thanks to Müller.His assist on Werner’s first goal was simply incredible. Müller is such an incredible player, and it’s hard to put into words just how great he is at times. Look at this beauty!Thomas Muller with the acrobatic assist

(via @TUDNUSA) pic.twitter.com/tzGeiwUF89— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 11, 2021

via Bavarian Football Works - All Posts https://ift.tt/3FFj6nY