Borussia Mönchengladbach

They are now showing German League too . Dortmund was so good to watch .

Great to hear (that you can watch the Bundesliga at your place now)!

Well, Dortmund virtually overran Gladbach yesterday. But then, they had two more competitive matches, and Gladbach still have to adjust to work around the loss of Christoph Kramer and Max Kruse.

As they were missing the experienced CBs Martin Stranzl and Álvaro Domínguez due to injuries, Gladbach played with the two youngsters Andreas Christensen (19 years) and Marvin Schulz (20 years) as CBs, for whom it was their first ever Bundesliga match.

Additionally, Lars Stindl (who is actually more of a CAM) had to play DM to replace the suspended Havard Nordtveit, as the only other DM option would have been another 19 years old youngster (Mahmoud Dahoud), who never really played a Bundesliga match either (he was subbed in for a whopping full minute in one match last season ).

So one could expect Gladbach being not at their best defensively, plus they have a long standing problem when playing againsat Dortmund in the Signal-Iduna-Park: Gladbach only won 1 single match there in the last 17 years. (On the other hand, Dortmund have severe problems to defeat Gladbach in the Borussia-Park, so it is more or less even. Between the two, Dortmund now won 30 matches, Gladbach won 29 matches, and in 28 cases the games ended in a draw.)

All other circumstances aside, the entire team imho let Favre down; there just was too little fight in them. They didn't really engage in 1on1s, left the Dortmund players too much space on the ball and were all around passive.

I very much doubt Favre wanted this, since their tactical setup looked decent otherwise. I would probably write this off as a one-off brainfart of the entire squad, a kind of passivity-inducing mass hysteria if you will.

Expect a very different BMG in the next match.

Also had to be said that Dortmund were incredible, though.

I posted my assessment in the Chelsea loan thread, but I guess I should post it here too ^^

Well, Andreas Christensen is inexperienced, so he at least had an excuse, just like Marvin Schulz. The others, though...

Let's say, better forget about this match and hope they will learn from it that one should
- at least try to run a little,
- not escort the opponents, giving them a 2-3 metres safety zone in which they could do as they pleased,
- try to pass to the guys who wear the kit of the colour you wear yourself
- remember that the goal of the game is to take at least one or the other shot at the opponent's goal

Okay, I think that should sum it up a bit ^^

Oh, and agreed - Dortmund look really great. I hope they'll win the EL this year. That would be majorly cool. Maybe a Revierderby in the EL final (one can but dream...)

As the guys from Borussia M'gladbach were so ecstatic that in the last 4 years they managed to go from barely avoiding relegationg by winning the 2011 relegation play-off in the last minute to a place in the group stage of the Champions League in 2015, they produced a movie about the last 4 years that had its premiere on Wednesday 19 Aug 2015.



Borussia the Movie: http://borussia-der-film.de/kinofilm



http://www.kicker.de/news/video/2003386/video_gladbachs-erfolgsfilm_von-der-relegation-in-die-koenigsklasse.html

Bundesliga Matchday 2 - 23 Aug 2015

Borussia M'gladbach vs 1.FSV Mainz 05

Borussia Mönchengladbach: Sommer – J.Korb, M.Schulz, Jantschke, Wendt – I.Traore, Stindl (80, Drimic), G.Xhaka, P.Herrmann (80. Hrgota) – T.Hazard (88. Dahoud), Raffael.

1.FSV Mainz 05: Karius – Brosinski, Bungert, Bell, Park – Baumgartlinger, F.Frei – Clemens (82. Balogun), Malli (63. Latza), Jairo – Muto (90. Koo).

Goals:
42.) 0:1 - Jairo (assist by Christian Clemens)
54.) 1:1 - Patrick Herrmann (assist by Lars Stindl)
79.) 1:2 - Christian Clemens (assist by Jairo)

FT - Borussia M'gladbach 1:2 1.FSV Mainz 05

I'm not amused. The defense were severely missing leader Martin Stranzl and Álvaro Domíngues (both still injured), and Lars Stindl doesn't really gel with the team yet either. Looks like Lucien Favre still has a lot of work to do.

The WDR (a German PBS) recorded the BMG song "Die Elf vom Niederrhein" with about a thousand fans and the WDR Funkhausorchester (Radio Symphony Orchestra):

Spoiler:

So this is it...



And these are the Champions League kits that Gladbach will wear:


(click to enlarge)

Time for new memories: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLjUY83QgQY

Bundesliga Matchday 3 - 30 Aug 2015

Werder Bremen vs Borussia M'gladbach

Werder Bremen: Wiedwald - Gebre Selassie, Lukimya, Vestergaard, S.Garcia - Bargfrede, C.Fritz, U.Garcia (77. F.Kroos), Junuzovic (86. Galvez) - A.Johannsson (70. Bartels), Ujah

Borussia Mönchengladbach: Sommer - Wendt, Brouwers, M.Schulz, Jantschke - G.Xhaka, Nordtveit (68. Dahoud), T.Hazard, P.Herrmann (72. A.Hahn) - Stindl, Raffael (81. Drmic)

Goals:
39.) 1:0 - Aron Johannsson (PK)
45.) 1:1 - Lars Stindl (assist by Thorgan Hazard)
53.) 1:2 - Jannik Vestergaard (assist by Zlatko Junuzovic)

FT - Werder Bremen 2:1 Borussia M'gladbach

I'm even less amused than last week. Still the defense were severely missing leader Martin Stranzl and Álvaro Domínguez (both still injured), and there was the 3rd new defense formation in the 3rd match.

Then Granit Xhaka got booked for nothing but his reputation (Clemens Fritz only fell over his own legs, but the ref had tomatoes on his eyes), and this led to Xhaka being sent off later after a second booking. The fact that Gladbach got two PKs against them in this match didn't help either.

Anyway, Lucien Favre still has a lot of work to do.



Great save from a 1vs1 situation

Interview with Yann Sommer by DW (with English voiceover):

Spoiler:

Borussia M'gladbach's CL Squad (A List)

Goal
Yann Sommer
Tobias Sippel
Christofer Heimeroth
Martin Kompalla

Defense:
Andreas Christensen
Roel Brouwers
Alvaro Dominguez
Oscar Wendt
Marvin Schulz
Fabian Johnson
Tony Jantschke
Julian Korb
Nico Elvedi
Martin Stranzl

Midfield:
Havard Nordtveit
Thorgan Hazard
Lars Stindl
Nico Schulz
Ibrahima Traore
Andre Hahn
Granit Xhaka

Strikers:
Patrick Herrmann
Josip Drmic
Raffael
Branimir Hrgota

Mo Dahoud and Marlon Ritter aren't on the A List as they qualify via the B List.

Bundesliga Matchday 4 - 11 Sep 2015

Borussia M'gladbach vs HSV

Borussia Mönchengladbach: Sommer - Korb, Stranzl (65. Dahoud), Brouwers (55. Drmić), Wendt - Jantschke, Nordtveit - Stindl (55. I.Traoré), T.Hazard - Raffael, Hahn

HSV: Drobny - Diekmeier, Djourou (88. Cleber), Kacar, Ostrzolek - Ekdal, L.Holtby - N.Müller (83. Gregoritsch), Hunt (81. Diaz), Ilicevic - Lasogga

Goals:
11.) 0:1 - Pierre Lasogga
44.) 0:2 - Pierre Lasogga (assist by Ivo Ilicevic)
52.) 0:3 - Nicolai Müller (assit by Jaroslav Drobny)

FT - Borussia M'gladbach 0:3 Hamburger SV

No comment. None whatsoever, or I would have to temp ban myself for foul language.


At a loss in every sense...

rwo wrote:No comment. None whatsoever, or I would have to temp ban myself for foul language.

What is your second favorite team??? I used to think that was Schalke...

Actually my *favourite* team is RWO, who at least managed a draw today after they had an ultra embarassing showing last week (losing 1:3 at home while being the vastly superior team )

I'm currently following Gladbach because they snatched up my favourite Swiss goalie. ^^

As for Schalke - they are not really my second favourite team, I just like that they have a great youth academy and give their kids a chance.

rwo power wrote:Actually my *favourite* team is RWO, who at least managed a draw today after they had an ultra embarassing showing last week (losing 1:3 at home while being the vastly superior team )

I'm currently following Gladbach because they snatched up my favourite Swiss goalie. ^^

As for Schalke - they are not really my second favourite team, I just like that they have a great youth academy and give their kids a chance.

I know that, it's in your name LOL. So your second favorite team will be:

#1. Wherever Mr. Cutie Pie goes or
#2. Whoever has the best assortments of young players

*g* Why not? As a second team is always secondary, I don't really feel the need to stay "loyal" there. ^^

rwo power wrote:*g* Why not? As a second team is always secondary, I don't really feel the need to stay "loyal" there. ^^

I wasn't asking or questioning loyalty, but was merely curious. My secondary teams are even more diverse: Valencia, Roma, Leverkusen, Marseille. I even have soft spots for Atletico, Dortmund, Fiorentina

...and the BMG Juggernaut rolls on

Monsieur Favre is still in the process of figuring out the best set up. It's not just about the loss of Kramer+Kruse, but currently there are injuries to Martin Stranzl, Alvaro Dominguez, Fabian Johnson (all defenders) and Patrick Herrmann. And Granit Xhaka wasn't available due to suspension either.

In the last matches, Gladbach hat to shuffle around there defense and DM/CMs all the time, and that this is detrimental to defensive solidity, should be obvious.

BMG had the following defense line-ups in the last games:

BVB: Jantschke, M.Schulz, A.Christensen, Wendt - Stindl, G.Xhaka
Mainz: Korb, M.Schulz, Jantschke, Wendt - Stindl, G.Xhaka
Werder: Jantschke, Brouwers, M.Schulz, Wendt - Nordtveit, G.Xhaka
HSV: Korb, Stranzl, Brouwers, Wendt - Nordtveit, Jantschke
Sevilla: Korb, Brouwers, Jantschke, Wendt - Nordtveit, Stindl

rwo power wrote:Sevilla: Korb, Brouwers, Jantschke, Wendt - Nordtveit, Stindl

How is Nordtveit doing? Used to be my favorite purchase in Fifa 10.

Currently Havard Nordtveit fits in seemlessly with the rest of the team - that is, he was ineffective and didn't really work as CDM. But then, he is not alone there - the whole team is completely off atm.

rwo power wrote:Currently Havard Nordtveit fits in seemlessly with the rest of the team - that is, he was ineffective and didn't really work as CDM. But then, he is not alone there - the whole team is completely off atm.

I thought he was a CB

Exactly that is the problem. Currently Lucien Favre is wildly experimenting with the positions.

Nordi played at the "double-6" (DM/CM/CDM) next to Xhaka, Jantschke and Stindl, respectively, in the last 3 matches.

The CB pairings in the last matches were
- M.Schulz/A.Christensen (against BVB)
- M.Schulz/Jantschke (against Mainz)
- Brouwers/M.Schulz (against Werder)
- Stranzl/Brouwers (against HSV)
- Brouwers/Jantschke (against Sevilla)

Do you notice something there?

rwo power wrote:Do you notice something there?

Rodgers have a 'double'

So. As I decided that the match against Sevilla never happened, I shall continue with the Rheinderby here.

Bundesliga Matchday 5 - 19 Sep 2015

1.FC Köln vs Borussia M'gladbach

1.FC Köln: Horn - Olkowski, Sörensen, Heintz, Hector - M.Lehmann (c), Vogt (46. Jojic) - Risse, Bittencourt (77. Gerhardt) - Modeste, Osako

Borussia Mönchengladbach: Sommer - Jantschke (c), Brouwers, A.Christensen, Wendt - Dahoud (76. Hrgota), G.Xhaka - I.Traoré (70. N.Schulz), T.Hazard (70. Hahn) - Raffael, Drmic

Goals:
64.) 1:0 - Anthony Modeste (assist by Leonardo Bittencourt)

FT - 1.FC Köln 1:0 Borussia M'gladbach

...

rwo, you need a hug.