World Football Postulant

Jürgen Klinsmann should have anticipated a tough showing on Saturday at Borussia Dortmund.  Dortmund bounced on Bayer Leverkusen last week and left with a 3-2 road victory to open the season.  Their energy level left Bayer looking under-prepared for the opening match.  It was only towards the end of that match that Leverkusen were truly playing with Dortmund.

Against Bayern Munich, Dortmund again showed that energy.  Continue Reading »

When I saw the score yesterday, I thought it a great result for Martin Jol.  For him to go to München and get a point from Bayern in his league debut with Hamburger SV was a great start, I thought.  It is an even better result considering the defending league championship were up two half way through the first, with Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski having taken control of the match.

Bayern can be forgiven a bit if they let Hamburg back into the match.  The ended up playing without Franck Ribery, German Footballer of the Year, who is still recovering from an ankle injury suffered during the European Championships.  München were also without Luca Toni, the league’s leading scorer last term, who has been recovering from a hamstring injury for the last month.  Their starting lineup was also absent center back Martin Demichelis, a loss which have would have been big enough without his partner Lúcio picking up a knock in the fourth minute.  With Breno at the Olympics and Willy Sangol out, Bayern coach Jürgen Klinsmann was without any back-ups at center half.  München adjusted by having Daniel van Buyten do all the roaming while the Brazilian stayed at home.

In that context, Bayern’s 2-2 draw with Hamburger look less a capitulation and more survival.  It speaks to how deep and talented Bayern is compared to the rest of the league that they were still able to compete with the team that finished fourth in last year’s Bundesliga.

This is not to say Bayern had a completely incapable side.  They still had Podolski and Miroslav Klöse up top, with Schweinsteiger, Zé Roberto, Mark van Brommel in the midfield and Philip Lahm at the back.  Zé Roberto helped set-up Schweinsteiger’s opener, while Podolski scored his goal from a penalty kick.

Hamburg fought back and ended with a well deserved draw.  Peruvian José Guerrero pulled them within one with a great first-half goal that came amidst a very impressive performance.  A symmetry-building penalty kick got them even in the second.  The call that led to the penalty kick was not the kind of clear-cut, no-doubt circumstance that you hope for in a tying goal, but given how the visitors had played throughout the match, Piotr Trochowski’s goal did not yield an unjust result.

Hamburg continued the strong play they had exhibited throughout the preseason despite not playing Mohammad Zidan (presumably knowing he was to be dealt to Dortmund) and not getting the kind of dynamic play from newcomer Jonathan Pitroipa that led me to believe they would not be as hurt by Rafael van der Vaart’s sale as many believed.  With Mladen Petric coming in, some of van der Vaart’s goal scoring will be replaced, but this team will be fine regardless if they play with the creativity they showed on Friday.  Martin Jol has Hamburger playing with much more ambition than last season.  That may just be an appearance gathered from Ivica Olic running around Bayern’s back line for ninety minutes, but Jol seems to want Hamburg to open up an attack that finished tenth in goals in last season’s Bundesliga.

We will have to wait for Bayern to get healthy to know where they stand, though there is little doubt that they are the class of the league.  At least, they should be considered as such until they show otherwise.  Hamburg, however, may not be in for the downturn many are expecting.  Some see the sky falling without van der Vaart.  Jol seems to have his players believing otherwise.

Links
Jol happy with comeback draw against Bayern
Bayern held to 2-2 draw by Hamburg
Bayern held on Klinsmann’s debut
Bayern 2-2 Hamburg: Trochowski hits equaliser
Bayern held in opener
Klinsmann: Still Work to Do
Champions Bayern held in opener
Bayern Held By HSV In Bundesliga Opener
Bayern held by Hamburg in Klinsmann’s first game
Bayern held on Klinsmann’s debut

Lukas Podolski tallied a hat-trick for Bayern Munich, currently touring Japan, as the Bundesliga champions defeated the Urawa Reds 4-2. Podolski played up top with Miroslav Klöse as he filled in for the injured Luca Toni. Bayern coach Jurgen Klinsmann went with a 4-4-2.

It’s difficult to tell, at this point, what Klinsmann’s plans for Podolski are. Football fans who want to see the talented German get more playing time than he did last season might be encouraged by his performance yesterday, but note that he did it while in a striker’s position. Perhaps he was only deployed there because Toni was out, but the preseason would be a great time to let Podolski continue to get experience on the left wing, where he played in Euro 2008, a deployment that would allow all of Podolski, Toni and Klöse to play together.

In addition to Toni being out, Frank Ribery has a long term injury which will keep him out until mid-September. Having injured his ankle in Euro 2008, Ribery’s role in the midfield could be seen as one of the issues in Podolski moving to left wing. But with Ribery out of the lineup, that conflict is temporarily eliminated, making this a good time to use Podolski on the wing. That didn’t happen, either because of Toni’s injury or Klinsmann’s preference, or both.

One big reason that Klinsmann may have deployed Podolski as he did is the club’s lack of depth at striker.  With Toni injured, one could argue that the club had no choice but to use Podolski up top.  It’s not something I can argue too strenuously against, since Podolski will be used as a striker at times this season (in case of injury or resting Toni or Klose), he is a natural striker, and there were no other real strikers available.  But this preseason is one of the few opportunities for Podolski to continue developing as a winger without that development potentially costing Bayern on the pitch.  He may not need that much more development, and he might be able to continue his maturation when the real matches start, against the Colognes and Hoffenheims of the Bundesliga.  Again, I can’t argue too viahmently against such claims.  Were I Klinsmann, I would rather get Podolski as much time on the left as possible, even if it means playing somebody like José Sosa or Bastian Schweinsteiger as a second striker.

If Klinsmann is not going play Podolski on the wing, with Ribery out, it might be a hint that he sees the Germany star as a striker and plans to apportion time amongst him, Toni, and Klose while sticking to Bayern’s 4-4-2. Not only is this an inefficient use of the club’s player resources, it practically guarantees this will be Podolski’s last year with the club. He stayed at Bayern with the hopes of getting regular football. A rotation arrangement he is likely to see the short-end of will only push him away from the club. By October, Podolski will be wishing he jumped to the Premiership.

I have to think that over the course of the season, Klinsmann will come around, but with Bayern being the clear favorites in Germany, they could go the whole season with an inefficient lineup and still win the league. Champions League, however, is another issue. Bayern has a good chance to get out of the group stages with Podolski as their third striker, depending on the group draw. With his on the left wing, the club would look a better bet to advance out into the knockout stages.

Links

Podolski leads Bayern against Japan’s Reds
Podolski Bags Hat-Trick As Bayer Beat Urawa
Podolski leads Bayern against Japan’s Reds

Lukas Podolski used his stand-out performance in Euro 2008 to angle for regular playing time, be that at Bayern Munich, where he spent last season as a stand-in for starters Luca Toni and Miroslav Klöse, or elsewhere. He’s been linked with Cologne, with Stuttgart in a swap for Mario Gomez, and various sides in the Premiership. Now, Podolski says he wants to stay at Bayern while warning he expects more playing time than he received last year.

That should not be a problem for new Bayern Munich coach Jürgen Klinsmann, who will have the option of putting Podolski at left wing, the position he proved himself capable of playing during the European Championships. Should that move happen, it will mean possibly losing Bastian Schweinsteiger (during a lineup reshuffling hinted at here), but that’s a no-brainer decision. If faced with a tactical change to keep Podolski or keeping Schweinsteiger happy, you do the former. Podolski has shown himself to be an elite talent, and only a lack of imagination by Ottmar Hitzfeld put him on the bench last season. Given that Joachim Low, the coach for Germany who put Podolski at left wing, had the idea to put Podolski on left wing for the national team, it’s unlikely that Klinsmann will suffer from the same lack of imagination.

The other possibility is Munich switching to a move traditional 4-3-3 formation, with Podolski assuming a forward position.  That, however, seems less likely given that Toni and Klöse are center forward (neither suitable for the right side) and the presence of Frank Ribery, who would have to play a conventional left midfield under such a formation.  Despite Klinsmann’s allusions to using three forwards, playing Podolski on the wing seems the more likely scenario.

The implications for Bayern, should assimilating a happy Podolski be successful, could be huge.  They are back in the Champions League this year after last year’s failing in the UEFA Cup.  Provided Frank Ribery comes back from his ankle injury in time to regain form for the Champions League group stage, Bayern should be able to get past the group stage this season.  Should they do so, they have enough power and variety in attack, with Podolski streaking down that wing, to compensate for their stellar-though-not-elite defence.  Their change in goalie from retiring Oliver Kahn to Michael Rensing may be another issue at the back, though it’s debatable if, at this point in Kahn’s career, this change is a downgrade.

Key to all of this, though, is being able to attack in the way that Jürgen Klinsmann will want.  To do that, Podolski must be there, and he must be happy.  Provided that happens, Bayern Munich goes from prohibitive favorite to near lock to repeat atop the Bundesliga.

Quotes

“I spoke to Klinsmann and I am totally concentrated on the next season.” - Podolski
“No one can be happy with what I went through last season because I did not play much. Therefore, my goal is now not to be on the bench.” - Podolski
“That (the sale of Podolski) does not come in any way into the question. We need at least three top strikers - and Lukas is one of the three.” - Klinsmann
“He has a duty to challenge the other [Klose and Toni], to provide them with competition.” - Klinsmann
“I told him what I told him before the European Championships: that he has a lot of talent, that he has already shown a lot in his young years, but also that he still has some more steps to take in order to become better.” - Klinsmann

Links

Podolski Wants Bayern Stay
Podolski to stay on
Klinsi wants to keep Podolski at Bayern
Klinsmann Confirms Podolski Stance

Though Bayern Munich have said he is not for sale, Lukas Podolski has said he wants to move back to 1. FC Köln (Cologne), keeping him in the Bundesliga.  Podolski made his reputation in Cologne, scoring 46 goals in 81 appearances over three season for Köln before moving to Bayern.  He’s scored only nine league goals in two years for München where he’s been used mostly as a substitute.

Podolski’s been linked with various Premiership clubs, but it’s understandable that he wants to return to a place when he’s had success.  At 23, Podolski is still young enough for another move.  For now, he may want to go somewhere where he’s sure he’ll get playing time, reestablish himself, and just have fun playing club football.  It doesn’t sound like he’s had much fun in his two seasons at Bayern.

I don’t know how much reestablishing Podolski needs.  He starred at the 2006 World Cup.  He starred at Euro 2008.  Including his success with Köln, the only place he hasn’t impressed at is Bayern.  I’m willing to overlook his lack of opportunity at Allianz Arena, trust what I’ve seen from him on the international stage, and concede that Ottmar Hitzfeld may have simply underused Podolski.  It’s not a novel interpretation, but given Joachim Löw’s ability to find a place on the pitch for Podolski with Miroslav Klöse and Mario Gomez also in his plans, it’s more than fair to ask why Hitzfeld couldn’t do the same having Klöse an Luca Toni in fold.

Bayern and new coach Jürgen Klinsmann may want to try Podolski on the left wing before selling him.  That’s understandable, though it will probably mean Bastian Schweinsteiger is definitely gone.  It will be interesting to see how the team players with Toni, Klöse, Podolski and Frank Ribery on the pitch at the same time.  Those are four very attack oriented players, and while we did see Podolski do a good job of assuming defensive responsibilities during Euro 2008, it looks like Klinsmann might want to just out-gun the Bundesliga.  Should be fun.

Links

Bayern:  Podolski not for sale

Rummenigge:  Hands Off Podolski!

Podolski:  I Want Cologne Return

Podolski Wants to Sign for Cologne