SchalkeUK

Tedesco was a disaster - Max and Leon away for nothing. Best defender we had also given away. 90 minutes of a semi-final against Frankfurt and no changes - even when they got the only goal which got them to the final and he had three internationals running up and down the side of the pitch ready to come on. That sort of leadership got him what he deserved and it was no one else's fault. Magrat giving Manuel away and Ivan packed off to Spain, Slomka refusing to talk to Mesut's dad and then sent him to Bremen in a fit of pique. At least DW is trying to communicate but some ears are closed and not listening - some of them are upstairs and not even on the pitch. History repeating itself - again! PS a quote from the paper at the time of Tedesco's last weeks: Signings such as Mark Uth, Sebastian Rudy, Omar Mascarell, Suat Serdar, Steven Skrzybski and Salif Sané have shown themselves to far from the level required to replace the departed Leon Goretzka, Max Meyer and Thilo Kehrer.

No not really, the idea that young players or even young professionals should be given as many chances to raise their level of competence is paramount to the future of the game. In a league where the level is maintained by keeping them together would not do that - putting them against old pros or others who are earning a living in lower leagues would challenge them to continue to improve rather than just get a little better than their peers. Those teams in BL3 3 and lower are as important to the game as the BL itself and I had no intention of belittling that - simply to give the new generation something to aim for other than simply their Club first team.

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Sounds as if the 'leaks' from upstairs are showing up again. Schneider has to take as much of the responsibility for the garbage we are seeing at the moment. DW is trying to build a Lego Castle out of wine gums. The defence is terrible - why hasn't our football director sorted out the Jonjoe situation? Why has he let Uth and Bentaleb return when we all know that they failed last year and Ozipka on the other side was never and is never a defender to rely on. Don't blame the builder when the boss gives him poor quality bricks to work with and swapping him for another untried amateur - perhaps a too hard description of Schwarz - but that's what we always do - we might as well bring Tedesco back and get ready for BL2 if that's the thinking. Sorry nudge, but let's wait until the result this weekend when we will find out which of two poor teams is the better one and take it from there!

The Professional game is hard - a reserve league would get young players to compete against other young players and the level of work etc would not give them the experience they need to prepare for the higher form of football. Playing against other clubs as reserve sides in a proper league is a better form of education. Taking Grammar School pupils to the local Comprehensive for lessons would never be contemplated - not because of any form of elitism, but because it's a different world and it wouldn't work. We dare not put too many young players into the first BL teams at once, but experience against senior Pro's who are in the last years for their careers is far better than forming a 'kids' league.

I spent some time teaching in Germany in Gelsenkirchen and got to know many of the young players in the early 20's. Have been a fan of 04 since 1949 when I first visited the area on a Youth Exchange from Yorkshire hence my tag name! When Timo was at Stuttgart he was always a threat but German football and defenders area different from those in the PL. His time at Leipzig prospered from the fact that Poulson took most of his stick and gave him so many chances and no one in the German National team does that - hence his lack of success there! I have no problems with his abilities -they are first class, but he hides too often when the going gets tough and I fear that he is no Drogba who can take it and give it back! The few times I met him with my young friend Andy Beck he was the sort of guy you wanted to spend time with - polite, respectful and funny, buy football needs hard guys up front - not diving whimps like the little fellow at City who last night should have been carded in the first minute and then got kicked about and the ref didn't believe it once and like most other refs have had enough of hid 'cheating'. I really do wish him well, but the pressure will be on him every week and I am not sure he will cope with that! Anyway my lot have far more problems to consider at the moment someone would rescue my young ex pupil Max and get him away from Woy Hodgson! C'st La Vie. Oh and for a final comment - I can see the lights of Elland Road from my bedroom window when they are on! Take care, stay safe and sei nett!

I have watched Timo for years and said when the signing was likely that it would be a great error to put him in the PL - too nice, too soft and too often in dreamland on the pitch. You were warned!

Oh dear! Last night I listened to Chelsea supporters ranting about the defeat against Liverpool. They had a defender dismissed for a very stupid tackle, a penalty awarded and missed and the keeper made an error which led to a goal. No thoughts on Liverpool's performance, no idea that playing 45 minutes with 10 men could have been responsible - it was 0-0 at the time of the sending off, and very little comment on the missed penalty - it was all the keeper's fault! Now Werder and 04 are down at the bottom with Gladbach! Three performances which could have been better, but no one is talking about Gladbach - one of my tips for the Top 4. It's only day 1 and if anyone seriously thought 04 could give Bayern a game at the moment then they are as daft as the Chelsea gang. Werder are also better than that one off game so far - please, please hold on - there is plenty of time between now and December to sort things - then will be the time for recrimination and changes, but instilling a lack of confidence in the Manager and his players is not something to do today. So DW made bad choices of selection and Kohfeldt has a poor start to 2020/21, but we live with that sort of thing every day and Boris and Donald are still in power! At least the Chelsea guys never once suggested getting rid of Frank! Patience my friends - and support your local Sheriff - even if his guns seem short of bullets for now! Sei net!

I know a few girls/ladies - and one or two guys - who wouldn't kick him out of bed!! Ugly is only in the eye of the opposition fans

It's not his fault - anyone whose mother gives him the name 'Timo' is asking for trouble

Could not add last night to the discussions but now back home. So why anyone is surprised by that result I do not know! 04 have had no defence for a long time and last night's selection do seriously question DW's ideas. Bentaleb and Uth's return showed exactly why they were let go in the first place and the old man on the right at the back is worrying that no decision has yet been made on Kenny. We all know the young Welsh guy is fast, but his inability to pass a ball is painlessly obvious so there was no defence, no midfield and DW could just have given Burgstaller the front position as he wasn't going to get a chance anyway! The idea of DW being 'let go' was etched on the faces of the 04 'board' during the game so the 'Sack' thread could be right - 'cos that's what we always do - and then bring back Magrat or Slomka or God knows who! The song 'He Ain't Heavy' has a first line which is being played out this morning in 04 supporters heads. After Match 1 we are not down as Bayern will murder quite a few of the BL sides playing like this - I spent some time with Leroy during his injury spell in Manchester, last night he was happier than I have seen him since the last day at school! Those shots of him on the bench after being subbed for me was the best thing about the game! Now I can get back to the local scene here and watch with Lukas as his guys show us that last week's efforts were not a fluke!

Just arrived home from holiday break - sorry I missed the cut off for World section but made it for this in time Saturday 19th September, 2020 Arsenal 4-1 West Ham, 20.00 Everton 3-0 West Brom, 12.30 Leeds 2-1 Fulham Man Utd 2-1 Crystal Palace, 17.30 Sunday 20th September, 2020 Chelsea 2-3 Liverpool, 16.30 Leicester City 3-1 Burnley, 19.00 Newcastle 3-1 Brighton, 14.00 Southampton 0-2 Tottenham, 12.00 Monday 21st September, 2020 Aston Villa 1-3 Sheff Utd, 18.00 Wolves 1-4 Man City, 20.15

Every the optimist! Here goes: 1: Bayern Munich 2: Gladbach 3: BVB 4: RBL 5: 04 6: Leverkusen 7: Frankfurt 8: Werder Bremen 9: Hertha Berlin 10: Freiburg 11: Augsburg 12: Wolfsburg 13: Hoffenburg 14: Stuttagrt 15: Union Berlin 16: Mainz 17: Cologne 18: Bielefeld Promotion definitely Dusseldorf!

I think most of us expected the Pool guys to marmalise the Loiners - Lucas must be a really happy guy at the moment - losing to such a great all round team by one goal in 7 must give him hope that the next few months will have more than a few happy moments and his new guys look to have already settled in well! As a first game performance I would not bet on Kloppy's gang to do anything other than retain the title.