SchalkeUK

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!

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

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.

It sure does, Stanley!

Losing Amin would be a disaster to DW's planning and something I do not wish to contemplate at the moment. The defence seems to be a little more settled during the pre-season games, and the forward efforts are - particularly with Kotucu coming on strong - getting better. Mid-field needs work and without Harit it would be a sparse start for the front men but we will not miss the young American as he was always just all over the place and had no set plan from which the rest could benefit. Sunday's game will be against lower level opposition, could be a pointer to next week's real challenge against the Munchkins who normally start slowly. A draw there would be a great start for us!

I used to teach sex ed properly to young guys - nowadays we're back to frogs and butterflies so they know not what they do and teachers are scared of being real and accurate - blame Foden if you want, but someone should have explained this stuff to him!

How long is a piece of string? sadly with lack of flights from Leeds after the airline went out of business it is not so easy to get an hour's lift to Dusseldorf, but I was last there twice before the lockdown this year and normally 4 or 5 visits each season - depending on the Pokal draw as it is normally easier to get tickets for those games rather than the usual sold out BL matches. When I can afford it I like to stay at the Marriott next to the stadium, but I used to stay with liverbird in Essen or friend in Herne as the ticket inclused train or bus transport to and from the game so it is cheaper to fly, stay and watch than drive (fuel and parking) and watch Man City or United as the seats are normally only 19Eu upwards.(for us old wrinklies and kids). Not sure when the next trip will be - this weekend's Pokal would have been easy, but as the place is closed I am stuck with the TV coverage on Sunday afternoon (Sky Sport 4 de) and it might be easier for you if hesgol covers it, althouth Stuttgart are also on Sky Sports De (5) at the same time. Enjoyed watching the golf with your super weather in Atlanta this week! lucky so and so!

There are a few that have been moved as the stadia and surrounds of lower division teams are not Covid fit and would not have been allowed by the BL to be used. Nothing to do with money or offers of money - all to do with the virus thingy!

The whole area is worth spending time to get to know. Usually the missis and I like to stop over in Ulm - only about 3 hours from Freiburg. Great city - nice hotels and - for the history buffs - the birthplace of Einstein and in 1972 we were introduced to Cauliflower soup which sounds yeuch, but is quite nice really! It's also not too far from Stuttgart so you could also drop in the VFB Mercedes-Benz Stadium for a BL game now that they are back up! After the war Stuttgart was a place we UK kids got to know as it was easy to receive the latest US Music from AFN Stuttgart (360m medium wave) from about 4 in the afternoon when the layer came down! In Freiburg you are near enough to take a trip into Switzerland and only 1 hour from Rheinfelden - birthplace of young Herr Rakitic - who tells me the beer there is the best in the country. I am already envious of you and your trip and hope the C19 doesn't spoil it for you.

Is Frank going to surprise us all - watch the Arena!

Shh - whispering between the Bridge and the Arena!

To get 4 in the first half and then play like 04 means you still have 4 at full time. Hope the next one is a bit better and they get Heimweh nach San Pauli!

With a few players still isolating after the virus problem this was a so-so game, but Kotucu managed to make it 1-0 and proved again he cold be the answer for the missing goal problems. Looks like McKennie is off to Juve so the dressing room will be quieter again..... now all we need is someone to be daft enough to take Burgstaller! The Viktoria Kon game is also off due to the virus but the game against Bochum on the 5th is still likely to take place. Bremen game on Sky this afternoon - will be interesting...

Hallo Leute! Everything is fine! I've had a very pleasant text from Eco - just proves that his texts do not sometimes actually represent the guy he is!

perhaps I should have said try search engine of choice - not sure about the use of your language though - shows little respect which I used to insist was on here and seems to have deteriorated recently! Sorry I bothered to try and assist!

Try google and BBC Sport where there is a transfer rumours section and that normally covers Euro teams as well as the UK

Thanks nudge - reliable as ever!

Difficult to get news in the UK from Austria but has anyone in DE had any news about the possible report on Covid in the training camp and why the game against Wurzburg seems to have been called off?

Once, twice or three times? Give my best to Lionel and what the heck was he doing in your basement? He's 71 not 64!

What updates? My Windows 7 is perfect and working fine and I never get any updates 'cos they keep wanting me to get to 10 which I find annoying and too full of nonessential stuff for us wrinklies! Now if you could just go back to 7 you would be left in peace!

Hi Tommy - hope the Trump virus is not giving you too much grief - unlike that performance yesterday. At least it showed that Burgstaller is even useless against 3rd Division footballers and David needs to get one or two of them to start taking pre-season seriously. Our ex 'Schalke/Dusseldorf' man got another two - mainly by again being in the right place at the right time, but when he went off with the youngsters it was dire to watch. Hope Uerdingen is better on Tuesday. Sei nett!

Not here too often these days, but I wouldn't have missed the chance to send the annual message to my long-time friend and fan of the men in green. Great people have b'days at this time - old mate Klaas (V H) is ready for another tomorrow. Try and stretch the celebrations so you can drink one with him then.

Interesting to see what happens - after yesterday's 5-1 pre-season win in the north both present keepers (Including the returnee from East Anglia) performed well - so perhaps nothing will happen for the moment. Interesting also that Skrzykski got 2 within minutes of coming on the field - his time with Tommy's gang seems to have sharpened him up. With Caliguiri out of the picture perhaps there will be a little more 'togetherness' on the pitch now!

Sorry but the little thug is not amongst the favourites - other players have had enough and good luck to whoever gets him - as long as they can keep him on the field he might - just might - be useful - but not in Germany. The officials have had enough and have been watching him closely at the end of the season - best way to describe him is a selfish version of Paul Scholes. Watch him carefully - not just a little bit from a distance!