When Gomez's lead feet meant that he didn't even get a single shot on target in the CL Final, regardless of the act that he was fed like five times in the box, Gomez didn't get blamed. No, instead, Robben was blamed for the loss because Cech had his best season of his career. Did you know that Cech hadn't saved a penalty for Chelsea before the 11/12 season?
First of all, thank you very much for all the insight! It’s always nice to hear how one’s national league is seen overseas. It was quite illuminating.
Oh, get out… I didn’t know. Makes it even worse.
If there is one guy I blame for not winning the title last year it’s Anatoliy Tymoshchuk. For me (and many other Bayern fans) the dude has become a real "persona non grata". Tymo is one of the best penalty shooters I have ever seen: he’s taken dozens of them for his national team and his former clubs and has a ridiculously strong shot he can even position well… still he did not have the stones to take it. – Even though Müller and our former Sporting Director Nerlinger were literally begging him.
A professional with his CV and status has to take responsibility at times like these. He did not. Thus Olic had to take the shot and failed. I do not blame the Croat because he at least had the courage to make an attempt.
As for Gomez:
I think that has only been the case for the international press then. The guy has been getting crap for years. Even Hoeneß had been shooting against him after the final. (He said "Gomez is a striker of international class. But if we had a world class striker we would have won the UCL title…," supposedly in hope of spurring him on but I don’t think that’s the case.)
And during Euro 2012 former player Mehmet Scholl (nowadays working as a TV commentator/expert) had been pulling a similar stunt by stating Gomez is moving so little on the pitch he sometimes fears he has to turn him over with a spatula so the striker is not getting bedsore.
I don't really like Heynckes as a manager, but I do feel bad for him. Even if he wins the CL this season, Heynckes gets sacked, which would even be worse than the treatment that RDM got from Abramovich this season, because at least RDM got to have the manager's job, even though we knew that Roman would sack him at some point. In fact, Heynckes has already been sacked because Mr. "I'm unproven without having the best player in the world to use" Guardiola has been hired.
Well, it’s only understandable really… Heynckes is in my opinion NO modern team manager. He just is not up-to-date. He’s an old-timer whose job was to inherit a team with a tactical focus/philosophy that Louis van Gaal had set up. His main focus was to strengthen the defense, which he did over the last two seasons. (And he did a great job in doing so! Compare attached graphic.) Another job of his was to "entertain" the players and bring the fun back. He also succeeded in doing so due to his charming personality and qualities as a mediator/moderator.
Image: Property of Experimental 3-6-1.com
But seriously, what else is there for Heynckes to do?
He is no master tactician or somebody who will develop a new identity for our team. He’s an administrator and custodian who has done his job. We must not make the mistake and stop at this point or rest on our laurels. "If you don’t go forwards you go backwards!" (We already made that mistake back in 2001.)
We need to continue improving. We need to progress and advance. This is a great squad, maybe the best Bayern team we had since the 70’s. I think they have the potential to become the best team in Europe bar none, i.e. the squad to kick Barca off the throne. – It will not be easy and will still need a lot of hard work and great efforts, but Heynckes is not the man this can be accomplished with. Of that I am sure…
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In other news: We spanked Werder Bremen today with 6-1 at Allianz Arena. Arjen was a starter and became Man of the Match. (1 goal, 2 assists, most sprints, intense runs and shots taken of all players and brilliant ratio of tackles won.)
Darn, I’m so happy for the Dutch. He totally deserves it after his dark last year. He’s still the most valuable weapon in our offense.
Lahm is also finally playing at his best again. He's proving that he was and still is, without doubt, one of the best full-backs in the world. Another guy who is on fire this season is Javi "Majestínez". Oh boy, what an elegant defense monster he is. Fans here love him already and call him Majestínez and "Magnetínez" amongst other things.
