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Post by reamsofverse on Apr 7, 2024 9:22:57 GMT
There is something special happening in Germany. Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen won away at Union Berlin yesterday and that came off the back of a 4-0 drubbing of Fortuna Düsseldorf three days earlier to make it into the DFB Pokal Final (German FA Cup). They are 16 points clear of Bayern Munich with 6 games left to play in the Bundesliga and face West Ham in the Europa League quarter-finals on Tursday. They’re still unbeaten in all competitions this season. For context, the last time Leverkusen finished higher than 3rd was the 2010/11 season and the last time they won a trophy was 1993. If they go on to win a domestic and European treble without losing a game, it will surely rank as one of the greatest single season achievements for any manager in European history. I have watched a few of their games on livestreams this season and given their style of play I would love him to come to the Premier League and change it forever which it would. I'm bored of the 'Guardiola way' and all this passing around at the back for five minutes like football has become. Don't get me wrong, Leverkusen do it just the same as everyone else - just differently, they can't wait to get the ball in the final third and are rapid at doing so. If they beat Werder Bremen next Sunday they will be crowned champions. They will beat Kaiserslautern with ease in the German Cup in Berlin in a few weeks time and then it's just three games in Europe to navigate for Alonso to pull off the greatest achievement in what his just his second season as a manager. uk.soccerway.com/teams/germany/bayer-04-leverkusen/963/matches/ |
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Post by Mundell on Apr 7, 2024 10:47:36 GMT
They’ve had an unbelievable season and I’d now like to see them win the treble. It would be an incredible achievement. They’ve clearly ridden their luck at times and their two fixtures against Qarabag in the last round of the Europa League were absolutely extraordinary. I have a sneaking feeling West Ham will knock them out in the Quarter Finals, though at the risk of appearing unpatriotic I hope I’m wrong about that.
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Post by reamsofverse on Apr 7, 2024 11:09:32 GMT
They were losing at home to Hoffenheim 0-1 on 89' minutes last weekend Chris and won 2-1!!
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Post by Mundell on Apr 7, 2024 13:00:25 GMT
I was following the Qarabag second leg and assumed they were out. Same thing. Late, late goals!!
Their tie against West Ham will be fascinating. West Ham sit 18th in the Deloitte European Money League with only three German clubs above them, Bayern (by a lot), Dortmund (by quite a bit) and Eintracht Frankfurt (by just a little) so they are now a big club on the European stage. Moyes has them well organised and they’re good at making life difficult for better teams. It will be a real test for Alonso.
You’ve got to feel a bit sorry for Harry Kane! He’s scored goals for fun since joining Bayern (including one yesterday in a disastrous defeat) and only a shock success in the Champions League will now deliver him that long awaited trophy! Perhaps he’s saving it for the summer?!
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Post by aaronaldo on Apr 7, 2024 15:33:33 GMT
Feel a bit sorry for Harry Kane, but Leverkusen have been unbelievable this year. Liverpool must be gutted Alonso wanted to stay there.
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Post by earlpurple on Apr 7, 2024 16:11:23 GMT
I don't know if Leverkusen will go on to win everything in sight, or even go unbeaten in the league, but pretty much guaranteed to win the Bundesliga now after messing it up so many times about 20 years ago.
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Post by Mundell on Apr 11, 2024 21:12:18 GMT
Two more late goals!! Leverkusen power on. Incredible really. I think they’ve now equalled Juventus’s record for the most games unbeaten from the start of the season in Europe’s big five leagues.
In the meantime, such a shame that the protest by Liverpool fans got exactly the outcome it deserved. Great win for Atalanta. The only disappointment is that Ademola Lookman didn’t make it off the bench.
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Post by reamsofverse on Apr 11, 2024 21:19:11 GMT
Just beaten West Ham 2-0 with two more late goals. Astonishing really just how fit they are to play at the same level from the first minute to the last in every game they play.
47 unbeaten now and 42 of those are from this season where they are yet to lose a game in the three competitions they are in.
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Post by earlpurple on Apr 11, 2024 21:29:53 GMT
Bayer Leverkusen had to be favourites to win tonight, they are better than Bayern Munich who still drew at the Emirates.
Liverpool not taking the Europa League seriously, but they've won lots of trophies so I guess for them this is a minor one.
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Post by reamsofverse on Apr 12, 2024 17:42:49 GMT
It was the quarter final. If Klopp wasn't taken it seriously they wouldn't have reached the last eight.
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Post by kings hill addick on Apr 12, 2024 18:31:45 GMT
It was the quarter final. If Klopp wasn't taken it seriously they wouldn't have reached the last eight. I think he misjudged the game and could, and with hindsight should, have started with three of their first eleven that were rested. It was a bit of a fluke result though. Even with the team that he put out Liverpool shouldn't have lost by three goals. I suspect there is no coming back for them now so they can concentrate on the League. If City and Arsenal get to the CL semi-final, and Liverpool don't have any more games in the EL that could play into their hands. |
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Post by earlpurple on Apr 14, 2024 17:25:26 GMT
I chose to watch their game on TV this afternoon rather than Arsenal vs Aston Villa.
5-0 and they were pretty impressive. (Although they may be because I'm used to watching Charlton Athletic)
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Post by LoyalAddick on Apr 14, 2024 21:36:44 GMT
I put £20 on Leverkusen to win the league at the start of the season at 28/1 happy days.
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Post by reamsofverse on Apr 18, 2024 22:20:23 GMT
An 89th minute equaliser at West Ham tonight to maintain their unbeaten record throughout the season.
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Post by reamsofverse on Apr 19, 2024 9:36:59 GMT
Another amazing statistic I have worked out this morning is despite being the Bundesliga's second highest scorers on 74, goals, their top scorer is Viktor Boniface on just 11 and he hasn't played since the African Nations Cup after picking up an injury!!
Their defenders have contributed 24 goals which include an 8 from wingback Frimpong and 9 from Grimaldo a CB!
Their midfield has chipped in with 28 goals between six players and upfront four strikers have combined to score 20.
There have been two own goals in their favour.
That's what you call goals across the entire squad!!
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Post by seriouslyred on Apr 19, 2024 15:43:59 GMT
Another amazing statistic I have worked out this morning is despite being the Bundesliga's second highest scorers on 74, goals, their top scorer is Viktor Boniface on just 11 and he hasn't played since the African Nations Cup after picking up an injury!! Their defenders have contributed 24 goals which include an 8 from wingback Frimpong and 9 from Grimaldo a CB! Their midfield has chipped in with 28 goals between six players and upfront four strikers have combined to score 20. There have been two own goals in their favour. That's what you call goals across the entire squad!! How would you describe their playing style? What style will Nathan Jones adopt? We absolutely need goals from across the side next time. |
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Post by reamsofverse on Apr 21, 2024 17:53:07 GMT
Dortmund 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Another late goal from Leverkusen with Stanišić equalising in the 97th minute!!
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Post by reamsofverse on Apr 27, 2024 18:31:03 GMT
Fuck me they have done it again.
0-2 at home to second place Stuttgart with 15 minutes left. They pull a goal back then go and equalise in the 90+7 minute.
It defies all logic, they simply refus eto lose. Today was the first time all season that they have been 2-0 down in a game.
Thye have scored 27 goals this season from the 80th minute onwards.
They face Roma in a two leffed Europa cup tie and have three Bundesliga games left to go through the whole season unbeaten. No team in the history of German football has gone through the domestic season without losing a match.
I hope they do it, I love watching them.
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