The entertainers

Last night's annihilation of Schalke by Manchester United, exposed how far the Bundesliga has fallen behind in the physical attributes of the game

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(photo: gordonflood.com, cc license)

 

Atsuto Uchida, Schalke’s Japanese right back, spoke to some journalists from his homeland following the 0-2 home defeat to Manchester United in the Champions League Semi Final. His light body frame was in sharp contrast to that of Patrice Evra, United’s left back, who spoke to the French media a few meters away. Evra is actually slightly shorter than Uchida, but carries the body of a middleweight contender and the speed of an Olympic sprinter.

Small people can off course do wonders in the great democratic sport of football. But not at wing back. Some positions in modern football require super-athletic physique at this level. Even Barcelona – full of home grown little masters – spend big money on athletic wing backs like Daniel Alves and Eric Abidal.

The Bundesliga is supposed to be the most entertaining major league in football. But last night loft-sided affair exposed how far it has fallen behind the Premier League in strength, speed and stamina. Not so much in contrast to United, who are obviously a vastly superior side to Schalke, but in contrast to United’s weekly opponents, that produce much sterner physical resistance.

It was quite telling to see United’s “skill position” players – like Rooney, Valencia, Park or even the 37-year-old Giggs – easily outmuscle German defenders. And not only muscle. Ji Sung Park’s aerobic ability is something Schalke do not confront too often. Chicharito was the fastest player in the last World Cup, and Antonio Valencia is faster.

I remember other times. Of Hans Peter Briegel, the intimidating German centre-back of the 1980′s who was a junior decathlon champion. Of German teams being the model of physical conditioning and stamina.

Now they are the entertainers.

WHAT TO DO NOW?

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12 Comments

  1. YB added these pithy words on April 27, 2011 | Permalink

    And I thought United are the entertainers…

    The whole notion of the BL being the “most entertaining league” is quite dubious. For many years now the best German teams are not good enough on the European main stage (CL). This year Dortumund was relegated the first round of the EL (a quite terrible competition). I love the German league for its attacking minded football, great crowds, and superior television. In this sense they are sure the “entertainers”. But I don’t find this entertaining sufficient to my liking beucase the football is not good enough.
    I think Schalke last night, playing at home so outrageously poorly, emberessed itself and even more so the CL. A team of this quality should never qualify to the freakin’ semi-finals. If it does it says something about the CL, which is very unflattering.

  2. ronen dorfan added these pithy words on April 27, 2011 | Permalink

    I agree. Somehow as a United fan i felt after 20 minutes it was over. That even if Neuer will somehow hold out, and Schalke steal a 0-1 win on the break – United will easily score 3 or 4 at Old Trafford.

  3. YB added these pithy words on April 27, 2011 | Permalink

    For sure. It was like e PL-1st Division (3rd league) match up. Totally one-sided.

  4. Roee added these pithy words on April 27, 2011 | Permalink

    During the first 15-20 minutes, I thought Schalke doesn’t get to physical with United because of some footballing idea the club holds. And I realized that they didn’t get physical because United never gave them the chance to even start trenches warfare.

    And regarding the size of back wings: What will Philip Lahm say? He’s 5-6 centimeters shorter than Uchida, and still regarded as a great right back.

    I think I’ve read another post Ronen wrote a few years back, where he quoted Alex Ferguson as saying that if Gary Neville (1.80) was a bit taller, he’d be the best English right back of his generation. And that’s the thing – maybe you don’t have to be big and strong to be a good wing back, but you have to be big and strong to be a good English wing back.

  5. Omar added these pithy words on April 27, 2011 | Permalink

    Sorry to interupt proceedings but please Ronen get your facts rights if you want to your soccerissue site to be of any credibility.

    You assume that based on Schalke’s performance that the German League has fallen far behind the English League – No Sorry you’re wrong!

    The truth is the English league can be taken over by any old Bob nowdays, and money splashed around like nobodies business. This naturally gives Permiership sides the edge compared to their German or European counterparts who still love their football and haven’t diluted it with commercialism and turned it into a 24 hour business. I mean apart from the same 4 teams where are the rest of the English teams in Europe? I don’t see any.

    Secondly your point about the physicality of the English game compared to the Bundesliga. You mention a JAPANESE player no less lol, and effectively summarise your whole arguement about German teams lacking in this or that based o nthis one guy and one team. Please mention any other “GERMAN” defenders you know?

    Sorry i just remembered Summer last year all of sudden and in particular England v Germany, and that long Goal Kick from Neuer which resulted in Klose making the stern English physical resistance look like statues from a British Museum.

  6. ronen dorfan added these pithy words on April 27, 2011 | Permalink

    OMAR – I think you slightly confused between leagues and National Teams. And between reasons for dominance to results. Ant between you disgust from commercial football to the level of play. If a ball goes into the goal of a german team – the other team gets one point on the board even if the defenders were not German.

    And BTW – I never want sports writing to be taken seriously. Feel free to think of it as opinion and not scientific research. As fun and not critical issues

  7. Omar added these pithy words on April 27, 2011 | Permalink

    Fair enough but your assumption that German football is not entertaining and has fallen behind in many ways seems to based on one average German team from yesterday night, which sounds like the one and only match involving a German side you have seen.

    Surely a naive opinion, no?

  8. Vic added these pithy words on April 27, 2011 | Permalink

    You can’t compare United to Schalke just as you can’t compare Madrid to Newcastle, which Schalke are effectively. Think about how Newcastle would do even against Bayern. They would be crushed.

    Furthermore comparing Evra and Uchida is just absurd. One is again from a top club. The other is from a long time midtable club, and this is ignoring the fact that Uchida is Japanese and signed form the J-League less than a year ago.

  9. ronen dorfan added these pithy words on April 27, 2011 | Permalink

    Omar – earlier this season i visited a big German game: Leverkusen- Dortmund. While I didn’t have scientific equipment on me the games just to me slow – in comparison to a top English game.

    Yesterday I just got the same feeling.

    Newcastle would lose to Bayern. Even United did. But Newcastle would lose to Bayern because Bayern is technically superior. Yesterday it was just a feeling that Schalke cannot even show it’s quality – they were just physically overrun.

  10. Omar added these pithy words on April 27, 2011 | Permalink

    It is good that you mention the Leverkusen v Dortmund games as they were good entertaining games. If you think otherwise then it surely is a biased opionion.

    I agree with the fact however that compared to Chelsea or Arsenal that it is slower but that does not make is a less entertaining league or lacking in areas, and nor slow, but only comarably slower ot the english league.

    I think yesterday has gotten many people carried away thinking how great the english league is and how poor othe leagues are in comparison when they aren’t.

    Nonetheless your point of not entertaining doesn’t hold up either way.

  11. ronen dorfan added these pithy words on April 27, 2011 | Permalink

    Omar – I think you miss my point. The point is the Bundesliga is entertaining – it is just strange to me because the german mentality i remember in the 70s and 80s and even early 21st century is much tougher

  12. Omar added these pithy words on April 27, 2011 | Permalink

    Well fair enough if that is your point but your article did sound as if it was knocking the German league and it’s football. If not then my bad.

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