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Virgil has captained a side that was NOWHERE last season - with an entirely new midfield - No Mané or Bobby to work with Salah - A side that at times had 11 - count them 11 first team regulars missing…. and we were joint Top of the league until yesterday.
Some people find the strangest things to attack. He has carried us at times - winning games and cup finals (with a team of kids)…
Just unbelievable to call him out whe. he has been a linchpin of this season successes. He hasn’t been his best of late - and that is most likely for all the reasons mentioned above.
Like Klopp - he looks shattered.
Virgil did really step up as Captain for a short spell, but that ceases a few games back, I’m never a fan of a CB Captaining a side anyway I think it should be a mid who can influence and organise the whole side
The lack of verbal & visual communication that was so clearly present in abundance in 18-20 was depressingly evident again today
Very little from Virgil even in organising his back four & No6
Giving us players played in their best positions & having players with the best delivery taking corners & frees to give us the belief we might well score would help
I don’t think even the players believe they might score when Szobo takes corners or frees
I’d have played Nunez in spells in different positions LFWD RFWD No9 False 9 from when he first arrived & said as much & he’d be a lot further along by now
Changing from an effective two up LFWD & RFWD 29 goals a season each with a false 9 to 1 up Nunez 10-15 goals a season with players who were much better as LFWD & RFWD spending more time too far from goal in attacking mid positions isn’t the best idea, unless you’ve got the proven top quality No9 whose going to be pushing for 30 goals a season
Seems Alonso turned Leverkusen to believers
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/apr/15/bayer-leverkusen-bundesliga-title-xabi-alonso
Every so often, Bayern pick a couple of really poor over hyped managers in a row & there’s a chance one of the other teams can win it, this was such an instance
In other leagues there a lot of teams just don’t turn up for games against thr front runners
They're unbeaten in all comps so that's dumbing down their achievements massively I think.
Nothing Leverkusen can do about Bayern aside from the games they play them in.
There may be an element of complacency and expectancy from Bayern and Leverkusen have caught them cold but there's no doubt that it's a phenomenal achievement for them.
The big ask now is to try and replicate it whilst juggling CL football.
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