tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78606645582177062742024-03-12T23:44:13.952-07:00Bundesliga Pieces Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543292569590556569noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860664558217706274.post-43232517255234684222017-02-17T14:31:00.000-08:002017-02-17T14:31:57.928-08:00Arsenal can't stop Robben, but who can? <div style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">
<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Some things in life are certain;</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> death, taxes </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">and Arjen Robben shifting the ball onto his left boot to almost certainly score. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Arsenal were the latest victims of the Dutchman’s unstoppable magic, as he </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">opened the scoring at the Allianz </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Arena just eleven minutes into Bayern Munich’s 5-1 demolishing of Arsenal. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">The goal was a typical Robben goal, a branded goal that the footballing world has become accustomed to admiring – </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">yet the problem of defending against him seems to be unsolvable. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Three Arsenal players were heavily scrutinised for their role in Robben’s sensational 25 yard strike, Francis </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Coquelin</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> the main culprit for warmly inviting Robben’</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">s left foot into the game. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Robben has been at the peak of European football for over ten years, putting his stamp on the game with his illusive nature on the flanks. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Despite the subtle change of the role of a wide player in the contemporary game, Robben has never changed his style. When in attack, his intent is clear, yet still, at the mature footballing age of 33, he deceives the defences of the Bundesliga and the Champions League. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Following a game in which Robben’s name features on the scoresheet, it is a usual occurrence that the opposing defence are criticised for being seduced by Robben’s left footed charm. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Very few stop Robben, he has been playing his game the same way, whether it be at PSV, Chelsea, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Robben relies so heavily on his left foot, which is why team’s inability to stop him is sometimes regarded as a myth. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">While his one footed nature is so unique in today’s game, </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">a few of the previous wave of Europe’s elite opted for the strong footed reliance, clinical play on the flanks. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Ferenc</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Puskas</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> was one of the best to do so, and aspects of his game are heavily noticeable in that of Arjen Robben’s. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Hungarian </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">frontman, </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Puskas</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">, was</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> regarded as one of Europe’s greatest of all time for his services to both Real Madrid and the Hungarian national team, yet he did it all on one foot. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Like Robben, he was heavily left-footed, and unable to be stopped. Branded as </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">the 'Galloping Major'</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">, </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Puskas</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> split defences, and frequently crowned his skill with a goal. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">The time has come for it to be questioned whether defenders should be taking the blame, or whether we should be applying more emphasis on</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> admiring the magic of Robben and his style. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">It would seem that fans instantly look for a point of blame rather than accepting mastery. Mesut </span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Oezil</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> was thrown into the criticism of the defending against Robben, the fact of the matter may be that no one in his place could have terminated the threat of Munich’s number 10. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Arsenal aren’t alone in being victimised by Arjen Robben</span><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">, but will the Gunners be capable of shutting down the winger in the second leg in North London? </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543292569590556569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860664558217706274.post-20034010024816096682016-12-12T17:29:00.002-08:002016-12-12T17:29:12.775-08:00Does the rise of RB Leipzig mark the subtle death of German football? <span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif;">The
Bundesliga has seen many changes over the years, however, none more than this
year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">League
favourites such as FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have made way for the
current league leaders, RasenBallsport Leipzig. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Seven
seasons ago, RB Leipzig were in the fifth division of German football, they now
sit in first place of the country’s top division. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">But how?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The league
has changed dramatically over time, and has now subtly adopted the ritual that
the club with the most money will be the most likely for the title. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvW0G5sEg5q7-heAoa0lVoAEF_6smq16xPWndAtUHW-Q0DA0a-_O1n3c6q088ENrpErfB9zemOcElh4ICeFu-HqGjKfVwS1EBFOiqKdNOcdNVXIVz6Yd_e2A3jF2by3O_3nzWW9NQiK0A/s1600/1265427752-1860-anti-red-bull-mis-OZ4dfOj3Ka7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvW0G5sEg5q7-heAoa0lVoAEF_6smq16xPWndAtUHW-Q0DA0a-_O1n3c6q088ENrpErfB9zemOcElh4ICeFu-HqGjKfVwS1EBFOiqKdNOcdNVXIVz6Yd_e2A3jF2by3O_3nzWW9NQiK0A/s400/1265427752-1860-anti-red-bull-mis-OZ4dfOj3Ka7.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">RB Leipzig
were founded in 2009, becoming the successor club for SSV Markranstadt, after
gaining the financial backing of Red Bull. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Since their
successful path to supremacy in Germany, the club have come under intense scrutiny, becoming the villains of the Bundesliga. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The club
arguably go against all that German domestic football stands for, tradition and
club history, the idea of building clubs from scratch, with the critical input
of supporters. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">RB Leipzig
do not follow such guidelines, with just seventeen members with power to vote
in club proposals, the value of fan power is virtually non-existent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The majority
of Bundesliga clubs are against the rise of Leipzig, with good reason. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif;">'RB
Leipzig was founded to make money. To sell an energy drink.'</span><span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif;"> Said a fan of Leipzig’s former top club, Lokomotiv
Leipzig. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Their continued
success is feared, mainly from the viewpoint of financially inadequate clubs,
who possess huge club history. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif;">Formerly
successful clubs have made way for RB Leipzig, who in their view, and the view
of many others, have walked through the leagues as cheats, fueled by ludicrous
amounts of funding. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">VfB
Stuttgart, who are now represented in the 2.Bundesliga, were German Champions
just nine years ago. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">After a loss
of funding from their city, partly due to the rise of TSG Hoffenheim, the club
have been particularly inconsistent, which eventually sacrificed their place in
the top division.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">When
considering the success and fight of VfB, who were founded in 1893, the rise of
RB Leipzig as their replacement is a pill hard to swallow. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Would the
success of Leipzig inspire investors to transform teams into potential German
champions one day? Would this destroy the traditional meaning of the
Bundesliga?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">However,
some wonder why Leipzig aren’t celebrated more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">They are the
first club to emerge in the Bundesliga from East Germany since 2009 – an area
of the country that has seen its footballing tradition obliterated by
assimilation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">They do also
play some quite attractive football, which they should, considering their
almost unlimited funding for training facilities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">RB Leipzig
are the unfortunate reflection of modern day football, frowned upon by so many.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Regardless
of opinions, die Bullen currently sit three points clear of current champions,
Bayern Munich, at the top of the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It will be
interesting to see the aftermath of this season, should</span><span style="font-family: "calibri light" , sans-serif;"> Ralph Hassenhuttl’s
team deliver the Bundesliga title, can German tradition survive?</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543292569590556569noreply@blogger.com0