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We want to win again

in General Discussion Tue Mar 27, 2018 4:00 am
by jokergreen0220 • Farseer | 295 Posts | 2950 Points

BERLIN - Bastian Schweinsteiger scored one goal and set up another as Bayern Munich moved ever closer to the Bundesliga title with a 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. Shkodran Mustafi Jersey . Schweinsteiger crossed for Mario Mandzukic to score with a powerful header in the 44th minute, and secured Bayerns league record 17th win in succession with a perfectly placed free kick in the 52nd. "It was an important goal, so Im happy it went in," the Germany midfielder said. Stefan Kiessling headed Leverkusens consolation from Roberto Hilberts cross in injury time. Bayern extended its league record unbeaten run to 50 games and moved 23 points clear of Borussia Dortmund with nine games remaining. Dortmund was beaten 2-1 at home by Borussia Moenchengladbach, meaning Bayern can secure the title at Mainz next week if Dortmund and Schalke, 24 points behind in third, both fail to win. "I remember we were champions in Mainz a couple of times before. It was funny because they celebrated with us," Schweinsteiger said. "But its all the same when we do it." Bayern made a lacklustre start in its first game since Uli Hoeness stepped down as president after being convicted of tax evasion. He was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison on Thursday. Son Heung-min should have scored for Leverkusen in the 11th, when he had only Manuel Neuer to beat after being played in by Kiessling, but the South Korean shot wide of the far post. "I wanted to place it in the corner," Son said. "We did everything we could." Neuer also made a good save to deny Simon Rolfes from distance in the 29th. Mandzukic beat Philipp Wollscheid to meet Schweinsteigers cross before the break, and Schweinsteiger shot over the wall and inside the top left corner to seal the result. "We werent at out limit," Bayern midfielder Thomas Mueller grumbled. "Its all the same (when Bayern clinch the title). We want to win again to keep our rhythm so were there again in the knockout rounds of the Champions League." Earlier, Mainz came from two goals down to win 4-2 at Hoffenheim, Werder Bremen drew 1-1 with Stuttgart, Wolfsburg could only draw 1-1 at bottom side Eintracht Braunschweig, and Hertha Berlin lost 3-0 at home to Hannover. Dortmund, which hosts Zenit St. Petersburg in the Champions League on Wednesday, was without influential midfielders Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marco Reus due to suspension and muscle problems, respectively, as 10-man Gladbach ended its nine-game run without a win. "We had a tough time and naturally were all relieved," said Gladbach coach Lucien Favre, who extended his contract on Wednesday. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck the crossbar for Dortmund before Raffael scored at the other end in the 31st. Max Kruse made it 2-0 by drawing Dortmund defender Lukasz Piszczek and goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller first one way, then the other, before clipping the ball in. "When you go nine games without scoring then of course its a relief," said Kruse, who was dropped for Germanys recent game with Chile because of poor form. Havard Nordtveit was sent off for his second yellow card in the 69th, eight minutes before Dortmund substitute Milos Jojic pulled one back with a deflected shot. "It shouldnt happen to us at home," Dortmund midfielder Nuri Sahin said. "You could see after the sending-off that everyone believed in the equalizer but it wasnt to be." Hoffenheim led 2-0 minutes into the second half, but the defence crumbled, letting in three Mainz goals in an eight-minute span, and Shinji Okazakis second in injury time. "I cant explain why we gave the game away," Hoffenheim coach Markus Gisdol said. It had been briefly interrupted in the first half when Hoffenheims Andreas Beck crashed into a pitchside cameraman, knocking him and the TV camera over. Both needed treatment. The cameraman was carried away on a stretcher, while Beck carried on. With new coach Huub Stevens in charge, Stuttgart was hoping to end its nine-game winless streak. But Bremen equalized with 12 minutes to go. "A pity," Stevens said. Braunschweig was far happier in salvaging its draw with Wolfsburg. "This lets us continue on our journey of Bundesliga participation," Braunschweig coach Torsten Lieberknecht said. Mohamed Elneny Jersey . The four-time Grand Slam champion has beaten Hantuchova nine straight times, with the Slovaks only win coming when they first played 10 years ago. "I had a tough first opponent who can play extremely good tennis," Sharapova said. Laurent Koscielny Jersey . He spent the rest of the game making up for lost playing time. Green scored a career-high 36 points, including eight in overtime, and the Phoenix Suns beat Denver 112-107 on Tuesday night to hand the Nuggets their fifth consecutive loss. http://www.arsenalsoccerpro.com/Authentic-Hector-Bellerin-Arsenal-Jersey/ .com) - Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mat Latos had an arthroscopic procedure performed on his right elbow last week, the teams official site reported Wednesday.Toronto and Major League Soccer are still a buzz. Toronto FC unveiled prized acquisitions forward Jermain Defoe and US Mens National team midfielder Michael Bradley Monday in front of hundreds of supporters, the whos who of MLSE and a throng of media usually reserved for Toronto Maple Leafs duty. Monday was a big deal. Weve done the song and dance to a lesser scale with this team before, but the track played this time was from another album altogether: a compilation likely produced by Drake. It sounded really good. The new, positive direction of Toronto FC doesnt cast aside hard feelings of seven years of disappointment. There will be many who remain cynical; believing this will crumble like previous renditions. These moves are a good start; a giant, very expensive step in the right direction. The new story has just begun. After all, Tim Leiweke only took over control of MLSE in June. Much has revealed itself in recent weeks. There is still much we dont know. Heres where we stand at present time. What we know... Money Talks Defoe and Bradley said all the rights things. They are coming to the right place and are excited about the opportunity. The famous line from Jerry Maguire is more appropriate: "SHOW ME THE MONEY". Dollars. Bucks. Cash. Quiche. Toronto FC flexed their financial muscle and their targets obliged. Quadrupling or getting paid six times your salary makes it an offer not to be refused. Leiweke called having three designated players (Gilberto the third) on significant dollars as "financial suicide." A line that catches the ear and shows any previous financial restraint has been thrown out the window. Soccer-wise in North America, these salaries make no sense, but for an organization whose profits from their cash cow the Toronto Maple Leafs are protected by a salary cap, the investment into MLSEs suddenly important side project is mitigated. Throwing money at players was the easiest way to try to make a seven-year problem go away. Toronto FC joins the likes of the LA Galaxy and New York Red Bulls with the ability to spend out the nose on the best-designated players possible. Show them the money and top players will come. Leiweke: Ambition and Network The MLSE President/CEO sat on the stage like a proud father. There was a rightful "I told you so" vibe about it. Leiweke promised significant changes. He has delivered. Leiweke has put an end to any notion that MLSE wont spend. The Bell/Rogers MLSE ownership is a different bunch than the Teachers Pension. It begs to question whether the Raptors would have spent into the luxury tax long ago if Leiweke were around sooner. Leiwekes global sporting connections are Teflon. Its not name dropping if you can actually call upon the biggest names in the world to help. David Beckham. Player agents. Owners. Celebrity. Leiweke has access to all these channels and has used them to foster personal and professional relationships. This goes beyond players to business and developmental partnerships. The motivation here is all in the name of winning. Leiweke acknowledges hell spend whatever it takes to reach that goal. Monday is only the beginning. He dropped the term super club. Maple Leafs and Raptors fans should take notice. Reputations are changing. Belief is real. The Power of Drake Drake as Global Ambassador seemed nothing more than a flashy marketing move when announced. It must be said, the cache of Drake seems to be widely underrated, at least by this onlooker. His influence is tangible. Defoe glowed when describing his adoration for Drake. If Leiweke is the right hook in laying the body blow of recruitment, Drake is the left. "I was out in London one night having dinner when this number came up. I answered it and it was Drake. It was surreal, to be honest. I felt special. He said it was a fantastic city and IId enjoy it," described Defoe. Francis Coquelin Jersey. He was glowing. Every good team needs a finisher in front of goal. Drake can be just that in player recruitment. Weird, isnt it? A Happy Manager As with all previous regime/coaching changes at TFC, the talent cupboard was bare when Ryan Nelsen took over a season ago. He was hired late, and a slow moving conveyer belt of roster moves followed. By the end of the season, Nelsen seemed worn out, absolutely knackered by the process and growing frustration. This is no longer the case. Nelsen has the players. Theyve been locked up early. Its up to him to manage his team accordingly. And the manager is ecstatic. Its clear speaking to him over the last month, there is a newfound energy about him, almost giddiness at the potential of whats at his disposal. What system the team will play and how his new assets will be used are up in the air. This will be a big test for the second year coach. No pressure. What we dont know... Will TFC Finally Win? Its the most popular question asked: is this team now a winner? Its too soon to know. We can say with confidence the club will be more competitive. Defoe and Bradley immediately become the best players to wear TFC red. The jury will be out on Gilberto. General manager Tim Bezbatchenko seems to have a vast understanding of the salary cap and league rules. The ability of the front office to properly evaluate talent will be critical. Other factors will obviously play a determining role. Injuries, form, further transactions, managerial decisions and how soon the new players can gel will be decisive. Big spending doesnt guarantee anything in MLS. That being said, anything short of a competitive team and playoffs would be a disappointment. Matias Laba designated player contract needs to be dealt with. And the team needs more defensive/midfield depth. How Does MLS Feel About These Moves? Leiweke was asked how others around MLS reacted to the big money spent. "Id say some of our partners would say weve lost our minds." So much for the fiscal restraint the league predicates itself on. Beckhams move to Los Angeles was self-explanatory and helped grow the league. Many will believe Toronto over-spent, making Defoe and Bradley the leagues most expensive players (along with Clint Dempsey). It takes MLS to another level, whether they are ready, like it or not. The moves wont be looked upon fondly in some circles. Toronto FC did what they could and felt they had to do. There will be those at MLS who would prefer Bradley, a top American player, to play in an American market. Toronto FC isnt scheduled to feature in any nationally televised game south of the border. This will change. But the draw of Toronto in the US pales in comparison to other American markets in television numbers. And its television ratings where the league needs to grow. Die-Hards Remain Loyal. What About The Masses? Boisterous supporters helped make the festive environment at Real Sports Bar & Grill Monday. While attendance has dwindled at BMO Field, a hardened, resilient contingent has remained true. Its been a tough go for these supporters, spending more than just dollars, but emotional collateral on a team that hasnt delivered. Nothing will sway the devout. But will the masses follow suit and come back on board? Expect calculated efforts by the club and media owners to keep pushing Defoe/Bradley to the spotlight. They are more than just players - they are marketing tools. Leiweke is expecting sellouts all season. At an average of $28 per ticket, he may get his wish. Long-term loyalty and interest from more than the die-hards is the goal. Ticket prices will surely rise as winning football comes to BMO. Stadium expansion and makeover is also in the works. It all costs money. What will it cost the fans? And what are they willing to pay? Wholesale Jerseys 2019 Wholesale Jerseys China NFL Jerseys From China Discount NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys Online Wholesale Jerseys 2019 ' ' '

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