[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by demonrail666

If they don't, Benatia (remember him?) Is gonna have to really up his game.

benatia!

if pep put as much care in hiring defenders as he puts in hiring attacking midfielders, bayern would be unkillable.

i think he'll be putting javi martínez along with boateng. it makes sense. he's hugely physical, tireless, can launch an attack, etc. so he'd be like a 2nd boateng. that would be ideal-- pushed upfront the way pep likes it.

with heynckes he was the key to the whole game in the midfield. pep wants him as centerback, but a pep centerback scores goals-- like beckenbauer--so it could work under that mold. not like a classic centerback parket in front of his keeper.

reason he didn't work out last year was fitness. he came back too late to recover. summer should be kind on him.

badstuber also staying (so far anyway-- he wrote pizarro a goodbye note on twitter). he's so injury prone who knows what will happen.

so you have, as centerbacks:

boateng (fit)
benatia (sucks)
dante (slow)
badstuber (who knows)
javi martínez (on the mend)

so that's impressive but the problem is nobody is fit except for boateng (knock on wood)
:
as fullbacks

alaba (got hurt too)
rafinha (he's okay but i don't like him as defender)
rode?? (he plays any and all wings-- he's versatile)

lahm is still the greatest fullback but he doesn't play as such. he's, i don't know, all over.