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Donovan scores another for Bayern

Landon Donovan Bayern 3 (Getty)   

The Landon Donovan show continued for Bayern Munich on Monday as the U.S. national team star came off the bench and scored a goal in Bayern's 2-0 win vs. Kaiserslautern on Monday.

Donovan came off the bench in the second half, replacing Miroslav Klose, and put the friendly out of reach with his perfect header from close range.

Donovan's performances have helped establish him as Bayern Munich's No. 3 forward behind starters Luca Toni and Klose. His early success is also bolstering the chances that the German champions will make Major League Soccer and the Los Angeles Galaxy a legitimate offer to buy Donovan.

Bayern Munich returns to Bundesliga action on Jan. 30 against Hamburg.

What do you think of Donovan's successful run with Bayern? Do you see it translating into serious minutes once the season re-starts? Do you see Bayern making a major bid for Donovan before his loan expires? Think it's time for Donovan to stay in Europe?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Im German and I have been a Bayern fan for a long time. I was very exited about Donovans performance at the WC 2002, and I never really understood why he didnt make it in Leverkusen. I think it was a good idea to get him on loan. He definitly has the potential to play for Bayern, even though he most definitly wont get past Toni and Klose. Plus Olic will be with us in summer. But Bayern has so many competitive matches in a season that everybody gets his play time, especially because he is a versatile player and he differs from Klose, who is a pretty complete central striker, Toni, who is a classic tank with killerinstinct, and Olic, who just runs his butt off and really works football. But thats all stuff from the future. Fact is, noone cares about friendly matches. He will get his chance in the Cup, the League and maybe the Champions League, probably coming from the bench. And he will have to use that chance in the short time he is over here. If he doesnt score, assist or at least play well in the few games he will play, Bayern will not buy him.

    But I am pretty convinced that he will perform well over here. He definitly has the potential and now he has a coach over here, that he really gets along with, and that understands him. So I think we should pay the 10 Mio Euros, if he performs well. But he will have to be very professional and use his chances. No other club in the world, where effective results and success are as important then in Munich.

    Greetings from Germany

    Stefan

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  2. Just finished watching the last friendly. Heinz played some fast counter but defended poorly and bad or unlucky strikes. The first half was pretty even with both sides battle back and forth. The thing that impressed me is that toni and klose tried so hard and had so many chances in the first half but each got only a goal. Landon came in and had 2 shots at goals and nailed them both. Good results without too much effort. I thought lando should have been in the first half because it seemed like there was lack of speed from toni and klose in the attack. The first half clearly missed domination and coordination due to missing Ribery.

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  3. 20 Jan 09; Mainz, Germany

    Donovan scores twice for Bayern.

    In yet another incredible atmosphere for a friendly, Bayern Munchen continued to show improvement during its fourth and final fruendschaft spiele(friendly) against FC Mainz, another top 2BL club vying for promotion to the 1BL by walking over Mainz 5-0.

    During the game, Landon Donovan once again showed his value to the club as he came in as a 60 minute substitute for Miro Klose, making an immediate impact by putting Bayern up 3-0 with a beautiful header from 10M in the 70th minute, a play he started. Donovan set up the fourth goal, then put the nail in the coffin in the 90th minute with a shot from 6M.

    Great game Landon-Keep up the Fire!

    If you are interested in tracking his matches this winter/spring, check out the following stream and catch all the Bayern matches. http://myp2p.eu/

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  4. Ami-K, I gotta agree with you on Donovan’s teammates. A world of difference the more technically gifted and well-positioning players you have around you. I am looking forward to seeing his goals, ja, but almost more than that, I want to the passing plays and running off the ball that I think he will do a lot more, with more success. that is flat out fun soccer.

    Did I tell you Gerd Mueller was 3 feet in front of me one night at the clubhouse on Grunwalder Str? His legs were like tree trunks! I was lacing up my cleats and he walked right in front of me, lol. 1860 was looking to bring him in but they didn’t. All the best on your “living the dream!” Klasse!

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  5. Awesome header, brilliant. Not as good, or as clutch, as Dempsey
    s in overtime vs. Chelsea, which was amazing, but a great goal non the less.

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  6. Yoman – Wrong! Remember who Donovan was playing with? With the exception of Becks and Xavi, who else did he have around to distribute him the ball….NOTTA. I couldn’t even site another Galaxy name.

    When he plays in an attacking MF role for the US, it’s b/c he can create goal scoring situations, and no one around him creates those same situations consistently for him if he is Der Sturmer.

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  7. too early to tell how LD will do… but I hope he stays consistent else i’ll throw bayern some euros for a donovan jersey, my first jersey with an yanks name

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  8. I will be a fan, as long as LD never ever does the slapping of his chest after a goal or all the crap before he takes a pk or free kick.

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  9. Consistency is the biggest myth in all of football. No one is consistent. Form comes and goes. All the great stars come and go, have ups and downs. Ronaldo has been a mere mortal for Man U this year, in case anyone has noticed.

    LD should get some second half minutes when league play resumes, and if he can get some key goals he could definitely see a nice transfer. But I would like to see Klinsmann get LD, Toni, and Klose on the field together, a 4-3-3 or a 4-3-1-2 type approach.

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  10. Okay Nicole. Thanks much. I did see that one, but I thought you said he interviewed after the Lautern match. Start a Blog? Only if I had the time. I came home early tonight so I could watch the inauguration of the new Commander in Chief and found myself checking none other than football news.

    Brother Ives – Gotta find my darn USB cable to download the darn pics and videos, but am hesitant to post anything on You Tube. It took big kohonas just to try this blogging stuff. Love your site though. Once I get the photos and video downloaded-will send them.

    Bed calls – GruS aus Deutschland!

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  11. Der Ami Kaiser,

    You should do a blog or something so we can always get your first-hand reports on all our Yanks. I’d love to read them!

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  12. Hey Der Ami, upload your videos to YouTube and send me the links and I’ll post them. As for photos, you can email those to me and I’ll see about running those as well.

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  13. Matthew Taylor looked sharp the other day against Frankfurt. I will make the 2 hr drive up the Rhein to see him, David Yelldell and TuS Koblenz square off against Lverkusen tomorrow night. Look for toward to make the Nats “watch list” soon. Following that, it’s south to STuttgart next week for Die DFB Pokal gegen Bayern, and a Stuttgart vs Gladbach match.

    There is more to serving this great nation than getting shot at.

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  14. Hey Der Amerkanische Kaiser

    Thanks for your first hand report. Is there a way you can post your pics and video from the game so we can see them?

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  15. Nicole – Thanks for making my day, but don’t get too excited. Am 40+, an Army bubba about to retire, and play in Die Bier Bundesliga, or the Kreisklasse B HD Mitte, and trying to make our way to promotion to A. Living the dream at 40+.

    I would put odds on my club against a USL team anyday.

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  16. BWL – Sorry brother, I forgot to finish my sentence off.

    Add: you’re b/c a believer too Der Loewen.

    Nicole – I can’t find that Donovan interview on Bild.de to save my life, except for the one he did a few weeks ago. Sounds like he interviewed after the match? Plsss send link. I am proud that he is not another ignorant American who gives those of us here who try the language a bad name. I saw his first interview on bild and fcb.tv. He speaks well. He is not just a footballer, he’s an Ambassador for US Soccer. Good for him

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  17. Der Ami Kaiser – Mach nichts. I just said that becasue i personally have a short attention span so generally skip the long posts. I was referring others with my habit to read your post despite its length!

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  18. Sorry for being long-winded Travis. Getting excited in my old age. Like all Bayern fans, I was skeptical about the initial trail/talk, but Donovan is making me a believer. I am behind him all the way, and true German Bayern fans seem to be as well.

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  19. Sam – Interesting insight/theory on AEG. Never thought about that one, but it might not be far from the truth.

    Jloome – Did you watch the entire match? No? Oh ok–thought so? Football is not just about making plays with your feet while on the ball, it’s just as much about playing off the ball. He consistently put himself in good positions last night as well as ditributed the ball nicely and worked well in tight confines. Judging from Klinsi’s reaction, and Hoeness for that matter, I think they’re cheering for him to succeed and now Sam has me wondering if it’s b/c of his AEG theory…$$$$$$$ and sun in Cali, Klinsi’s home.

    BLW – No way

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  20. I was going to sayt he same thing Kaiser. Although the FCK is momentarilty in the 2. there is a huge rivalry between the clubs. The game was not played at friendly speed or intensity.

    I’m suprised at how many US fans don’t have faith that our BEST does not belong at Bayern. We are selling our own player short. Maybe, just maybe, the US isn’t as aweful as many of its own fans think.

    If anyone has been paying attention, Toni has sucked it up over the past two weeks. If LD would be putting in Toni’s performance he’d surley be back in the MLS. i thought that was jsut my opinion but apparently it’s not. It’s also the opinion of actual Bayern fans (see somewhere in Der Amerikanische Kaisers very long – but informative – posts above).

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  21. One more thing. For those of you who didn’t know Louis Robles is 1.FCK’s #2 GK behind Sippel, who looked weak at best.

    Would have been nice if FCK gave Robles some PT against a club like Bayern. I think FCK is afraid to show off Robles b/c he is giving Sippel a run for his money in net and FCK doesn’t want to lose him yet.

    Who knows, Robles might have saved Donovan’s header. Robles has the qualities of a #1 keeper in the 2BL and I would hang my hat on him in net for a BL side.

    It was nice to see Donovan exchange trikots with Robles at the end of the match. Nice gesture Landon!

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  22. I was in K-Town last night and what a fantastic atmosphere-even for a friendly! Of course, Donovan’s performance made it all the more fun-sat right behind the Bayern bench–have great pics and video.

    When will the day come in the US when we can go to games where we don’t have to be encouraged to cheer by large, base thumping, surround sound systems or score boards saying, “Clap your Hands.” I love the German and English fans. It just doesn’t get any better than this.

    I always said that last night’s match gegen 1.FCK would be Landon’s first true test and the Bayern site confirms my assessment.

    Bottom Line: Landon showed he belonged in a Bayern trikot. Aside from the nice kopfball (header), if you didn’t see the match, Donovan sent the most perfect gift to Toni in the box who sent the ball flying over goal. He maintained composure and put himself in open space and distributed the ball very well. Like the Blues Brothers, Landon appeared to be “on a mission from God.”

    As a benchmark, before and after the game, I asked a dozen Bayern fans what they thought of Donovan and whether or not they thought Bayern should offer the MLS and Donovan a good long term deal. Of those dozen Bayern fans I spoke with, a dozen said, “Ja!” or “Yes,” we like Donovan, and we want to keep him in a Bayern trikot. That made me feel proud of brother Landon and the Red, White and Blue (old Glory). They also thought, if given the option, that Donovan and Klose were a better combination up front than are Toni and Donovan. I think that latter has played itself out over the past 2 weeks and will continue to play itself out while Toni works his way out of favor and into Donovan’s favor off the bench, thus earning a starting role and eventually an offer the MLS cannot refuse for the good of American football.

    My hope is that Donovan’s play forces Bayern to purchase him from the MLS at 10K. He will not start, but will come off the bench at 60-75 minutes until he shows consistent production off the bench and provides results like last night. If that happens, then Klinsmann will be hard pressed not to start him.

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