Borussia Dortmund (A) - CL QF | Pre-Match Thread

[blue cigar]

How has he not rolled this into the middle of the box?? It’s the kind of decision making our front line falls foul of at times.

He was always a confidence player and he looked a bit lost last night. We could offer Bayern 10m?

 

[BillyShears]

He single handedly stopped them from scoring 2 or 3 goals by making the wrong decision when he had easy crosses to unmarked players in the box in a game they went out on goal difference - including in the last minute when Müller was wide open waiting for almost a tap in and he passed it straight to Navas.

Yes he is the reason they are out. Its not scapegoating its watching the game and seeing him cost them goal after goal.

I think he was super disappointing across both games. For a guy who was desperate to move to Bayern, he looked as bad as he did at any point during his City career.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Already a bag of nerves. Luckily got a tough day at work which will stop me sweating on this all day.

I think most of us saw the lineup for the Lyon game and knew what was going to happen. We still should have won that game but it felt from the moment I saw our lineup/formation that we were going out.

Dortmund were very good last week. Much better than I thought they would be. The only way to play this is our strongest 11 in the usual formation and to go and get goals. If we defend for 90minutes they'll score so let's go to win the game. They need a goal to progress. We need a goal to relax a bit. Should be a cracker!

Hopefully we are 3 up after 15 minutes so I can relax a bit ( I still wont).

100%

Play our best 11 and our normal game and let them worry about us.The instant we alter that approach and do differently is when we usually come unstuck.

 

[Ribchester]

What time do these bloody beer gardens open.....

 

[BillyShears]

I'm thinking along the same lines with that line up, with Jesus in ahead of Sterling.

The two left footers in defence (Zin and Laporte) would definitely make us flow better in the build up, although Stonesy might feel hard done by nobody can play every game.

Come on Blues!

Think Stones doing 90 on Saturday means if Laporte is totally fit he will probably get the nod. Equally if he isn't then it'll be Stones/Dias.

Raz/Jesus is pretty much a coin toss for me.

I'm definitely interested in seeing Zinchenko at left back tonight. His performance against Chelsea earlier this season is probably the benchmark for me in terms of when he's at his best what he can provide even in big games. Tonight certainly is one of those.

Overall I think the good thing is that all these permutations are teams/formations we've used loads this season.

 

[Norbiton]

I think he was super disappointing across both games. For a guy who was desperate to move to Bayern, he looked as bad as he did at any point during his City career.

They’re playing him down the right and he proved at City that he’s totally ineffective on that side.

 

[akrh215]

Sterling needs to stay on the bench, he is a liability.
Watching Sane tear it up for BM against PSG I can't help but notice the difference in class and impact.
Sane breezes past opponents, has a final ball and end product.
Sterling has none of these things.

I don't know which match you watched yesterday but Sane was awfully fucked yesterday. He's not playing well at all

 

[Father Paul]

How has he not rolled this into the middle of the box?? It’s the kind of decision making our front line falls foul of at times.

Easy to jump on the guy but perhaps he was trying to play in the player on the far left an ambitious ball but a certain goal if it comes off. The ball into the centre appears the obvious one but the defenders around him were not statues and could easily of blocked the path to goal. I am ever so glad that some of you lot are not picking the team tonight or god forbid playing.

 

[willipp]

I don't know which match you watched yesterday but Sane was awfully fucked yesterday. He's not playing well at all

Bluemoon would explode if Sterling played as badly as Sane did last night.

 

[domalino]

I think he was super disappointing across both games. For a guy who was desperate to move to Bayern, he looked as bad as he did at any point during his City career.

I think he was worse, he has regressed either from playing less (although its not like he's been rotting on the bench) or being under a coach who is less dedicated to doing everything through the wings.

There was one point where he played a ball to the far post and I thought Sterling taps that in every day of the week but Coman doesn't make that run, he always goes to the middle because hes good in the air, like Lewy, Choupo Moting and Muller - so he should know no one will be there. Its just mindless football to smash it to the far post.

Its not guaranteed, he is still young, but he's shaping up to be a massive wasted talent which is pretty tragic, hasnt kicked on since 2018.