Dortmund (H) - CL QF | Post-Match Thread

[Brightwell Bros.]

Fucking hell the lino getting an autograph, what a joke.

 

[GoatersLeftShin]

We really do enjoy saving our worse performances for the CL don't we?

I thought the team that Pep picked was probably the right one, although I'd rather have had Cancelo at right back over Walker, with Zinchenko at left back. We always look more balanced with Zinchenko at left back, even though I'm not his biggest fan.

I genuinely don't think they were better than Leicester, Liverpool, United, Chelsea. Yet we put in ANOTHER below average/poor performance in the quarters against a team who aren't. This is a pattern and definitely a problem. I don't understand why we don't play our normal game and press the living shit out of them. We don't need to show teams like that more respect than Chelsea, Leicester, United, Liverpool etc.

You genuinely wouldn't know that we were supposed to have 6 people in that midfield would you? Foden was utter class and full of running. KdB and Gundogan did well but the rest did little. Mahrez had been playing well but saved his usual Mahrez game for tonight.

The biggest problem we've had all week I suspect, is that Pep's been telling them Haaland is 10 foot tall, 20 stone of sheer muscle, faster than Usain Bolt, better at finishing than Pele and creates goals like KdB. Just his presence within 20 yards of our defence seemed to make them nervous - I've not seen any other striker do that to us. He looks good but we absolutely should not be setting up our whole mindset to stop him from playing. The guy is not Maradona reborn.

All through the game, we played sloppy passes to people in danger who weren't expecting the ball. The defence in particular did their best to test each others control under pressure. Ederson did them no favours either and his control when Bellingham closed him down was stupid. Their confidence was shot going onto the pitch.

I do think we will beat them overall, but Pep has to stop respecting teams like the 5th best one in Germany. Honestly, if we're scared shitless of Dortmund we might as well give up now as the next games are against teams who we will have to show some respect to.

I was looking forward to watching Haaland though as I do like to watch great footballers and from the little service he had, I like the look of him. His pass to Reus was superb, yet the chance he should've finished was just like the ones we already miss! :)

The tie is setup nicely. I just hope Pep learns a lesson and goes over there and rips into them.

 

[hertsblue]

Official seen getting Hallands autograph in the tunnel in front of other players, totally unprofessional

 

[Ric]

Embarrassing that, the linesman getting Haaland’s autograph in the tunnel.

 

[WestGorton]

Linesman getting Haalands autograph. Oh dear.

 

[Blu1]

Lines man getting haaland to sign his red & yellow card wtf ? Lol

 

[oldius]

against premiership teams. We were playing that system because we had injuries to our strikers most of the time. I'm just saying a central striker would give their defence something to think about, you need to thread the ball through the eye of needle to score with the no forward system. We have players that can do that but why limit your options by playing without a forward ?.

There is nothing wrong with having it as an option but I think we create just as much without. One focal point is much easier to defend against, in my opinion.

 

[SWPISHOME]

I would play Laporte with Dias next week

He could well play a back three you just don't know with Pep.
I'd be happy for Laporte to start every week he's a fabulous player.

 

[oakiecokie]

Where was he when Gundogan sauntered in to the box to set up the winning goal?

Where was Stones or Ruban when Haaland set up their equaliser ??
WAFSC !!!!

 

[chesterbells]

are you being serious?,if we relaid the pitch after leeds and played on it a month after it would all just rip up,the roots need to knit

I was being serious. I don’t know as much as you about how these pitches are put together, and what % of them is natural grass for example, and what size the sections are that get put in. I wondered, but thanks for clarifying. I’m just frustrated by how poor the surface has become.