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Borussia Dortmund Vs Tottenham: Match Thread

Breezer

Position??? Magician!!!!
Aug 27, 2004
4,387
29,887
Last night showed the weaknesses in our squad and again highlighted the problem of not signing a striker! It's a miracle Kane has been fit all season otherwise we'd be screwed. Chadli is a waste of space upfront and looked like he was blowing out of his ass after 15 mins. No way can Son play up top either. Not in a 4-2-3-1 anyway.

Having seen the line up before kick off, it was obvious we would embarrassed. How can we go to Dortmund and play Carroll and Mason centre mid. It's not Darlington FFS!

We're now out of the Europa league so hopefully Poch plays a weakened side next Thursday. Play Winks (who i rate more than Carroll), Give Carter Vickers a game. Rest the whole starting 11 that will be playing Bournemouth.
 

bsinghd

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
647
1,035
Dortmund are one of the top teams in Europe. They looked fitter and stronger than us because they play less games and had a winter break. They also have quality players who are pacy and play one touch passing which opened us up. It's something our team doesn't do for some reason but getting into the champions league will allow us to get better quality players to supplement the team.
 

Lamelad

Active Member
Aug 30, 2014
357
515
The worry is not the selection, but the poor level of players like Mason or Trippier. These guys are not bench warmers, in Pochettino`s mind they are part of the future and that`s why they started. He expected them to turn up.

IHe might have over rated his young team but we can all see Kane is really tired, Dembele was clearly rushed back to play against the scum and still injured. Dier is on the ropes, alli was suspended.

Also the wing back rotation has been going on all season. He was not going to stop that.
 

dagraham

Well-Known Member
Sep 20, 2005
19,115
46,080
I have a feeling the stadium might be a bit empty next Thursday. The people who only go when there is a massive game on will drop like the fair weather fans, most of them are.

Well tbf, I've been going to WHL regularly for 25 years, a ST holder for 15 and I'm seriously considering selling my ticket.

£40 for a completely dead tie where we'll probably play another weakened team and you can understand why some people would think twice.
 

eViL

Oliver Skipp's Dad
May 15, 2004
5,840
7,960
To be honest yes I wanted a stronger team last night but it's not even there where the frustration lies. If those players truly needed a rest of course it was right to not play them but for me the frustration comes from some of these players playing in games earlier in the season that they really shouldn't have been playing. I just think not necessarily yesterday but it's been poor management of the situation in the competition as a whole.

I can't disagree. But I don't think anyone thought we'd be in a League Title chase when were playing those games.

Priorities had to change.
 

Yakflange

Well-Known Member
Jul 30, 2004
852
1,032
After the match last night I was as angry as everyone else (and for the first time this season I can understand all the outpourings on the match thread!), but today I'm feeling a bit more relaxed about it.

Yes, it wasn't nice to see, but Pochettino has had to make a decision that he thinks will be in the best long-term interests of the club. We don't know the condition of all the players who were rested - probably many of them running on empty or half-injured. We don't just need to be in top form (and without any more injuries) for the Villa game, but also for the Bournemouth game three days after the Dortmund return leg, and for the rest of the season.

Although we may laugh at Arsenal for their only target every season being to get back into the Champions League, and we can now rightly be accused of doing the same, it is the Holy Grail. If we can achieve that this season then investment and better players will hopefully follow in the summer, our current group of players and Pochettino will improve, and if we can get a foothold in the Champions League and the Premier League and keep pushing on from there, then we'll look back on this game and conclude we did the right thing.

I still feel a bit sad thinking like this, because obviously the passionate part of me wanted to see our best side go toe-to-toe with Dortmund, and I'm sorry for the fans that went or have tickets to the return leg, but on balance I think it was probably the right decision, if a very difficult one to take.

But time will tell...
 

Borks

Well-Known Member
Jun 22, 2014
1,524
3,300
Poch - Quite simply this team selection will only begin to look just about acceptable if after the Bournemouth game we are 6 points better off than we are before the Villa game !!!!!

Agree but Villa away and Bournemouth at home should be 6 points for any title chasing team, regardless of whether your first team are rested or playing in Europe.
 

RickyVilla

Well-Known Member
May 16, 2004
18,479
19,942
Well tbf, I've been going to WHL regularly for 25 years, a ST holder for 15 and I'm seriously considering selling my ticket.

£40 for a completely dead tie where we'll probably play another weakened team and you can understand why some people would think twice.
I did say most not all.
 

Cavehillspur

Well-Known Member
Jan 28, 2011
13,967
18,271
I'll be very annoyed if we go full strength in the 2nd leg and then slip up against Bournemouth. This tie is effectively over because Dortmund will score at the Lane and we wont score 5.

Suppose we need to get past Villa first and that's not a given either.
 

bubble07

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2004
22,959
29,896
This may be unpopular but Son offers very little when he plays. Let's hope he isn't a dud and is just adjusting
 

Sweetsman

Well-Known Member
Jan 30, 2011
6,673
6,588
The worry is not the selection, but the poor level of players like Mason or Trippier. These guys are not bench warmers, in Pochettino`s mind they are part of the future and that`s why they started. He expected them to turn up.

IHe might have over rated his young team but we can all see Kane is really tired, Dembele was clearly rushed back to play against the scum and still injured. Dier is on the ropes, alli was suspended.

Also the wing back rotation has been going on all season. He was not going to stop that.
It never fails to amaze me how players watch the ball when it is crossed without looking at where the other players are. The ball isn't going to suddenly change direction without one of them getting involved. Trippier kept cutting in, leaving Reus all alone. Two of our goals were due to poor defensive decisions, not the make-up of the team. The third was just a thing of beauty.
 

spox

New Member
Jun 9, 2003
29
96
I think last night's selection was all about Potch thinking back a year. At that point we were well placed for a top 4 finish, in the League Cup final and had Fiorentina in the Europa. He opted to play a strong team against the latter and ultimately came-up short in all three competitions. Our squad is young and still a bit thin, particularly in key areas. It's also expected to play an energy sapping high-press game every week. Including last night's game reaching the Europa final would involve an extra 7 games this season. Right now I don't think we have the depth or energy to perform really well in another 16 games. Painful as it was to watch I think he made the right call.
 

eViL

Oliver Skipp's Dad
May 15, 2004
5,840
7,960
This may be unpopular but Son offers very little when he plays. Let's hope he isn't a dud and is just adjusting

He needs space to run into with the ball created by his fellow forwards running into space without it.

Rather than having 3 players staying static or coming deep because they want the ball in that area too.

It's actually a problem that Kane, Chadli, Lamela, Eriksen and Son all have.
 

hutchiniho

Top Cat
Mar 19, 2006
4,662
5,879
The worry is not the selection, but the poor level of players like Mason or Trippier. These guys are not bench warmers, in Pochettino`s mind they are part of the future and that`s why they started. He expected them to turn up.

IHe might have over rated his young team but we can all see Kane is really tired, Dembele was clearly rushed back to play against the scum and still injured. Dier is on the ropes, alli was suspended.

Also the wing back rotation has been going on all season. He was not going to stop that.

I just don't understand that having made the decision to start with the 'squad' players, why take Kane etc over at all? They still need to travel, change and warm up so that is not 'resting' them. And worse still bring them on when we are 2/3-0 down. If Poch was ok to start with a weaker team then he should be ok with the consequences.
 

bubble07

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2004
22,959
29,896
He needs space to run into with the ball created by his fellow forwards running into space without it.

Rather than having 3 players staying static or coming deep because they want the ball in that area too.

It's actually a problem that Kane, Chadli, Lamela, Eriksen and Son all have.

Apart from 1 europa game, leicester away in the cup and that vital watford last minute winner he has just been bang average
 

WalkerboyUK

Well-Known Member
Jun 8, 2009
21,658
23,476
I'll be very annoyed if we go full strength in the 2nd leg and then slip up against Bournemouth. This tie is effectively over because Dortmund will score at the Lane and we wont score 5.

Suppose we need to get past Villa first and that's not a given either.

Anything other than 6 points from Villa & Bournemouth and, in my opinion, we can kiss top 4 goodbye.
 

Sir Henry

Facts > Feelings
Aug 18, 2008
2,706
2,817
Now I've had a sleep and time to reflect, I think Poch overestimated his team last night and got a fucking fright at how good Dortmund were. Oh, and also the ref needs a good kick in the balls.
 
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