F*king hell. I'm going to compose my thoughts on this bitter disappointment, and then hopefully seal it away and move on. Although that endeavor will likely fail.
Essentially, still gutted. Poch decided to throw it away. I wanted us to treat this game as a real test of our mettle and our skills, against a top-class European side, at an atmospheric ground that ranks as among the best and loudest in Europe.
Poch decided to try his hardest to exit the competition now. Having slogged all the way through the group stages playing our strongest side, he decides to cheerfully wave the white flag and send out a cringing second-string eleven today. Against
Borussia Dortmund. Away.
Way to go, Poch. '
We are not prioritizing any competition', my ass.
I think it was
@thfcsteff who said that this team getting hammered in this manner would make clear to Poch that we need better backup for Dier, replacements for Chadli and Carroll, and so on. First, I highly doubt that will matter, because seeing the need for a replacement isn't the same as going out and buying one, as evidenced by Kane's lone furrow up front. It could very well be that Poch gets picky and decides to not buy anyone again. If so,
fair enough, his choice as manager,
but then he really cannot complain when he gets shown up for being an utter ass as his second string is decimated, because it's the second string he chooses and sticks with. Secondly, people were pointing out that we needed backup for Dier in January: hell, we were pointing out that we needed a DM in the summer. What's Poch learned from being hammered by a side that effortlessly slaughtered us today (and how they must be incredulously blinking, having built us up beforehand as a threat worth taking a seriously and a 'big' rival) that he didn't learn over the course of the season, when the same things were being pointed out by everyone around him?
I don't know why we threw the game. Maybe Poch really thinks the mythical league title is on, or maybe he feels that a top four spot itself is at risk with teams creeping up behind us. But either way, he threw the game. Against a side which plays like he tries to make us play (coached, by the way, by a manager who's only been there for less than a season, half the time that Poch has been in charge here). Against a side which expected us to put up a much greater fight than we did. And with the very real prospect of an EL title beckoning to us if we emerged from this tie as victors over the best side left in the competition.
F*ck you, Poch. You deeply disappointed me today. Not the team, who tried their damned hardest against a side which was at full-strength and could cut through us like butter (and young Onomah was a bright spark in this mess). Not the fans or the club, neither of whom could have done any more than they did in building this game up as one of importance (and credit again goes to our away fans for their voice, and the way they applauded Dortmund's players off at the end). You.
In the end, perhaps the abiding memory of this game that will stay with me is of the astonishment of the German commentators on my brickty cat video on youtube, who constantly seemed surprised that Dortmund had built us up so much and shown us so much respect in the build-up to the fixture. That hurt, perhaps more than the goals as they flew in and our EL chances fell away.
There is a second leg in this fixture, at home at WHL.
Poch, play the damn first eleven and make up for this stupid omnishambles you oversaw today.
Treat this competition with respect, dammit. It's a cup we could have won, and we've already thrown away the LC and the FA Cup prior to this.
IF we are to exit, let us at least exit with dignity, having clawed a goal or two back at home and at least given Dortmund some validation of the respect they afforded to us in the build-up to this fixture.
Play the first eleven at home. Every man jack of them. Drag them out to the field if need be.
Don't throw away games like this again.
And f*ck you for doing so today.
