• Dear Guest, Please note that adult content is not permitted on this forum. We have had our Google ads disabled at times due to some posts that were found from some time ago. Please do not post adult content and if you see any already on the forum, please report the post so that we can deal with it. Adult content is allowed in the glory hole - you will have to request permission to access it. Thanks, scara

***OMT - Tottenham Hotspur v Borussia Dortmund - first leg***

Status
Not open for further replies.

Lemonade Money

Steffen Freund
Goals not scored don’t tend to find their way into the history books. (Unless England are involved, perhaps). Arturo Vidal’s volley onto the cross-bar (via Roman Bürki’s finger-tips); Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Douglas Costa running through on goal at 35 km/h; a last ditch tackle from Joshua Kimmich; Arjen Robben cutting inside and missing the target: all these and a dozen other breathtaking scenes from Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munich, the game that promised so much and delivered nearly everything, will soon fade from memory.

There’s something a little strange about a sport that values a mis-hit shot trickling in off someone’s backside over a striker and goalkeeper matching each other’s greatness. But that’s where we are. At least the most exciting scenes of “the best game of the season” (according to the Germany manager and football purist Joachim Löw) will remain readily available on highlight reels, whereas the battle of wits between Thomas Tuchel and Pep Guardiola will, in all likelihood, only be talked about in hushed, conspiratorial tones by tactics nerds in online forums and at coaching conventions.

It finished 0-0. But it was fascinating to witness Tuchel, one such nerd, following his mentor, the uber-nerd Guardiola, in making the case for football being evaluated (and maybe remembered, too) in a completely different manner, independent of goals and results. “I don’t care at all about the scoreline today,” the BVB coach insisted convincingly on Saturday, adding that he’d found it “hard to feel angry at this moment”. His team had achieved something almost impossible in the first 30 minutes, they had dominated possession against Bayern and forced the visitors to counter-attack. A surprising defensive formation, with three at the back that became five in possession - but with Mats Hummels frequently moving into midfield to track Thomas Müller - denied Bayern space in the wide areas and prevented the champions’ from launching long balls over the top, the decisive weapon in the 5-1 demolition of the Black and Yellows in Munich in autumn. Bayern have lost three times this season (against Arsenal, Gladbach and Mainz), but none of their opponents came as tantalisingly close to actually outplaying them, between both boxes, as Dortmund did in the first 60 minutes here – until Guardiola’s adjustments (Xabi Alonso going deeper, Lahm moving into midfield) becalmed the game.

Tuchel could have bemoaned a series of poor first touches from Marco Reus in dangerous situations, or other small short-comings, but he was much more interested in measuring his team’s performance against the Bayern benchmark. His Dortmund side “kept pace at the very highest level in world football against the very highest level of opposition,” as Hummels put it, and made up plenty of ground (if not points) on the league leaders too. But Bayern, Hummels hinted, were still ahead in terms of flexibility. The defender appreciated Müller’s “cleverness” in altering his positioning to escape attention and praised the his “ability to make changes during the game”.

The WAZ newspaper, too, was impressed with the small print. “Critics might repeat until they’re the blue in the face that Guardiola not winning the Champions League might amount to a failure”, it wrote. “But all those who looked closely on Saturday could see that he’s taken Bayern to another, even higher level”.

Tuchel believes the fact that Dortmund have clung to this side’s coat-tails – and even briefly threatened to pull down their Lederhosen – should be appreciated as a triumph in itself. “We’ve come closer,” he noted proudly. To him, beating Bayern on the night was of less importance than the evidence that his team were developing, both tactically and in terms of their attitude. “I’m hoping we will see and use the light shed by this game immediately,” he said. “Then we will become, what we’ll become”. As good as Bayern, he meant. And as hungry, regardless of the position in the table. “Five points, two points, eight points (behind the leaders) – it doesn’t matter. We will continue. There is no other way. Bayern have been doing that for years, they’re relentless. We’ll try to follow that example.”

Dortmund, some observers thought, could have gone for broke towards the end of the match, to force a winner that could have changed the dynamic in the title race rather than settle for the status quo. Tuchel, though, as Süddeutsche Zeitung noted, “was not prepared to pay a price he didn’t know”. He and Guardiola were brothers in spirit, concluded the broadsheet, coaches who “refuse to be men for only one night”.

For Bayern, Vidal and the makeshift defender Kimmich were the best performers at the Signal Iduna Park, which told much of the story. Kimmich, 21, was outstanding against Aubameyang and Reus (“they’re pretty quick, you better start running,” he joked) but not nearly flawless enough for Guardiola. The Spaniard was irate that Kimmich hadn’t taken up a deeper position in the last few minutes and administered an uncomfortably intense private lesson in the centre-circle. “He’s very critical but that’s what you want as a young player,” Kimmich shrugged. The former Stuttgart and Leipzig midfielder is now in danger of missing out on a trip to the Rio Olympics: Löw will surely start considering him for the Euros as an alternative in defence, perhaps at right-back, instead.

If Tuchel secretly did have any regrets, they were probably directed more at the club’s inability to strengthen in the winter break. Dortmund lacked one or two options from the bench to swing the game on Saturday, while Bayern could afford the luxury of keeping Mario Götze in the dugout and Kingsley Coman in the stands. There are whispers that BVB might try to buy Götze back in the summer. The attacking midfielder knows all about goals that make it into the history books, of course, but at 23 he is too young to live off former glories alone.

http://www.theguardian.com/football...n-no-goals-but-had-everything-else-honigstein
 
Just change his fudging avatar already.
We didn't draw with Swansea after going to Monaco, draw at home to Mourinho's broken Chelsea after going to fudging Qarabag, lose to Saudi Sportswashing Machine after pointlessly securing top spot against Monaco or go out of the FA Cup lamely after going to Fiorentina for this OMT.
 
You bastard. You selfish bastard. This stool sample of an OOOMT will curse our new stadium. I'll be surprised if it even gets built after this :(
 
Best. OMT. Ever. We will lose 6-0 and not a single player will even get the merest hint of a bruise. More than that, they will be refreshed by a couple of days in Dortmund, one of the most delightful of German cities, known for an abundance of delicious beers and pretzel bread, all at very reasonable prices.
 
An OMT with an article? From the Guardian? Which at no point mentions Spurs?

Have no idea what sort of effect this will have on the rest of our season. Only that whatever happens it won't be good!
 
This has to be one of the toughest team selection decisions of the season. Part of me wants us to approach this like a Champions League match. Send a full-strength team to Dortmund to compete against one of the best teams in the world. It's the kind of glamour game that our veterans deserve and that our young players could grow from. Plus, we are playing one of the worst Prem teams in recent memory on Sunday.

On the other hand, the last two results mean that 3 points on Sunday is absolutely massive. The players must be knackered from back to back intense matches against West Ham and Arsenal, and 180 minutes of competitive football in 48 hours might be too much. I'm especially worried about Eriksen and Dier, as it feels like they've played almost every minute in the last few months, and Dembele who is just coming back from a muscle injury.

Maybe do something like this?

Dortmund:
-----------Hugo-------------
KT--KW--Toby---Davies
---Dier------Bentaleb--
Son---Mason---Lamela
---------Chadli--------

Villa:
--------------Hugo----------
Walker-Wimmer-Toby--Rose
-----Dier------Dembele----
Eriksen---Alli-----Lamela
-------Kane----------------

It feels like that Dortmund game might be a little too under strength though. It must be so hard to be a manager haha.
 
A few thoughts on which players are suited to which of the next 2 games.

I want to see Son up front against Dortmund exploiting their high defensive line.
I want to see Trippier used against Villa in a game were we'll have all the possession trying to break them down.
I don't think we need Dier against Villa. Would rather a more attacking midfield.
Chadli isn't suited to playing Dortmund due to a lack tracking back but would provide width against Villa.
Alli is suspended for Dortmund.
 
I watched that Dortmund game at the weekend. It wasn't great, despite what the article says. For the 1st half Dormund played rather like we do in full press mode. 2nd half Bayern kept the ball rather easily as Dortmund had run out of steam.

No clue what team Poch will pick
 
IMO we will get a lesson in pressing and finishing. 6-0 Dortmund. End of story.

THEN we can focus on the league.

So I say, send the youff there ! Oh er, I mean the unused oldies then ! Do we not have an option to call back Twonsend and Bassong ?
 
I really think Europa is costing us league results but I can't fathom out how when we have played at home but were in it still and it would be pointless going through the brick games to not have a real go in the good ones surely
 
If you're still feeling good about the title, then I can see why you'd think the EL is a distraction.

But if you're a fan who thinks us making the CL is an achievement in and of itself, then the EL really becomes more important. Firstly, because games like the ones against Dortmund will be the standard in the CL. Secondly, because there's undoubtedly an effect on our league performances that comes with the EL, but I don't think it's pronounced enough to make us drop out of CL qualification altogether: it might make us stumble when chasing the 'league title', but I think we'd still make CL even if we did focus on the EL. And thirdly, because, in the unfathomable event that we drop out of the running for a CL place in the league, winning the EL offers us a shot at CL qualification AND a trophy to boot: and, far from that being unlikely, I'd say that if we beat Dortmund, we'd probably be the second or third strongest side left in the competition, which would definitely set us up for a run.
 
Important thing for me is do we play Kane or not. Otherwise we continue to do what we have done which is slightly rotate where we can

Lloris

Trippier Alderweireld Wimmer Davies
Dier Mason
Lamela Eriksen Son
Chadli

Something like that. Or maybe Dembele and Kane will also both play. It's tough. I'm sure all those lads will fancy playing in this arena
 
Important thing for me is do we play Kane or not. Otherwise we continue to do what we have done which is slightly rotate where we can

Lloris

Trippier Alderweireld Wimmer Davies
Dier Mason
Lamela Eriksen Son
Chadli

Something like that. Or maybe Dembele and Kane will also both play. It's tough. I'm sure all those lads will fancy playing in this arena

Lloris
Walker Alderweireld Wimmer Davies
Bentaleb Mason
Onomah Carroll Chadli
Son

Agree with Modric above.
Walkers pace will be essential against Aubamayeng. Trippier will be needed against Villa.
Ball retention will be essential so Bentaleb and Carroll.
Son can run behind their strong CBs but weak on pace.
Key players get rest.
Anyone carrying a knock or tired gets a break but still a side capable of dealing with Dortmunds weaknesses and strengths.
 
Alli won't be playing, neither will Rose.

Dembele, Dier and Kane should be rested but I doubt all three will.

-----------------Lloris--------------
Trippier Toby Wimmer Davies
---------Mason----Dier-----------
-----Son Eriksen Lamela--------
---------------Chadli--------------

Worried about what Reus is going to do to Trippier.
 
There's no way Poch is gonna go to Dortmund and play a severely weakened line up.
He'll play the best team he thinks for doing the job. And that might mean Son's pace instead of Kane.

Lloris
Walker Alderweireld Wimmer Davies
Dier Mason
Lamela Dembele Eriksen
Son
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back