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Thomas Frank - Head Coach

Ok, so I didn’t watch the match. I went to the gym as I don’t have BT/TNT Sports. So I can’t talk about the performances more than what I’ve heard or read from others.

I have been heavy Thomas Frank out. After tonight I feel that the team showed how capable they can be. How important it is to have both Solanke and Udogie back. It seems that we had players missing and yet somehow that benefited us as we played a strong balanced team which works.

I don’t know how much of this is chance and how much Thomas Frank is responsible for. Selecting Spence on the left wing appears to have worked for us. I’ve heard a lot of positive comments about him. So that was a good tactical decision.

I think he will be given Burnley and I hope that what happened tonight will be repeated. I hope we can win that well too and can start to see shoots of recovery for the season.
 
thfcsteff said:
First-half we played with a fire and anger I have not seen for sometime. I thought Romero and Porro were outstanding in driving us forward, keeping us up the pitch and dictating the snap and crackle of what was needed.
I'll keep my deeper thoughts on that to myself, nonetheless, very positive.
It's a shame we ended up in that semi-space again second-half, dropping off a bit more than we needed to rather than going again at the start of the second, getting a third and then being able to rest some, BUT beggars should not be choosers and this is not a night to see anything negative more than celebrate the positive outcome, result and performance.
I'll say this. If we can hold onto a top 8 spot (and Frankfurt are not good this season so I think we can) then suddenly we are last 16. Anything can happen. Marginal gains are important, and one of those is we have to have a manager who believes we can win it (however ludicrous that might sound). Let's hope he believes, because irony of ironies, his pragamatic per-game approach might well work perfectly at that stage of a tournament.
Right now, I'm glad for all of us something is positive...now onto that next phase of the CL, Burnlio away!!!!! (well we are top 4 in the CL so let's pretend hahaha)
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2nd half was always going to be a drop off, too many players who have not built up fitness (Solanke/Berg/Udogie) to sustain that level of pressure. Dortmund were top scorers in UCL yet first half they had 0 shots and 1 touch in our area, that’s not playing well that’s dominance even before the sending off. Some players like Porro also looked visibly tired in the second half, and yes I’m blaming that break away chance on fatigue and Romero let a ball roll under his foot for a corner - hopefully with those players back, and there will still be ups and downs, we can show some sort of improvement and jump again with the return of Maddison and Kulu
 
Ace Face said:
Agree. When he’s good he’s really, really good.

He seems to save his best for the big games and has that winning mentality in spades.

My favorite current player by a mile.
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You can see his winning mentality in other matches too. He will go and try to put out fires. He will get stuck in and not go down without a fight. Yes that makes him look like a player of ill discipline but I think it’s just his commitment to the team and cause.

He is our best defender and it’s made me bewildered to see some say that Danso should start ahead of him. No way. Danso is a good player to have but he is well short of Romero.
 
El Dante said:
You can see his winning mentality in other matches too. He will go and try to put out fires. He will get stuck in and not go down without a fight. Yes that makes him look like a player of ill discipline but I think it’s just his commitment to the team and cause.

He is our best defender and it’s made me bewildered to see some say that Danso should start ahead of him. No way. Danso is a good player to have but he is well short of Romero.
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There was a moment in the second half where we had been under pressure for a while and he stepped out when his striker went short to receive the ball. He won possession and changed the momentum instantly.

That was true leadership by action, not words.
 
SpurMeUp said:
Are you trying to pivot here? After suggesting its the intent from the manager that makes a difference, now its Romero and Porro, rather than Frank lol

Second half was always going to be kill the game. We had ample chances first and second half to add a third goal. We are still terrible in the final third. Passing up oppotunities with wayward crosses and shots. But at least there should be some confidence in the side now. With so many injuries and no one on the bench, and big game away on the weekend, would it have been wise to come out all guns blazing second half?

You don't get to Franks position in the game without believing you can win. Bit of a condescending view of him. I'd ask whether fans can somehow reset and believe in Frank, and whether that can help propel us. It is probably more critical tbh.
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I don't think there is any reason to reset after just one game.

It's more than results, it's use of the squad, it's intent - the fact that some people believe the squad is as bad as Franks football portrays,and for me the way he has ruined Bergvall.

People might say he made an inspired choice with Spence on the left, but did he? It's inspired if he did it earlier in the season when we had more players to choose from. This smacks more of Redknapp and Bale when we had no left sided players so Bale was given a chance at left wing.
If you going to ask people with a negative view of TF, who have rightly gained that opinion based on what they have observed, after one game, should fans who have the oppsite view then be asked to change their stance if we pull off a stinker against Burnley? No. You have your valid views too

I thought thfcsteff raised a valid point that the captain inspired that performance - But for me, that's what I expect from a captain. I believe it was finally the "selection" of a midfield that plays on the front foot - I do believe Bergvall has been sidelined because he won't follow instructions and "sit in" or "take less risks". Bergvall played more forward passes today and was supporting the attack than the midfield usually does. Our attack looked much better when they got the ball earlier and on the ground. Gray joined in too.

End of the day, everyone's view is valid based on what they watch. I'm not a fan of TF based on this season, but I have always asked for us to stop playing like we are the worst squad. Get on the front foot and see what happens.
 
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Ace Face said:
Always thought we have looked better with Bergvall and Gray playing together. They seem to have a genuine connection and the innocence of youth to play positively.
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This for me is it. Midfield should be setting the tempo and assisting with transition. This insistence of playing Bergvall as a no10 earlier in the season was annoying... It took his energy away from where it was needed. So good at CM
 
Ace Face said:
Always thought we have looked better with Bergvall and Gray playing together. They seem to have a genuine connection and the innocence of youth to play positively.
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Them two at the base was the perfect mix of defensive tenacity and positional intelligence, plus quick transitioning of the ball forward. Along with Simons completing the trio, it was the best blend we've had at CM for a very long time
 
Credit where it's due. Made a tough decision because he knew he needed Solanke. Put a side out with players supposedly playing out of position, and got a tune out of them. Can't deny the players were busting a gut for him. First half played some great football.

Questions from the game:
1. Were Dortmund a bit brick? First half they couldn't live with us, but even when we ran out of steam in the second half, they didn't threaten much.
2. Do we play better at home in cup games, with less ST moaners, and more one off supporters/kids?
3. Can we build on that?
 
Lemonade Money said:
Credit where it's due. Made a tough decision because he knew he needed Solanke. Put a side out with players supposedly playing out of position, and got a tune out of them. Can't deny the players were busting a gut for him. First half played some great football.

Questions from the game:
1. Were Dortmund a bit brick? First half they couldn't live with us, but even when we ran out of steam in the second half, they didn't threaten much.
2. Do we play better at home in cup games, with less ST moaners, and more one off supporters/kids?
3. Can we build on that?
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Yeah Dortmund were very poor, you have to give part of the credit to us for that but nonetheless you would have expected them to pose more of a threat than they did.

Was trying to think about reasons why the home record in Europe in ridiculously good, certainly feels like a much better atmosphere to the European games and that of course will help.

Can we build on it? We've been here a few times, put in a decent performance and said hopefully we can build on this and then we flop. Away to Burnley next, so why not? We do have the second best away record in the league and a few more players will be available that weren't yesterday so should be thinking positively....
 
parj said:
I don't think there is any reason to reset after just one game.

It's more than results, it's use of the squad, it's intent - the fact that some people believe the squad is as bad as Franks football portrays,and for me the way he has ruined Bergvall.

People might say he made an inspired choice with Spence on the left, but did he? It's inspired if he did it earlier in the season when we had more players to choose from. This smacks more of Redknapp and Bale when we had no left sided players so Bale was given a chance at left wing.
If you going to ask people with a negative view of TF, who have rightly gained that opinion based on what they have observed, after one game, should fans who have the oppsite view then be asked to change their stance if we pull off a stinker against Burnley? No. You have your valid views too

I thought thfcsteff raised a valid point that the captain inspired that performance - But for me, that's what I expect from a captain. I believe it was finally the "selection" of a midfield that plays on the front foot - I do believe Bergvall has been sidelined because he won't follow instructions and "sit in" or "take less risks". Bergvall played more forward passes today and was supporting the attack than the midfield usually does. Our attack looked much better when they got the ball earlier and on the ground. Gray joined in too.

End of the day, everyone's view is valid based on what they watch. I'm not a fan of TF based on this season, but I have always asked for us to stop playing like we are the worst squad. Get on the front foot and see what happens.
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Why wouldn't you get behind the side and manager whilst he is here? It might help.
 
Lemonade Money said:
Credit where it's due. Made a tough decision because he knew he needed Solanke. Put a side out with players supposedly playing out of position, and got a tune out of them. Can't deny the players were busting a gut for him. First half played some great football.

Questions from the game:
1. Were Dortmund a bit brick? First half they couldn't live with us, but even when we ran out of steam in the second half, they didn't threaten much.
2. Do we play better at home in cup games, with less ST moaners, and more one off supporters/kids?
3. Can we build on that?
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The atmosphere was definitely much better, well before kick off as well. Night games obviously help that, but i reckon the crowds are definitely a lot younger on average too (less STs, as you say)
 
Lemonade Money said:
Credit where it's due. Made a tough decision because he knew he needed Solanke. Put a side out with players supposedly playing out of position, and got a tune out of them. Can't deny the players were busting a gut for him. First half played some great football.

Questions from the game:
1. Were Dortmund a bit brick? First half they couldn't live with us, but even when we ran out of steam in the second half, they didn't threaten much.
2. Do we play better at home in cup games, with less ST moaners, and more one off supporters/kids?
3. Can we build on that?
Click to expand...

They were poor, but I think we need to take some credit for making them poor.
The players pressed and harried them, they snapped into tackles and fought for everything.
 
El Dante said:
Ok, so I didn’t watch the match. I went to the gym as I don’t have BT/TNT Sports. So I can’t talk about the performances more than what I’ve heard or read from others.

I have been heavy Thomas Frank out. After tonight I feel that the team showed how capable they can be. How important it is to have both Solanke and Udogie back. It seems that we had players missing and yet somehow that benefited us as we played a strong balanced team which works.

I don’t know how much of this is chance and how much Thomas Frank is responsible for. Selecting Spence on the left wing appears to have worked for us. I’ve heard a lot of positive comments about him. So that was a good tactical decision.

I think he will be given Burnley and I hope that what happened tonight will be repeated. I hope we can win that well too and can start to see shoots of recovery for the season.
Click to expand...

The team has always been capable, we have seen it in moments. Yes having Solanke & Udogie help the balance of the team (and Frank hasn't had that luxury), but so does a more progressive pivot (Gray/Bergvall that he saw work in first game of season at home) that he just doesn't want to use.

2nd half (with all the caveats) is what concerned me, we played them off the park in the first, they were down to 10 men, 15-20 minutes more of that and we could have really killed the game, given the crowd a 3-0/4-0 CL win, lifted the team even more. And yes, I get that would have maybe created a little risk, but that's Frank, whatever he said (plus fatigue and limited players) caused us to retreat, to stop imposing ourselves on the game, and that fundamentally is why I don't think anything changed.
 
I believe that Gray & Bergvall would get over run in the PL as a CM 2 - Dortmund gave us more time and space than you get in the league.

This won't be settled until we see it play out - so there's not really a point in going through a 'no they won't/ yes they will' back and forth over it
 
billyiddo said:
I believe that Gray & Bergvall would get over run in the PL as a CM 2 - Dortmund gave us more time and space than you get in the league.

This won't be settled until we see it play out - so there's not really a point in going through a 'no they won't/ yes they will' back and forth over it
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Yes there is. :)
 
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