2012-2013 Bundesliga Match Day 22 Borussia Dortmund versus Eintracht Frankfurt Saturday, February 16, 2013, Westfalenstadion, Dortmund – Kickoff: 6:30 PM (CET) Saturday evening’s match is a huge one for both clubs. Borussia Dortmund is fighting to remain in second place ahead of Bayer Leverkusen and Saturday’s opponents, Eintracht Frankfurt. An Eintracht Frankfurt victory on Saturday evening would give Frankfurt 40 points, one more than defending champions BVB and two more than Bayer Leverkusen, currently in third place. Not one of the three sides can even dream of catching runaway Bundesliga leaders FC Bayern München right now. Borussia Dortmund comes into the match after securing a 2-2 Champions’ League draw at Shaktar Donezk in Ukraine on Wednesday night. BVB fans can feel good about this draw as it was taken at the home of a very dangerous opponent and the BVB team should have time to get healthier before facing Shaktar at Westfalenstadion. However, as we all remember, BVB’s last match at Westfalenstadion was a near-humiliating defeat at the hands of HSV. The 4-1 score was a bit flattering for HSV, but it was still an overall embarrassing day in front of the home faithful. BVB will want to “make things right” for the home fans, but they will have to do so against what might be the best “fighting team” in the Bundesliga. And over the years, even the Klopp years, BVB has its most trouble with “fighting teams.” In fact, despite their up and down fortunes of recent years, Eintracht Frankfurt has only lost to BVB one time in the past five matches between the two clubs, while winning two of these last five meetings. One of Frankfurt’s victories came on February 7, 2010 at Westfalenstadion. Before that match, Eintracht Frankfurt had not won in Dortmund since April 1991. However, the good news for BVB fans is BVB’s lone victory in this five-match stretch with Eintracht Frankfurt came in the last meeting between the two clubs at Westfalenstadion. Of course, BVB fans’ biggest concern going into this match is how will BVB replace the goal-scoring production of Robert Lewandowski in the next three Bundesliga matches? The fans cannot love the fact that BVB’s #2 central striker, Julian Schieber, has zero goals in twelve Bundesliga appearances. Schieber does have one Champions’ League goal (match winner against Manchester City) and one German Cup goal (against VfR Aalen). While Schieber does not have a goal or an assist, I can say I was at the one Bundesliga match this season where Julian Schieber got to play 90 minutes. I thought in that match, Scheiber worked well for the team, but did not score himself. Of course, no matter what kind of other work they do, in the end, a central striker gets paid to score goals. I don’t know why I did this, but earlier today, I took a look at Goal.com’s match preview. In their points, they say, “Julian Schieber has not contributed to any goals in the Bundesliga this season.” As written, this is a boldfaced lie. If they had said, “Julian Schieber has no goals and no assists so far this Bundesliga season”, this would be factual. However, while he does not have any direct assists to his credit, Julian Schieber’s work was instrumental in three BVB goals in one night alone. On two of the goals, I know he got the ball to the guy who made the final pass. On another play, Scheiber stole a ball in midfield and started the BVB break which turned into a goal. They don’t give players “assists” for this, but these plays matter nonetheless. Anyhow, this still isn’t a comfort to those who worry that Schieber won’t produce enough for us to win. I think he will, but I do admit this is more from hope than anything. This is all up to Julian Schieber. +++++++++++++++++++++++++ Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller - Piszczek, Santana, Hummels, Schmelzer - Bender, Kehl (Gündogan) - Blaszczykowski, Götze, Reus - Schieber BVB Subs: Langerak - Kirch, Subotic, Leitner, Gündogan, Großkreutz, Sahin, Bittencourt, Bajner Questionable For BVB: Gündogan (bruising under the toenail), Grosskreutz (not match fit) Out For BVB: Lewandowski (red card suspension), Owomoyela (ankle issues) Eintracht Frankfurt: Trapp - Jung, Zambrano, Anderson, Oczipka- Schwegler, Rode - Aigner, Meier, Inui – Lakic Frankfurt Subs: Nikolov - Russ, Butscher, Kempf, Celozzi, Djakpa, Kittel, Lanig, Matmour, Occean Questionable For Frankfurt: Unknown Out For Frankfurt: Amedick (Trainingsrückstand) Referee: Dr. Felix Brych Sideline Assistants: Mark Borsch, Frank Willenborg – Fourth Official: Wolfgang Walz Nearing Yellow Card Suspension: - Inui, Rode (Each with four yellows) Spectators: Westfalenstadion is sold out.
only getting updates from match trackers. If anyone is watching live any and all comments are appreciated.
Fairly easy goals by BvB. Holes in Frankfurt's defense and some clever play through the off-side trap and it's 2-0 before the 10 minute mark.
The 2nd goal was offside. Thanks ref. We will take it. Goetze`s assist for the 1st goal was a beauty!!!!!!! Eintracht are just the way we like 'em - very open attacking side. Plenty of space to counter attack.
Schieber just got a red card. He already had a yellow and now according to the ref he elbowed an opposition player. A bit harsh. I dont think it is a second yellow.
Scheiber just wasted a great opportunity to make the CF position his own.... Double-yellow and BvB down to 10. What's will all these "reds" for BvB? 1st sending off in his career. Only 3 yellows in his 90 career BuLi matches...what are the odds...?
schieber looked like an enforcer out there....put in a lot of energy..really tried to make the most of an opportunity but aside from the cards...did not offer a lot on the pitch
Kudos to Klopp for reshaping formation making much more compact and Gotze playing as a false 9 after Schieber's red
Goetze------------Reus----------Jacob - Leitner---------Gundogan------Bender - Schmelly--Hummels--Subotic-Piszczek
Liked the way we played in the 2nd half with 10 men. Götze was basically CF and CAM at the same time and he did very well. Nice set-ups for Reus, who was clinical. Subotic almost scored a beauty. Defencively a solid performance. Ref was obviously too soft but at least he kept his line. Feel sorry for Schiber, he had a great chance to prove himself.
I'd rather not have Kuba in the starting lineup because although he works hard and is valuable he isn't on the same level as Reus and Goetze and to make a formation like that work, everyone in that front band needs to be on the same page. Maybe Leitner or Bittencourt down the line. Maybe even this shape -----------------Reus----Goetze ----------Leitner----------------Kuba -------------Bender----Gundogan Schmelzer---Hummels---Subotic---Piscszek
when Reus and Gotze are on...there are not too many players in the world that are on the same level as them.... i am sorry but that's an idiotic thing to say
Let's try to look at this critically instead of resorting to insults, shall we? There are times when Kuba doesn't link up with them or isn't on the same page in terms of intelligence on and off the ball. For the formation to function with a front band of 3, they need to be on the same page. I can't imagine Kuba being in that front band.
I just saw the match and drew multiple conclusions: 1. Eintracht Frankfurt is not ready for Europe. Period. Their defence was Swiss cheese, Reus and Götze often had space that was unbelievable, in very dangerous places. Their offence was starving to create anything, and their midfield was overrun in such a horrific manner by Dortmund it was painful to watch. Need I say more? 2. The Götze-Reus connection is coming very close to being elite, if it isn't already. Reus was powerful, direct, and brilliant. Götze was tricky, creative, and brilliant. I could not decide who was the man of the match of those two. Just epic. Götze and Reus were constantly interchanging, creating, dribbling, finding space. Neither one had any set position, they were just all over the place. It seemed to me Klopp switched the formation to be something like a 4-3-2, with Kuba and Großkreutz asked to play more conservatively and Götzeus given more of a free role in playing dual "false-nines" together. Truly such a pleasure to see, both of them were indescribable. 3. Kuba needs to step up. When everyone else were clicking, buzzing, doing their roles to exquisite perfection, Kuba looked lost. It became painfully obvious he wasn't at the level he was being asked to be at. Hence, mostly Götzeus played amongst themselves, leaving Kuba out of the loop. Disappointing stuff from him. Hopefully it's just a form issue. 4. Gündôgan had an awesome game. His through balls and passes always created danger, his distribution and vision were truly brilliant, and everything he did had a point. The build-up to the third goal summarized his connection to Götzeus perfectly. He saw Götze in space, gave a picture-perfect pass to Götze, Götze dribbled, found Reus making a well-timed run, lays it off, Reus unleashes a powerful shot right into the net. Gündôgan is the Alpha of Dortmund, so to speak. Almost every decent play Dortmund makes starts with him. Overall great game, and a perfect example of how Dortmund works when they click. Unfortunate sending off for Schieber. Both yellows were very soft.
Not sure why you pin point to those three, specifically? when the off. unit functions with 5/6 going players going forward. second....I hope that you enjoy BL on a somewhat regular basis to see that Kuba's one of the best right mids in league..top 15 in Europe.... third...i have no idea what are you talking about when you write "intelligence and off the ball" fourth..unlike Reus and Gotze...Kuba tracks more than any other off minded mf we have...possibly even more than KG....he simply has different responsibilities than Gotze or Reus fifth...while I agree Gotze and Reus are superior talents...to say that Kuba "can't make that formation work" because he "is not on the same level" is a terribly juvenile observation it may be a shock to some...but there is no reason why BVB cannot at least make to semis of CL we are that good...