The times when we and Bayern were a class above everyone else are just over, it ended with Tuchel. Now it's only Bayern. We only had 43% possession. We ran a lot, almost 7kms more than against Leipzig, but still, if you use 3 midfielders and sacrifice a 10, I'd expect to have more midfield control. I'm not sure what isn't working but I expect Favre to know that. It's possible that we just need more time to integrate the new players and get used to a new system. The games against Fürth and Hannover are way more representative of where we are than the pure result against Leipzig.
We didn't have midfield control, because it's not just the midfield that gives control. You also need players in other positions to be able to control the ball and remain calm under pressure. Dahoud and Witsel tried. Diallo and Akanji were good on the ball, but Schmelzer, LP and Delaney were terrible. Philipp is not a striker and struggles with his back to the goal. Until we replace the full backs we will not be able to dominate games. Delaney should have been taken off at half time for at the worst Weigl. Sancho should have come on for Wolf around the 60th minute and if we still needed a goal then Hakimi or Raphael could have come on for LP or Schmelzer.
Why the hell are we still relying on Pizszcek and Schmelzer for FB positions? What was the point of taking Hakimi on loan if he never plays? Seriously fvck this season.
Don’t understand Hakimi transfer , no option to buy . This is a position that should have been dealt with before last season and arguably earlier. Hakimi is not a solution , we are developing a player for Real . Zorc says the reboot will take two years , which is fair enough because the team was stocked with mediocrity , but this position should have been addressed instead of adding Wolf who is both rubbish and in a position we we’re already better equipped for . Delaney’s addition though is just mediocrity with a good attitude and signing him and Witsel looks like a lack of planning . Having said that Witsel a good signing and Delaney will be useful but bad value for money Not a fan of Phillip either , he’s not a striker or a winger , and not good enough and would like to see gone . Biggest criticism reserved for Favre , didn’t want him last season and not a good start , think his philosophy is a poor fit for Dortmund .
There was a funny moment in the press conference the other day when Stefan Buczko asked Favre if he would consider playing Wolf at RB instead of Piszczek. It was amusing and apt at the same time, as Piszczu looks cooked and Wolf doesn't look like he has the quality to play on the front line.
I agree. But to be fair, if you just watched that steamer of a game, it is hard to make a match thread positive.
Because I am a masochist, I just watched the game again (and I was barely watching the first time since I was at work). I didn't realize how bad Reus' day was on the first watching, his touch was not good. Dahoud never in his career saw a ball in the middle of the field he didn't want to shoot. The rate at which he plows shots into the backs of defenders is pretty wasteful. He was a huge net minus today. Delaney just doesn't have much control of the ball, he just clatters around the field. Wolf... ? He isn't young enough to be as rough as he is on offense. Today is what you get when Reus is off his game and you don't have Gotze, Kagawa (I know some don't like him), or Pulisic who have more creativity. And Sancho needs to quick kicking the ball in the air backwards while on defense. He got away with two(!) today in only a few minutes, but he was lucky, one of them nearly turned into a 1v1.
If you follow this board you will find that it is not negativity just realism. When people have been negative here or been critical of new signings more often than not it has turned out to be true. Delaney and Wolf both look like very poor signings, especially Delaney who was overpriced. The performance was turgid, but I wouldn't worry about that early on. Matches like this can happen and I would be disappointed with the result and performance, but not worry too much for the season. It was Favre being content with the result. "Of course we wanted to win, but the 0-0 is ok. Hannover was well organised. It was very hard for us, we suffered." Sums up Favre and that is not the attitude for a Dortmund coach. He needs to change it quickly.
Piss poor. You can see the mid-table mentality that Favre has. Such a defensive line-up you would think we were playing Barca, Real, City or Liverpool. LP and Schmelzer were again the weakest links - I have no idea how these two can be our starting fullbacks, they offer nothing and are a liability. Hakimi and Zagadou should be our fist choices there. Castro 2.0 is just that - an overpriced mediocre midfielder. Wolf isn't bad, could come in useful for games against tough opposition where we need to be more defensive. Akanji and Diallo are so far good. Weigl and Gotze need to start in midfield. Sancho also deserves a shot.
What else can you expect from a coach who's only worked on low-tier clubs that never stood a chance of challenging for trophies and has been humilliated in Europe every single time? Midtable feeder club manager having a midtable mentality isn't surprising, and anyone who thought we were going to challenge for trophies with deadweight players and a coach like Favre is a fvcking idiot.
I agree with this except Wolf is bad. He should be converted into a right back or come on in tough games when we are leading and need to hold on. He offers nothing going forward. Sometimes the best way to defend is the fear of a good offence. Any full back is going to have no trouble attacking, because he knows Wolf is useless. Now imagine we had Dembele still. Full backs are going to be incredibly weary of going forward. Watching Bayern highlights and we don't have their quality, but Kovac knows at a big club he needs to dominate and win every game. Sammer, Zorc and Watzke need to make this clear to Favre.