I'm assuming that is a video game? No, I just don't think it is done enough given how effective speed is directly down the middle of the pitch.
Yes, it is. And what you’re talking about is the “meta” tactic of that game. I have jokingly mentioned in other places that Klopp basically builds meta FIFA teams. High pressure, skilled dribblers with pace, defend the center, attack the center. All of that to say, I 100% agree. While it’s over utilized in the video game, it’s underutilized irl.
BVB was dour, even watching with one eye like I did. But CP was less bad than much of the team. There was, for instance, the cushion bring down in the box in the second half. It was a very, very difficult ball to control in tight space. And while CP did nothing exceptional with it (he was about 5-6 line, a few meter right of the near post with two defenders on him) there was no awareness from Dortmund attack that the ball was in the box a perhaps an error could be forced. It was like a sea of blue with one yellow finch bobbing on the towering breakers... ok, not really but if you read Breugel's Icarus recently... well, you should. But I digress. Then there was the cross to Goetze I think it was. A nice floating cross across the box. Goetze is alone wide. Traps - at about 8 meters, outside 18 meter box, and crosses it OUT of the 18 to a blue shirt... WTF? Late game. Need a goal. All your attackers pushes up nearly on the goal line and you play the "let's start a counter" ball. It's just stupid football. That's not coaching or anything. That's just boys turning off their brains.
Another coach who used a similar concept but vastly different was Mourinhnino. He used to use Drogba like a battering ram to break teams right down the middle. I have no idea what he does now. Bale also used to play down the center of the pitch to great effect . For me CP can be an elite ACM or reserved striker. Still angry neither Bob nor Bruce had the vision or stack to play Donovan Beasley as tandem forwards . Could have been our Romario and bebeto.
For comic relief , and blatant homey bias , take a look at these Kicker ratings: Reus 3.5 Sahin 4 Schurrle 4 Shmelzer 5 Pulisic 5 I dare anybody to justify these ratings .
lol are these real? pulisic's second half alone should have made him a 3.5 he was by far the most dangerous player, in an otherwise listless side. schurrle once again was garbage. he isnt good enough
Shurrle is German , so he's automatically 1 point better than Pulisic . By the way, Seltzer at the very least was a 5.5 , a 6 wouldn't have been outrageous , he was full of gas .
Bats is really hurt. I take back all my snark. That sucks for him. Schalke was chippy and the ref was letting them get away with it - and I think too much, but the challenge on Bats didn't look that bad live. Haven't seen the replay, but hate for that happen to him. He was one of the few BVB bright spots.
Dortmund have no bite in the midfield anymore. They rely on their attackers creating chances out of nothing and it just doesn't work, not even for Marco Reus. They used to be a lot better about winning the ball in the midfield that would lead to getting their attackers in space, but these days they just pass around the defenders before eventually asking CP or another attacker to force through a wall of defenders. I've watched about 90-95% of BVB's games since CP had his debut, and the stark contrast between the way the team is now and the way it was 2 years ago is disappointing. They never win the second ball. Anytime the ball is bouncing around the midfield, they never come away with it. I don't know if it's talent, tactics, mentality, or a combination of all 3, but it's been very hard to watch as CP is asked time and time again to turn water into wine.
Unlike Kicker, ESPN watched the game . Here's their more objective ratings ( 1 to 10 ) : Seltzer 2 Sahin 3 Shurrle 3 Reus 5 Pulisic 5 the only field player with a higher rating was Omer Toprak 6
This week they were too busy dumping on Pulisic and being fan boys of any German standing on the pitch .
Reus actually took up good spaces in the box to get some shots off, 3/4 on target. He didn't get dispossessed and was a threat from set pieces. Clearly the best on the pitch for BVB, in attack at least. Still not that great. For CP tho, 3/10 dribbles is poor. 2 of his numerous passes were crosses, both of which were good and 1 resulted in a shot! However most of his passing wasn't dangerous at all, fair amount of back passing. He was dispossessed in his own half a few times. Just not a good outing, never going to get a good score with this kind of performance. Those other attackers (apart from Reus IMO), they didn't create more than CP for the most part... but they also didn't make as many mistakes either.
The fans seem to be turning on CP. There are more fans saying he shouldn't be starting, that he'd be better as a sub, and not in Reddit but on the SchwatzGelb forum. The dribbling numbers are the most criticized, followed by the imprecise crossing. Also, the Kicker ratings do have an effect on fans: many didn't turn on Wood until he started getting sixes.
Yeah, Pulisic didn't have his best game, but still created some chances. Schurrle didn't do anything positive whatsoever.
I think that's the big issue from my point of view too. When they were great at possessing the ball and moved so fluidly in attack, winning balls back in midfield wasn't a huge concern, nor were their frailties at the back. Now that their offense has become so stilted and lacking in cohesion, it becomes very apparent that they can't win by imposing their will physically and through superior determination (as Schalke seems to be doing this year). I know it's easier said than done, but I feel like they need to get a real stud two-way CM in the summer.
No justification. IMO, much is expected of CP and he is being judged against the best that he has shown. I think the expectation is a 2.5 and, as a result, he is penalized when not achieving that mark. Say it ain't so, Joe, but I am worried. His game has gone backward. In addition, nothing about the current situation indicates that he is being encouraged to pick up his 1v1 activity or help the team develop small group attacking skills. Of which BvB seems never to have heard. He desperately needs a new, knowledgeable and encouraging coach at this point in his career.
🇺🇸 update: D Sarachan in Europe for meetings ahead of June games. Visited Bremen, met w/ AronJo and Sargent. Went to S04-BVB, talking w/ Pulisic today. Trip to Belgium for chats with Kenny Saief (Anderlecht) and Erik Palmer-Brown (Kortrijk) also on sched, then Philly next week.— Brian Straus (@BrianStraus) April 16, 2018
I think Pulisic is having trouble transitioning from being one cog in a fairly effective machine to being expected to be one of the main guys leading the attack. Last year he had Dembele on the opposite flank drawing attention, and Aubameyang up top drawing attention (and finishing crosses...how much do Dortmund miss that?). That gave him more room to operate and more options to combine with others. Now, when you watch Dortmund, he'll get the ball around midfield, and there's nothing for him to do with the ball other than try to turn and take on the defender(s) in front of him. And he's not Messi, so most of the time, that doesn't work, but he does seem to put in a dangerous cross once or twice per half.