John Anthony Brooks at Hoffenheim

Wolfsburg is taking its time in releasing its lineup today. The only ones I've seen show Brooks starting.

 

Wolfsburg refuse to post their starting XI on Twitter for some reason. After a lot of digging around on Twitter and then their website (what is this, 2009?), I've finally been able to confirm the starting XI (where it says AUFSTELLUNG in the live ticker):

1 Koen Casteels
22 Marin Pongracic
19 Kevin Mbabu
6 Paulo Otávio Rosa Silva
25 John Brooks
27 Maximilian Arnold
40 Joao Victor Santos Sa
24 Xaver Schlager
7 Josip Brekalo
8 Renato Steffen
14 Admir Mehmedi

https://liveticker.vfl-wolfsburg.de/

 

Game is on Fox Soccer Plus and Fox Soccer Match Pass at 9:30 am eastern.

 

Good to see him healthy and getting the start!

 

1261669422491672576 is not a valid tweet id

 

Not an own goal. Credited to Jedvaj.

 

Any video of it?

 

It was a superb header somehow saved by Casteels but Jedvaj got there in time for the rebound.

6:12. Mute it.

 

Starts vs Dortmund:

🚨 TEAM NEWS 🚨

Here's how our Wolves line up for today's game against @BlackYellow 🙌#WOBBVB #VfLWolfsburg pic.twitter.com/bVs2Int1Zv

— VfL Wolfsburg EN/US 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 (@VfLWolfsburg_EN) May 23, 2020

 

Game starts at 9:30 am eastern on FS1, TUDN USA, and Unimas

 

haaland quiet so far which means brooks must be doing something right

 

lol brooks just was two seconds late to a ball and just full on kicked haaland. was so late announcer thought haaland slipped

 

1-0 Dortmund at the half

On the goal Brooks follows Brandt out to the touch line who plays a square ball in to Hakimi.

Erling Haaland totally meant to do that 😂 @BlackYellow pic.twitter.com/eQpZ4pqjDG

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 23, 2020

There were a couple plays early on when Brooks would push forward defensively and Dortmund would play a ball in behind though nothing came of it. There was also one long ball from Hummels? that found Hazard with Brooks trailing though I didn't see how Hazard's run developed.

Brooks has been a able to complete a few decent forward passes into the middle of the field, had one slightly over-hit cross field switch, and won a few challenges. I believe Dortmund had 3 shots total in the first half.

 

Early in the second half Brooks wins a challenge against Haaland and is praised by the announcers for Haaland being relatively quite so far. He then intercepts a pass carries the ball through midfield and plays a ball out wide.

Brooks has been really solid on Haaland, so far (strong emphasis on “so far” - 54th minute) #USMNT

— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) May 23, 2020

 

Brooks yellow carded for cleating Sancho in the calf who was about to run pass him down the side line.

 

Brief check after a cross hits Brooks arm on the edge of the box but no penalty awarded.

Brooks sends a shot wide off of cleared free kick.

 

2 mistakes 2 goals

 

2-0 Dortmund off a counter

Brooks pushes into the Dortmund half to cover Haaland who lays back to Dahoud. Brooks pushes forward to Dahoud who plays a ball forward to Sancho. Sancho beats Steffen and Dortmund are off to the races.

 

2-0 Dortmund full time

Felix Klaus of Wolfsburg was sent off in the 82nd minute

Second Dortmund goal:

Achraf. Hakimi.

Team goals don't get much better than this 😍 @BlackYellow pic.twitter.com/LhvJxsz6H8

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 23, 2020

Slide tackle late in the second half from Brooks on Sancho where he slows him up but does not win the ball. Dortmund had a counter chance but Reyna's pass to Schmelter holds him up a bit and Schmelzer decides to recycle. Haaland drifted off of Brooks shoulder for a late chance but Steffen as able to just win the ball.

Brooks with a few useful forward passes in the second half along with some interceptions and won challenges.

 

I only watched the second half, but I thought Brooks was pretty good. He kept Haaland completely in check and had his typical clean passing game out of the back. His stepping up and not winning the ball did set off the counter that led to the 2nd Dortmund goal, but I don't fault him too much. If he laid off and didn't pressure, Dortmund might very well have been off to the races anyhow. They're just so hard to defend against right now with their collective speed and skill.

 

Agreed, thought he played well. Those two Dortmund goals were just great team goals

 

Not Brooks'

 

agreed. brooks maybe got too pulled to the side on first goal, but was a team lapse. first of two. brooks played haaland better than just about anyone else has

 

John Brooks for Wolfsburg in 2-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund
90 minutes
72 touches
92% pass accuracy
1 shot
2 aerials won
2 tackles
2 interceptions
2 clearances
4/6 accurate long balls
0 goals/0 assists from Haaland#USMNT

— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) May 23, 2020

 

If you are a CB and you venture forward into the opposing half to make a challenge, you have to win it or at least foul otherwise you have dangerously exposed your team to exactly what happened. There was still 12 minutes to go so no need to be desperate. He wasn't even close to making the challenge.