Pre-season 2024/25 - Borussia Dortmund

[john e]

Played well in patches, played crap in patches
No one really impressed, but then no one was really shocking either, I like the look of Onana if he can settle down and fit into Unais system but fear he is a walking booking

Maaaaatson looked okay at times, same as Ned, Archer was the one player that probably didn’t do himself much favours and I’ve always been in the camp of giving him a go
Tielemans is not as good as Luiz no matter what Risso says, and we won’t get the Luton Barclay because we’re not Luton

Was expecting a bit more from Philogene, Buendia looked and fit and ready to go and was fouled a lot,
Dobbin, Rogers, and both pretty anonymous

My biggest worry was, we didn’t have much pressure on their goal, it wasn’t all Archers fault It was the playmakers and the other forwards not creating a lot, it’s no good Thinking Watkins will be any better as if he doesn’t get the service as he didn’t in the last six games of last season He does nothing as well

If you look at it as a fitness exercise then it’s okay if you look at it as pointers for that season it’s decidedly average
But with the players to come back and a proper starting 11 we’ve got to keep believing

[Tuscans]

Last year we drew 3-3 with Brentford same levels of fitness.  We beat the other sides didn’t we?

Drew with Walsall, Newcastle lost to Valencia I think

Walsall won 4-1.

Drew 1-1, beat Valencia I was thinking of when we lost to Villareal the season before.

[Drummond]

What I took from this extremely boring pre-season run is Onana and Maatsen will be yellow card magnets this season.

Like a ray of sunshine.

[Chris Smith]

If we were winning every game comfortably then I suspect the theme would be that you can’t read too much into friendlies.

[Rigadon]

If we were winning every game comfortably then I suspect the theme would be that you can’t read too much into friendlies.

Very true.  It is a bit concerning that we've lost all of the them on this tour, but it almost certainly shouldn't be.

[olaftab]

Drew 1-1, beat Valencia I was thinking of when we lost to Villareal the season before.

Thanks. Not sure why I have a a 4-1 defeat in my mind

[Astnor]

Disappointment with what was shown last night and the results this tour aside this man fill me with belief. What he says about Ned , Onana and Duran is spot on how they need time to develop their potential and that he will help them. My impression that strategy much about building stability also for the long term future. That new young LB that impressed and most of the new young players also fit that vision. That said our first eleven like Martinez, konsa, Costa, Pau, Maatsen, Onana, Kamara, Mcginn , Tielemans, Ro(d)gers/Ramsey, Watkins can beat anyone. Even we lose our first couple of matches this season every reason to be behind current leadership and stragy IMO. Also worth to notice Emery saying that the games gave him a lot of important information about players and strategy.

[AV84]

I haven't seen any games since the first half of the  Columbas one. Any opinions on Bunedia and Ramsey, fitness wise? Do they look like they're ready to go for the start of the season?

[Paul.S]

The early pre season games are all about fitness. I’d presume our last 2 games will see us start stronger with more of a game plan but these are nothing more than training games.
I’d say Emery, being one of the best coaches around, has more than just a bit of a clue how to prepare clubs for a new season.

[RamboandBruno]

Played well in patches, played crap in patches
No one really impressed, but then no one was really shocking either, I like the look of Onana if he can settle down and fit into Unais system but fear he is a walking booking

Maaaaatson looked okay at times, same as Ned, Archer was the one player that probably didn’t do himself much favours and I’ve always been in the camp of giving him a go
Tielemans is not as good as Luiz no matter what Risso says, and we won’t get the Luton Barclay because we’re not Luton

Was expecting a bit more from Philogene, Buendia looked and fit and ready to go and was fouled a lot,
Dobbin, Rogers, and both pretty anonymous

My biggest worry was, we didn’t have much pressure on their goal, it wasn’t all Archers fault It was the playmakers and the other forwards not creating a lot, it’s no good Thinking Watkins will be any better as if he doesn’t get the service as he didn’t in the last six games of last season He does nothing as well

If you look at it as a fitness exercise then it’s okay if you look at it as pointers for that season it’s decidedly average
But with the players to come back and a proper starting 11 we’ve got to keep believing

Went to the Walsall game and watched the game in Slovakia was it? But haven’t seen the USA based games so can’t comment. I would agree with you about Tielemans though. He is a good and sometimes very good player, however I do think amongst some posters there is an under estimation of the loss of the Luiz-Kamara centre midfield combination.

Pre xmas i would argue they were one of if not the best centre midfield pairing in the league. Our form arguably started to wobble a tad around the xmas period after Kamara got sent off at Brentford and then we struggled more sporadically after we lost him for the season. The way Emery likes to play means that the midfield two not only combine to shield the defence, but also start most attacks, which is where Luiz was absolutely sublime for the majority of Emery’s time in charge.

We now have to start the season with a completely new midfield pairing, or combination of players undertaking the roles. Is that Tielemans and Onana? I thought Tielemans was largely more effective just behind Watkins. Is it Onana and Barclay? There is a big drop off from Barclay to Dougie for me. McGinn is better out wide, Barrenchea is young and untried in the premier. Either way, it feels there may have to be a bedding in period and even then, we may not be as strong as we were this time last year, in this part of the pitch.

Maybe if Carlos goes a new better CB will help in terms of the defence needing slightly less shielding, but there are so many if’s with this. Maybe Emery will look at a slightly different way of playing?

[Risso]

As shown by the results after his injury, Kamara was very much the important bit of the Kamara-Luiz axis. As soon as Bouba was injured, Luiz's form fell off a cliff.

[thick_mike]

Whereas the McGinn and Tielemans combo was a great combo as the double pivot.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

If we were winning every game comfortably then I suspect the theme would be that you can’t read too much into friendlies.

Very true.  It is a bit concerning that we've lost all of the them on this tour, but it almost certainly shouldn't be.

It's not losing the games that's the issue, it's the manner in which we lost them. Lots of work to do these next two weeks.

[VillaTim]

We are playing experimental line ups . Don't read too much into these games. We could easily lose the next two friendlies then go to West Ham and win.
We had a results wise better preseason last year and look what happened on the opening day.

[Dogtanian]

If we were winning every game comfortably then I suspect the theme would be that you can’t read too much into friendlies.

Very true.  It is a bit concerning that we've lost all of the them on this tour, but it almost certainly shouldn't be.

It's not losing the games that's the issue, it's the manner in which we lost them. Lots of work to do these next two weeks.

We will win a match again. I really do think we could.