Pre-season 2024/25 - Borussia Dortmund

[eamonn]

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.

No til April really.

[PaulWinch again]

And again because Luiz was being asked to fulfill a different role. If you switched the injuries around and had asked Kamara to be the more advanced midfielder he’d have dropped off too.

[Risso]

And again because Luiz was being asked to fulfill a different role. If you switched the injuries around and had asked Kamara to be the more advanced midfielder he’d have dropped off too.

Kamara has never been played the more advanced role though. Luiz has played half his career as a defensive midfielder.

[kippaxvilla2]

I’m officially worried.  The transfer strategy doesn’t appear quite right.  We’ve not yet replaced god knows how many goal and assist options. 

[FatSam]

And again because Luiz was being asked to fulfill a different role. If you switched the injuries around and had asked Kamara to be the more advanced midfielder he’d have dropped off too.

Kamara has never been played the more advanced role though. Luiz has played half his career as a defensive midfielder.

I don’t understand this point.

Luiz played as a defensive midfielder because for a lot of his time at the club we didn’t have anyone else who could (I.e. the other options were either unsuited to the position, or not good enough), or previous managers hadn’t worked out that he is basically a Regista.

Playing him with Kamara allows him to do what he is good at. Take Kamara away (or any other proper defensive midfielder) and Luiz is forced to play a role he is simply not as good at. That has nothing to do with form.

It’s the same reason why some people were saying that Mings wasn’t good enough 2 years ago. IMO it was never a case of him being not good enough, or being out of form. Instead it was that without a proper defensive midfielder in front of him he was having to play differently. The opposition were walking through our midfield at times, and he was being pulled all over the place to fill gaps, and make desperate lunges, sometimes unsuccessfully.

Having a proper defensive midfielder allows the defence to do their jobs, and the rest of the midfield to do their jobs. At the danger of opening-up another discussion, I don’t think that Cowans and McGrath would have been as successful without Richardson in the team, regardless of their own form.

[RamboandBruno]

And again because Luiz was being asked to fulfill a different role. If you switched the injuries around and had asked Kamara to be the more advanced midfielder he’d have dropped off too.

Kamara has never been played the more advanced role though. Luiz has played half his career as a defensive midfielder.

I don’t understand this point.

Luiz played as a defensive midfielder because for a lot of his time at the club we didn’t have anyone else who could (I.e. the other options were either unsuited to the position, or not good enough), or previous managers hadn’t worked out that he is basically a Regista.

Playing him with Kamara allows him to do what he is good at. Take Kamara away (or any other proper defensive midfielder) and Luiz is forced to play a role he is simply not as good at. That has nothing to do with form.

It’s the same reason why some people were saying that Mings wasn’t good enough 2 years ago. IMO it was never a case of him being not good enough, or being out of form. Instead it was that without a proper defensive midfielder in front of him he was having to play differently. The opposition were walking through our midfield at times, and he was being pulled all over the place to fill gaps, and make desperate lunges, sometimes unsuccessfully.

Having a proper defensive midfielder allows the defence to do their jobs, and the rest of the midfield to do their jobs. At the danger of opening-up another discussion, I don’t think that Cowans and McGrath would have been as successful without Richardson in the team, regardless of their own form.

I agree with this.

It comes back to the point of how Unai wants to set up with the players he has/the ones Monchi has bought.

Is Onana a direct replacement for Kamara until he’s fit again, it would seem on the face of it to be the case, unless Barranchea and Onana are going to start?
If Onana is the Kamara replacement we then have either Tielemans or Barclay in the Luiz role. I’m not sure either of them can give us what Dougie gave us in that role.
Unai undoubtedly has some masterplan to combat the loss of both Dougie and Kamara.

[Risso]

And again because Luiz was being asked to fulfill a different role. If you switched the injuries around and had asked Kamara to be the more advanced midfielder he’d have dropped off too.

Kamara has never been played the more advanced role though. Luiz has played half his career as a defensive midfielder.

I don’t understand this point.

Luiz played as a defensive midfielder because for a lot of his time at the club we didn’t have anyone else who could (I.e. the other options were either unsuited to the position, or not good enough), or previous managers hadn’t worked out that he is basically a Regista.

Playing him with Kamara allows him to do what he is good at. Take Kamara away (or any other proper defensive midfielder) and Luiz is forced to play a role he is simply not as good at. That has nothing to do with form.

It’s the same reason why some people were saying that Mings wasn’t good enough 2 years ago. IMO it was never a case of him being not good enough, or being out of form. Instead it was that without a proper defensive midfielder in front of him he was having to play differently. The opposition were walking through our midfield at times, and he was being pulled all over the place to fill gaps, and make desperate lunges, sometimes unsuccessfully.

Having a proper defensive midfielder allows the defence to do their jobs, and the rest of the midfield to do their jobs. At the danger of opening-up another discussion, I don’t think that Cowans and McGrath would have been as successful without Richardson in the team, regardless of their own form.

He was a defensive midfielder before he arrived. He was bought as a defensive midfielder, and was played as a defensive midfielder. He might have grown into a more attacking player, but he should have been better than he was for the second half of the season, when he was mostly disappointing.

[Dogtanian]

The things I think we should keep in mind are;

• We're still four key players missing thanks to international duty.
• Several players with us arrived late and are behind due to this.
• We've given experience to youth - one youth CB on most of the time.
• We've only had one striker, who has limited experience, plus a new young player with even less.
• The training will have focused on integrating the new players into Emery's way, which takes time.
• We won't have spent much time on opposition analysis.
• Our game plans won't be based on who is in front of us.
• Giving everyone the right amount of minutes will have been prioritised over tactics, formation, and result.
• Absolutely nobody will be wanting to get injured.
• The fucking shirt is cursed.

So while I am deeply unhappy and very much sleep deprived, I am prepared to relax and wait till we get going properly before worrying too much (or more than usual).

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

The things I think we should keep in mind are;

• We're still four key players missing thanks to international duty.

Four?[/list]

[AV84]

Martinez, Konsa, Watkins, and I assume Duran?

[Dogtanian]

Martinez, Watkins, Konsa, Duran.

People can argue about Duran, but along with Watkins that's both our strikers from last season missing.

[AV84]

Given the likes of McGinn and Tielemans, who actually played at the Euros, are back, Duran should be too. I don't think he played a single minute for Colombia. I think that probably says something in itself.

[Somniloquism]

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.

We played so well Fergie couldn't believe the scoreline? If playing poor in friendlies also means we don't lose a massive playmaker and then the defensive linchpin ACL in the first weekend, then I will take it.

[trinityoap]

Why is everyone being sensible this morning? I need my blood pressure raising.

[Dogtanian]

Why is everyone being sensible this morning? I need my blood pressure raising.

Come back later for the Two Minutes Hate, when Chris Heck's demonic visage is shown to us all along with the latest ticket and pie prices against a backdrop of practically every badge ever.