Pre-season 2024/25 - Borussia Dortmund

[AV84]

Aside from fitness, what do we think were the main questions they'd have been looking at during preseason?

I'd assume do we have an alternative to Watkins is a big one. Is Gauci better than Olsen? Are any of the new guys ready to go straight into the starting 11, and second to that, who is the straight swap for Luiz and Diaby in the starting 11, or do we need to change the entire formation to adapt to their absence?

[Meanwood Villa]

I can't remember us ever losing so many pre season games before

[CT Villan]

Agreed but I think it's cohesion.

Cohesiveness works just fine there.

Seems to have become a sticking point

[Brazilian Villain]

Disappointing, but it is what it is.

"Phrases I hate" thread?

[PeterWithe]

Aside from fitness, what do we think were the main questions they'd have been looking at during preseason?

I'd assume do we have an alternative to Watkins is a big one. Is Gauci better than Olsen? Are any of the new guys ready to go straight into the starting 11, and second to that, who is the straight swap for Luiz and Diaby in the starting 11, or do we need to change the entire formation to adapt to their absence?

I’d say we saw a lot of the first choice XI today, maybe a change of full backs but Onana and Youri as 2x deep midfielders, and Ramsey, Rogers and Bailey being the 3x supporting attackers to Ollie.

Still think we need a top notch no10.

[Mister E]

There is no doubt we shouldn’t read too much into pre season. Especially under Emery and how he looks at the game and data. But it would have been nice to see a little more cohesiveness. Every team has had their top players away. We only had a few that went all the way in respective international tournaments. And I know we are integrating new players. More than most clubs. It will be fine in the end because of who the manager is, we do have good players and we will sign a couple more good ones by the end of the month.

Agreed but I think it's cohesion.

Cohesiveness works just fine there.

if you're in North America ... 😉

[Goldenballs]

Aside from fitness, what do we think were the main questions they'd have been looking at during preseason?

I'd assume do we have an alternative to Watkins is a big one. Is Gauci better than Olsen? Are any of the new guys ready to go straight into the starting 11, and second to that, who is the straight swap for Luiz and Diaby in the starting 11, or do we need to change the entire formation to adapt to their absence?

I'm not sure many of those questions have been answered.

Onana will go straight into the first 11 I would've thought. The others, don't think so at the moment.

[not3bad]

Villa will start more slowly this year I think. It'll take time for the side to gel and adapt to not having Luiz any more.

[PeterWithe]

Yup, I think I’d go with Lucas over Maatsen at present

[AV84]

In terms of the Watkins question, it's a real shame Duran wasn't there for pre season. Questions over his future aside, it would have been the perfect opportunity to see if he is more than a 20 minute player, and could we build a team around him if necessary. I think Rogers will be a star for us, but he's not stepping in if Ollie got injured, and I don't think Archer will have changed anyone's opinion of him, good or bad.

[VILLA MOLE]

There is no doubt we shouldn’t read too much into pre season. Especially under Emery and how he looks at the game and data. But it would have been nice to see a little more cohesiveness. Every team has had their top players away. We only had a few that went all the way in respective international tournaments. And I know we are integrating new players. More than most clubs. It will be fine in the end because of who the manager is, we do have good players and we will sign a couple more good ones by the end of the month.

Agreed but I think it's cohesion.

Cohesiveness works just fine there.

if you're in North America ... 😉

both work period 👀

[PeterWithe]

I think we need a veteran, a letter day Cyril Regis, happy to play 10/20 mins a week. Time to go shopping in Saudi Arabia.

[frank]

Another disappointing performance but made worse by the disgusting anti-German chanting of a number of our fans ("Ten German Bombers") They embarrassed our club in a stadium and city in which we were made very welcome.

[Bad English]

FFS! Wankers!

[Olneythelonely]

Another disappointing performance but made worse by the disgusting anti-German chanting of a number of our fans ("Ten German Bombers") They embarrassed our club in a stadium and city in which we were made very welcome.

Horrible dickheads