Even that would only get us to extra time (if 3-0) or out (If 4-1). One Dortmund goal would mean we have to score 5
One of the cliches which is actually true.... "It was the luck of the draw." I think we could have got through against any other team. I think Poch was hoping to get away with a 1-0 (possibly 2-0) defeat and play the full team in the next match. And I say again, regardless of whether we deserved it or not, we did have a perfectly legitimate penalty not given (an away goal perhaps).
Judging by the way the Marca machine is cranking into gear, it's not outside the realms of possibility that Aubameyang will go on strike in order to force a move to Los Ladrones by the end of the weekend.
I completely agree with what you're saying about the league, but last night left me completely baffled. I don't get why we played stronger players against the likes or Qarabag, or in the last round against Fiorentina for that matter, only to surrender now. - Against the best team we've faced probably since Real Madrid. Why didn't we just use the kids for all of the EL fixtures, give them 90 mins a game, purely to give them experience, and just leave all of the first teamers at home to avoid injury and fatigue? I just feel a bit mugged off. The course of events have made it seem like we binned off the FA cup as we wanted to go far in the EL, but then we've ditched that 1 round later. I think there's probably a lot of fans who felt that the attitude shown in the Palace game meant we were serious about the EL. So all of those fans who paid to go to Germany, and those who have purchased tickets for the reverse fixture at the lane, thinking we were taking it seriously, have been completely duped. We could be playing reading tonight. Would the FA cup really have been too much for us?
Totally agree with this. I don't understand why we worked hard and sent out strong sides earlier in the competition, then played a weakened side. If we were going to take a big risk on team selection, then why not do it earlier on and give some of our fringe players more games? It would've allowed us an opportunity to assess our squad depth and address it, too. It's clear to me that we have some positions that are overloaded and some that are basically threadbare. Dier may be able to play multiple roles well, but he can't play them all at the same time. We need at least one striker, another holding midfielder and a centre-half, too. We've all known this since the summer.
As a pool fan we have had the discussion about priorities which appeared to indicate a generational split in that us older posters were most concerned with winning trophies whereas younger ones more concerned with league position. the thing is from outside you appear to have played a second string team against the best team still left in the competition just to ensure you can beat Villa . Christ our womens team would stand a fair chance against them so it seemed pointless and negated all the work to get there so just seemed wierd from Poch. obviously all above just my imo Edit the posts above cover nearly all my points
The starting line up that played Dortmund yesterday would probably have enough to beat villa, although we'd never take a risk in such an important league game with so much at stake. I could have understood us playing a slightly weakened side yesterday, and playing for a draw/minimal defeat/away goal, but the players who started offered nothing in terms of shape or intent. We had no chance. All it needed was dembele and Kane (for example) to play insread, and that would have been a totally different game. Yes we may still have lost, but our setup would have taken the pressure off us, and made Dortmund have to think about how to deal with the danger we possess. - we may just have had more than 3 shots in 90 ****ing minutes. Sunday's game against villa is literally the best fixture we could ask for after a midweek European game. It's not like we've got to play Chelsea, Arsenal, Leicester, City etc. so for me, there's little to no reasoning as to why we set ourselves up like that.
I wonder if Poch had any sleep Thursday night? I can just see him laying there looking ceiling saying "Crap,what did I do?" Let's just win 4-0 in the return and get on with it............
Have to say I was hugely disappointed in Poch's choice the other night. What I don't understand is that we fielded stronger sides against lesser opponents in the competition and the moment we come up against a genuine world class side in the knockout stages, we embarrass ourselves and even somewhat disrespect Borussia by playing a really below-par team. I appreciate there wasn't much scope for change in terms of defence but to play Mason and Carroll in the holding midfield roles is bloody suicidal, I'm a fan of Mason while Carroll has his good points but putting them together in the hope to contain a Dortmund trio of Aubameyang, Reus and Mkhitaryan is beyond a joke, even Dier and Dembele would've been up against it VS those guys let alone those two. I love seeing youth players given a chance but putting Onomah in from the start was also a disappointment, ironically he probably outperformed most of our lot but it's still a case of playing a weaker option against a superb side in a big game. Son and Chadli were non-existent while Eriksen couldn't do much due to Dortmund's unrelenting attacks. I was desperate to get a ticket for the game but as I only got my ST this season I couldn't compete on loyalty points with others who applied, I was offering to pay up £150 to whoever was willing to sell but had no joy, all I can say is that it was a blessing in disguise because I would've been devastated to have to gone to that and seen our team embarrassed like they were, it was gutting to see a side who's had a superb season so far to turn up to one of the world's biggest teams and just get bullied due to fielding a much weakened side. For what it's worth I didn't actually expect to win the match at their ground even with our strongest side but I would've at least hoped we could've left with an away goal and just a one or two goal deficit or even just a bit of pride. I appreciate some still think we're in the tie, usually I'm more optimistic than most when it comes to this team and manager, and granted there's still another 90 minutes to play but this time around, in my eyes, we may as well just field a similar team and just avoid any injuries to key players because I can't see us progressing regardless of the team we put out, to expect/ hope we can get either a 4-0 win to go through in the 90 or even manage 3-0 to go extra time against a side like this is very wishful thinking.
Good post SOS. Basically the man threw in the towel. Let's hope his decisions on Thursday are justified between now and the end of the season, starting at Villa Park tomorrow.
Bloody hell, Los Ladrones must really be in Aubameyang's ear - he;s been slagging us off in the press.
He's been saying transfer negotiations back in 2012 when he was at St Etienne "got weird" and how he would never, ever join us. Just out of shot was Florentino Perez holding the cue cards for him to read off of.
After today, I am having the feeling there could be a nutmegging worldy 90 mins coming from Alli on thursday.
Just for once,give a thought to the fans who take their time and their expense to be at a foreign ground totally embarrassed by their team's performance.....but that will never happen.....will it?
