I mean… What is there even to say. We’ve seen this scenario play out a couple of times over the past seasons, and today was one of the worst. Dortmund had all three points wrapped up and then proceeded to concede two goals in just as many minutes—during stoppage time. This is one of those classic the result itself is not bad, but the way it happened feels awful. Niko Kovac must be absolutely fuming in the dressing room as I’m writing this. I feel like it’s a bit of a shame actually, because this game
was absolutely magnificent from a neutral standpoint. Eight goals in one half must be some kind of record, and I sadly had a very hard time enjoying the game itself, because Dortmund’s backline decided to turn completely off after the 90 minute mark.
Here are my observations from tonight’s blockbuster match against Juventus.
Felix Nmecha Is Becoming a Force
The 24-year old Nmecha was already on the rise last season after a slow start to life in Dortmund, but in the first games of this season, the talented midfielder has shown exactly why Kehl decided to throw 30 million euros at Wolfsburg for him. It was actually an odd sight, as Nmecha squared up against Khéphren Thuram, a player that could be found on Kehl’s shortlist for the midfield a year ago with a profile reminiscent of Nmecha’s. I’ll argue that Nmecha is currently outperforming his midfield colleagues in almost every way. The only midfielders that I currently believe beats Nmecha out in two aspects of his game, is Pascal Groß with his vision and passing and Chukwuemeka with his technical abilities. Other than that, I think Nmecha is a better second-arrival and long-shot than Sabitzer, a better one-two than Brandt and a better ball-recovery than Jobe.
Tonight, Nmecha scored a peach of a goal to top off an already very strong performance in midfield. You could immediately see that Dortmund lost some of their ball-retention ability as soon as he was swapped out with Jobe. I think it’s clear for everyone at this point, that Nmecha has raised his level a ton—even to a point where he is able to become a key figure for this team. Let’s hope he stays healthy for the season!
Adeyemi With a Strong Display
The other player that gets highlighted tonight is Karim Adeyemi. I’ve noticed that he has been able to add tiny things to his game—things that were already showing last season. He’s becoming more confident in his ability to beat his direct opponent, he has become much better at one-touch passing, and he generally plays with a bit more flair than we’ve been seeing earlier. He scored a lovely goal tonight and ran for the team until the very end. I still can’t get over the fact that this guy trips and falls like 3-4 times every match, and he also looks a bit awkward when he runs, but he is certainly in the on a rising curve in terms of raising his bottom level, which I think has been his biggest flaw during his spell in Dortmund so far. If Guirassy, Adeyemi and Beier can all perform with a certain bottom level this season, there’s absolutely no doubt that Kovac’s black and yellow side will score bucketloads of goals.
Bad Result, Fine Performance
No shit, I actually thought BVB played very well this game, and the team could’ve scored a goal or two more, if not for huge chances not converted by Beier and Guirassy. Apart from the absolute defensive meltdown during stoppage time, I think BVB were the overall better team over the course of the match. The team started well until the game state shifted a bit in the 25th minute, and they kept Juventus on the back foot in their own stadium for close to two thirds of this match. You can always point to the practical mistakes that leads to these goals, but the margins are just so slim. Yes—Bensebaini could’ve just hauled a long ball upfield in order for the team to get back into their defensive organization, but I think it’s hard to faulter him, when everything had worked out perfectly fine until that very moment. All in all, I’m left with a positive impression of the team after this match, because if this is the level, The Black and Yellows will be able to defeat anyone in this year’s Champions League.
Your Thoughts?
What are your feelings about this match, and who stood out to you?
