Dortmund show Manchester City how it should be done

Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp will be proud of his young side after City draw

I have been very impressed with the way Dortmund and Jurgen Klopp go about their business for awhile now.

The young head coach has taken his team from mediocrity to a team capable of taking on Europe’s best in just a few short years.

Draw

Dortmund was really unlucky to emerge from last night trip to Manchester City with just a 1-1 draw.

I wrote in yesterday’s editorial that I wouldn’t be surprised if they went back to Germany with points.

Klopp’s charges may have taken just one point home with them, but a mixture of world-class goalkeeping from City keeper Joe Hart, profligacy in front of goal and luck prevented them from taking maximum points home.

Brilliant

Manchester City keeper Joe Hart was absolutely outstanding last night. He pulled off at least six saves that could be regarded as world-class. If it hadn’t been for the England number one City would now be major trouble in this group.

As always he came out and gave a very fair and honest interview after the match. England teammate Wayne Rooney apparently wrote on his Twitter account that he thought Hart is the best keeper in the world.

Unlucky

The late penalty that brought City the equaliser was very harsh indeed on Dortmund defender Neven Subotic. It was the sort of decision that could have gone either way, unfortunately for the visitors it went against them.

On another day it could have went for them and Klopp’s team could have taken home three points. The victory would have made them heavy favourites to clinch second place in Group D, with Real Madrid looking intent on winning the group.

Style

Jurgen Klopp is one of football’s great thinkers. Not only does he talk a good game, he can put his ideas into shaping a successful style of play. This style has been successful over the past two seasons with consecutive Bundesliga titles won.

The style that Dortmund currently plays is a lot like that of the Germany national side. It’s hardly surprising when a lot of the Dortmund squad are currently in or around the Germany team.

I don’t think I have seen a team other than Barcelona or Real Madrid play such a progressive style away from home in the Champions League. Dortmund did not change their style of attacking play just because they were playing away from home or against Manchester City.

Klopp’s team took the game to Manchester City and the result was a superb spectacular for the neutral and a point earned, that could so very easily have been all three. I salute you Jurgen Klopp for your football bravery.

Talented

Dortmund has some of the most exciting young players in German football. The likes of Marco Reus and Mario Gotze are a joy to watch. These are the sort of players people go to football to watch, the kind of players that have you on the edge of your seat.

Jealous

Some Manchester City fans will have looked on in jealously as Dortmund played such fantastic football. Manchester City had their chances but Dortmund were clearly the better team and even City boss Roberto Mancini admitted that after the game.

For all the money that Manchester City has spent I don’t think that they have yet developed a style as good as the one that Klopp is nurturing at Dortmund. Money can’t buy you football intelligence I’m afraid.

Experience

Dortmund has a very young team and maybe a more experienced team would have picked up a victory in such a match. However, every Champions League game is a learning curve for Klopp and his team.

If they carry playing like they did against Manchester City then Dortmund will more than likely clinch a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League. The Germans still have to face Real Madrid home and away, as well as a trip to Dutch champions Ajax.

However, they host Manchester City in the final game of the group. This could be the deciding game for both of these teams. Manchester City have to recover quickly from this draw, it almost feels like a defeat because of the nature of the performance.

Early

With just two games gone in Group D it’s too early to say who will go through. We all assume that Spanish giants Real Madrid will go through. Another young team Ajax have suffered two defeats so far in their campaign, but won’t be easy opponents for City.

Manchester City now just has to look forward to the head-to-heads with Ajax and hope that they put in better performances. If not then City will face the same fate as last year, an exit at the group stage of the Champions League.

Is Dortmund a better TEAM than Manchester City?