hope dortmund can make nice runs in the CL the next 2 yrs with gotze. i love that team, they're like the german version of us. their stadium is far cooler, though.

Dortmund's turnaround has been nothing short of incredible.

For all intents and purposes, they were bankrupt just six years ago with debts of c.£120m and facing relegation. Fast forward to 2012 and they are debt free and looking to win the league for the second year running.

Glad for BVB and for Gotze, but can't help but be a little depressed considering recent Arsenal....departures.

Fuck it Coombs, if this season has shown us anything is that you want players that are commited to the cause.

yep, feels like arsenal again. need to keep this run going through the end of the season so that it carries over into next season. get podolski in, ship out the losers and maybe sign 1 other guy, and we'll be challenging for the title again.

With Goetze gone, the battle for Hazard will be even more intense. I hope we don't even waste time on it. Get some other proven players in. I'll also happy with Vermaelen/Sagna types who can come out of nowhere and perform on day 1.

Doc wrote:

Fuck it Coombs, if this season has shown us anything is that you want players that are commited to the cause.

That's exactly what I mean. If only we had that commitment these past years...its depressing because Gotze is acting just how I had always thought some of our players would have.

But yea, the current squad really does feel better.

We really did have some treacherous weasels in our ranks last season.

Thats why I really hate Nasri for it. Cunt

Nasri was probably the most 'honest' about it. There were others.

Goetze is only signing that contract because he is a 19 yr old kid and is about to win the german league again, and is about to play for germany in the euros, he has no reason for leaving. Fast forward five years and he will do exactly the same thing as nasri, as will the likes of hazard. Unless your winning things or your name is barca real or man u players will leave.

Coombs wrote:
Doc wrote:

Fuck it Coombs, if this season has shown us anything is that you want players that are commited to the cause.

That's exactly what I mean. If only we had that commitment these past years...its depressing because Gotze is acting just how I had always thought some of our players would have.

But yea, the current squad really does feel better.

Götze is 19, when Cesc was about that age he signed a very long contract with Arsenal. But really, players like Cesc and Nasri aren't comparable to Götze because they didn't come from Arsenal and London. Wilshere would be a better comparison and he signed a very long contract last year at a time when he only had 18 months left on his deal.

Very true. Didn't really factor in the "home" factor, which is probably in the end the most critical.

Dortmund lost a homegrown star in Sahin to Real for a reported 8M after he was voted Bundesliga player of the season. So they've been affected by players wanting to move to bigger clubs as well. I think Sahin not getting games at Real might have been an eye opener to Gotze.

Sahin could be a little gem of a signing for any club.

Sahin's contract was running out so they didn't have much choice there.

Claudius wrote:

With Goetze gone, the battle for Hazard will be even more intense. I hope we don't even waste time on it.

So do I. I don't want Hazard. I want Kagawa.

As do I, but I think Sahin would make more sense. He learnt the hard way what being at a mega club is like and if we offer him a good deal, I'm sure he'd take it no questions asked. He'd be a star here definitely and would play every game for us, and he's deluded if he thinks he'll ever be anything else other than a 4th/5th choice mid at Madrid. Meanwhile, Kagawa keeps doing the business for Dortmund and they'll probably win another league title.

Oh, I would love Sahin, but Mourinho is about as likely to sell him to Wenger as Ferguson is to hand over Rooney to Manchester City. I wouldn't be surprised to see Sahin return to Dortmund within the next 18 months to replace someone who's leaving them though. He'll probably go on loan somewhere next season.