Ethan Nwaneri: Dortmund Germanation

[kraphtous]

Playing since the 30th minute and been invisible. Surprised he hasn‘t been taken off again.

 

[NieThePiet]

Ethan assisting the own goal for the Dortmund comeback from a 2:0 to a 2:3!

 

[ArsenesCoatMaker]

Just assisted an own goal

 

[grange]

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

 

[DuBB]

Hoffenheim goal right before half time. Goal from outside the box. Ethan was not "at fault" for the goal (things were still not structured after the injury sub) but he probably should have been pressuring the man who scored, or closer to him. Instead he, and many of the Dortmund players, were in the box marking nobody really because of how unorganised things were.

2nd half, Dortmund as just as poor and disorganised as the 1st half. 2-0 down.

2-1. Another sub/restructure. Feels like Ethan is the straight up 10 behind 2 strikers now.

2-2. No Ethan involvement in goal but he's getting a little more involved with Dortmund trying to come back.

3-2 Dortmund because of good work by Ethan! Typical 10 stuff. Played a good pass out wide, kept making the run, got it back in the box and tried to square it to 9 in the middle but the defender kicked it in.

This is definitely not the "2nd/3rd Best Team in Germany" Dortmund we know and remember. Those days are long gone. They play like a young inexperienced team.

Ethan 6/10, but not because he was mid or poor, Dortmund just didn't figure out their system until quite late.

When he got in the 10 behind 2 forwards he looked like he knew what to do more.

 

[maxxspeed]

Hoffenheim goal right before half time. Goal from outside the box. Ethan was not "at fault" for the goal (things were still not structured after the injury sub) but he probably should have been pressuring the man who scored, or closer to him. Instead he, and many of the Dortmund players, were in the box marking nobody really because of how unorganised things were.

2nd half, Dortmund as just as poor and disorganised as the 1st half. 2-0 down.

2-1. Another sub/restructure. Feels like Ethan is the straight up 10 behind 2 strikers now.

2-2. No Ethan involvement in goal but he's getting a little more involved with Dortmund trying to come back.

3-2 Dortmund because of good work by Ethan! Typical 10 stuff. Played a good pass out wide, kept making the run, got it back in the box and tried to square it to 9 in the middle but the defender kicked it in.

This is definitely not the "2nd/3rd Best Team in Germany" Dortmund we know and remember. Those days are long gone. They play like a young inexperienced team.

Ethan 6/10, but not because he was mid or poor, Dortmund just didn't figure out their system until quite late.

When he got in the 10 behind 2 forwards he looked like he knew what to do more.

From your summary, he had an excellent debut given the circumstances. He had 2 days of practice, was the first to be subbed on at the 32-minute mark, and was involved in the third goal.

 

[DuBB]

From your summary, he had an excellent debut given the circumstances. He had 2 days of practice, was the first to be subbed on at the 32-minute mark, and was involved in the third goal.

He definitely didn't sink after being thrown in. For sure. It was just a mess up until about 55/60 minutes and there's nothing he could do about it.

It was not a "good" performance by him or anybody in the team. I'd say the person who had the biggest impact was Fabio Silva who came on (62 mins), was the reason they switched to 2 up top, and got a goal himself. He was also the person who got the ball from Ethan, and played it back to him before the OG. Fabio Silva looked very determined, very busy and was a handful.

But Ethan definitely looked better in the 10, and better when his job was mostly just to find space and try and receive the ball. He still didn't get it too much, but through no fault of his own.

I'm not gonna be able to catch all Dortmund games, but I'll try and catch more and see how he does.

 

[ArsenesCoatMaker]

Hoffenheim goal right before half time. Goal from outside the box. Ethan was not "at fault" for the goal (things were still not structured after the injury sub) but he probably should have been pressuring the man who scored, or closer to him. Instead he, and many of the Dortmund players, were in the box marking nobody really because of how unorganised things were.

2nd half, Dortmund as just as poor and disorganised as the 1st half. 2-0 down.

2-1. Another sub/restructure. Feels like Ethan is the straight up 10 behind 2 strikers now.

2-2. No Ethan involvement in goal but he's getting a little more involved with Dortmund trying to come back.

3-2 Dortmund because of good work by Ethan! Typical 10 stuff. Played a good pass out wide, kept making the run, got it back in the box and tried to square it to 9 in the middle but the defender kicked it in.

This is definitely not the "2nd/3rd Best Team in Germany" Dortmund we know and remember. Those days are long gone. They play like a young inexperienced team.

Ethan 6/10, but not because he was mid or poor, Dortmund just didn't figure out their system until quite late.

When he got in the 10 behind 2 forwards he looked like he knew what to do more.

I didn't watch much, but it made me think his lack of pace is even more of a problem in these German basketball matches than it was for us

 

[DuBB]

I didn't watch much, but it made me think his lack of pace is even more of a problem in these German basketball matches than it was for us

His physical profile (pace, movement) definitely suits a team who will have the ball more and be more front footed.

The basketball match thing is not for him. He'll probably look bad in some games if he's played in the 8/10.

But if, like in the 2nd half, he's a pure 10, he'll probably start to find his feet, and excel. His quickness is more about quick feet, or using skill to get away from a man and then a short burst. But he's not fast enough to eat up ground regularly.

Spoiler

The people who think we killed him by bringing in Noni won't like to hear that, but it's true. He's not a winger. At all. He's not even as fast or mobile as Saka. He wouldn't be able to cover ground going both ways the way Saka and Noni can.

But you're right, his pace and movement isn't suited to attack v attack, basketball style football.

 

[Tourbillion]

Anyone chopped up his highlights into a video yet?

 

[Melquiades]

Ruined the campaign? The team finished 2nd in the league and went to the semifinals in the UCL lol. MLS was amazing in a lot of those games. Nwaneri was more hit or miss, but still showed very good end product and technical ability in the EPL and UCL.

It was our worst year in the last 4.

Both young players had some nice moments where they showed their skill and potential but they also both drifted out of a lot of games and their off-the-ball play was nowhere near the standard required for a team competing to win the best league in the world. Both were basically fringe EPL players at 17 and started nearly half the games. No different that Kiwior or Holding or whoever getting big runs of play due to injury and not being up to par.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

I hope this loan works out for him and he can help us next season. We apparently have a recall option for January. I really want him to develop and be a starter for us. There's no point selling for pure profit if there's nobody worth buying. Good luck Ethan.

 

[DanDare]

Big big opportunity here for Ethan

"Konstantelias tears his ACL in the first Bundesliga game and is out for the season.

Karetsas is stretchered off, straight to the locker room, in the first Champions League game."

 

[Big Nate]

Heard he played very well today. Got subbed off at the end dut to fatigue apparently

 

[DuBB]

I only watched about 15 minutes in total because I completely spaced and forgot he was there on loan so I watched Madrid/Inter

No thoughts from what I saw, but hopefully some of the tweets are true and he played well.

But once again, when they subbed on Fabio SIlva and went 2 up top they looked so much better, and once again, Fabio Silva was instant impact and got an assist.

I wonder why they don't start with 2 up top? Maybe they only have 2 strikers and if they do that, there's no Plan B?

Perhaps now with this new injury to Karetsas they'll start with Guirassy and Silva up top, and Ethan behind them in the 10. Both times I’ve seen them that's when all 3 looked very good.

You could even tell when Guirassy scored his goal from the Silva assist, he didn't even celebrate he just pointed right at Silva like "that's my guy, that's what I was waiting for!"

 

[DuBB]

Just went to the Dortmund website, even they acknowledge it:

Dortmund Celebrates a Duo That’s Also Celebrating Itself

The goal is the Round of 16, preferably via the direct route—that is, by finishing in the top eight of the Champions League. To kick off the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League, Borussia Dortmund secured its first—and immensely important—three points with a 3-2 victory over Villarreal CF.

www.bvb.de

Guirassy: “I’m very happy with Fabio”​

"This means we might see Guirassy and Silva starting together more often in the future when BVB takes the field—rather than one or the other. “I play better when I play alongside him,” the Portuguese player explained in an interview with BVB-TV: “We can create more space for each other. We create more chances and have a stronger presence in the penalty area.” Guirassy also advocates for a two-striker lineup and tried to convince his teammates to give him a chance: “It’s not always easy for him. I’m very happy with Fabio. He’s made the difference in the last two games. I know him very well; we speak the same football language, and tonight we’re all happy.”

If this happens, with Ethan behind them, I think we might be in for some special stuff from our kid.

 

[Gooner Zig]

He looked very good in these highlights

 

[MutableEarth]

He had 5 shots yesterday, that's more like it. Ethan closer to goal >>>>>

I understand why he's working on his 2nd phase stuff but the second he starts getting G/A, we're gonna see his best.

 

[Rex Caudillo]

He looked very good in these highlights

Their injury crisis up top could be a huge help as well.

 

[DuBB]

He had 5 shots yesterday, that's more like it. Ethan closer to goal >>>>>

I understand why he's working on his 2nd phase stuff but the second he starts getting G/A, we're gonna see his best.

And I think more than just the G/A themselves, the confidence and assuredness he'll get from bagging them will help.

Sometimes for me, an attacking midfielder's swagger from having numbers also allows them to have impactful games where they don't score or assist.

They attempt bolder passes, the control games, they instil fear, they draw players to them and away from others etc.