"Dortmund's Genuine Compliment to Leverkusen: 'But There Was Nothing...'": A Fresh Lens on BVB's Bundesliga Struggles
Bayer Leverkusen's bravery in their own BayArena against Borussia Dortmund (BVB) left an indelible mark on the Bundesliga leaders, who had previously been more hesitant than Leverkusen's relegation candidates. Granit Xhaka, the Leverkusen leader, jokingly alluded to BVB's momentary lapses in possession following the break, admitting that they gave opponents brief hope to attempt a comeback. However, these moments lacked any substantial impact, ultimately reflecting the substantial gap between the teams as depicted by the ten-point difference in the table.
Even though BVB was the second team, after FC Bayern, to secure points against Bayer in their 20th competitive match of the season, leading from the 9th to the 79th minute, Edin Terzic, BVB's coach, referred to their performance as "one of the closest" to a win against Leverkusen. Surprisingly, BVB's defensive strategy caught Leverkusen off guard, with Patrik Schick remarking, "I've never seen Dortmund play like that," and sporting director Simon Rolfes adding, "In the past, there have often been more open games against Dortmund than today. But everyone chooses their own tactics."
However, Rolfes believed that the defensive bulwark organized majestically by Mats Hummels was not entirely voluntary. "We expected them to be more defensive," said Rolfes. "The fact that they were so defensive was certainly also the result of our dominance and strength." Terzic conceded that the pressure and early 0:1 goal against them only had a limited influence on their unusual tactics, which were a result of considering various approaches to countering Leverkusen.
The Unusual Dortmund
Exploring Dortmund's uncharacteristic strategy against Leverkusen, several factors surfaced, contributing to their unusual performance in the Bundesliga match. These reasons include tackling issues, underperforming players, managerial difficulties, and defensive vulnerabilities.
- Lack of Squad Cohesion and Tactical Flexibility:
- Dominance but Ineffective Chance Creation: Dortmund's possession dominance did not translate into generating meaningful chances, leaving them susceptible to counterattacks.
- Inconsistent Player Runs: The team's attacking plays lacked urgency and fluidity, with players often standing still instead of making runs to create space.
- Underperforming Players:
- Julian Brandt: The playmaker's poor performance, particularly in his free-kicks and corners, impacted the team's ability to create opportunities.
- Other Underperforming Players: Key players like Marcel Sabitzer, Emre Can, and Gregor Kobel struggled to meet expectations, weakening the team's overall performance.
- Managerial Issues:
- Nuri Sahin's Tactics: Sahin's tactical style has often been criticized for being confusing and difficult for the players to follow.
- Lack of Confidence in Sahin: The team's board's continued backing of Sahin despite poor results has raised questions about his ability to inspire confidence within the squad.
- Defensive Vulnerabilities:
- Conceding Goals: Dortmund's defensive strategy has been a concern, particularly after conceding multiple goals in recent matches.
Everything considered, Dortmund's unusual strategy against Bayer Leverkusen in their Bundesliga match can be attributed to various factors, including squad cohesion and tactical flexibility issues, underperforming players, managerial difficulties, and defensive vulnerabilities. These challenges collectively impacted the team's ability to create opportunities and ultimately left them with a 1:1 draw, although Leverkusen dominated the xG battle.
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Additional Insights
- Bayer Leverkusen showcased more courage against Borussia Dortmund in their own stadium, the BayArena, leading to a 1:1 draw, with BVB only being 'one of the closest' to a win.
- Borussia Dortmund played defensively and uncharacteristically against Leverkusen, surprisingly leading to fewer open games than usual.
- Patrik Schick and Simon Rolfes from Bayer Leverkusen noticed the unusual tactical approach from Dortmund, attributing it to their dominance and strength in the match.
- Edin Terzic, Borussia Dortmund's coach, acknowledged that the match against Leverkusen led him and the team to consider various strategies to counter their opponents.
- Despite the 1:1 draw, Bayer Leverkusen's xG was considerably higher than Dortmund's, highlighting Leverkusen's dominant performance.
