Three reasons why Borussia Dortmund are struggling at the moment
It’s no secret that Borussia Dortmund are in the middle of a massive dip in form. Dortmund have only won 2 of their last 8 matches dating back to their 3-1 loss to Real Madrid on September 26th.
The only matches Borussia Dortmund have won have been against Augsburg and the match against 3rd division side Magdeburg in the DFB-Pokal. Dortmund supporters are growing restless, looking for answers as to why the Black and Yellows are struggling on the pitch.
Peter Bosz is on the hot seat in Dortmund, with many fans citing his tactics and poor managing as the reason for Dortmund’s troubles, but it isn’t reasonable to place 100% of the blame on him.
The players need to be accountable for their play, and when they under perform, they should be held at least as equally responsible for the clubs troubles as their manager. Here are 3 reasons for Borussia Dortmund’s poor form.
Marc Bartra is struggling at right back
One tactical decision Peter Bosz has made that has come under scrutiny has been playing Marc Bartra at right back. With injuries to full-backs Łukasz Piszczek and Jeremy Toljan, Bartra has been the right back of choice for Peter Bosz.
His play in that position has been underwhelming. It has been obvious that right back is not the natural position for Bartra, who is a center back by trade.
Of the available players for selection, Bartra might have seemed like the correct choice to play at right back because of his ability on the ball and his passing skills. This hasn’t translated well on the pitch, with Bartra frequently caught out of position, including on the Apoel equalizer in the Champions League fixture. Dortmund will have to figure out what to do going forward at the right back position or they might have to switch to a back 3.
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The defensive high line
Bosz has also taken heat for his seeming unwillingness to change playing a high defensive line. The defenders are being constantly exposed for pace, with the back-line leaking goals that they shouldn’t.
In my opinion, the midfield doesn’t provide adequate cover for the back-line. The pressing isn’t as effective as it needs to be to run such a high line. Sokratis and Toprak have been left exposed on a number of occasions. The struggles with pressing could be down to not having the right personnel in midfield.
One misplaced pass in midfield leaves the defenders rather helpless. When Zagadou got sent off against Hannover, he was forced into a tough spot by a midfield giveaway.
Needless to say, the majority of complaints from supporters seem to be centered around the high defensive line.
Aubameyang’s goal-scoring drought
Borussia Dortmund’s star striker has been in poor form of late. His finishing has been criticized after his inability to convert his chances. Aubameyang hasn’t scored since the match against RB Leipzig, and Dortmund fans are waiting for him to find his stride once again. Dortmund can’t manage results without their striker scoring goals. Some are calling for Isak to start matches, but Bosz isn’t ready to go in that direction just yet.
Hopefully Dortmund can get their season back on track soon. The match against Bayern on Saturday will be a huge test of this teams resolve, and we will see how they can respond to the adversity they are facing.