What new signing Paco Alcacer can bring to Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund have finally completed the signing of Barcelona striker Paco Alcacer. Although it is only a loan spell there is still an option to buy. So what can Paco Alcacer bring to Borussia Dortmund and how can he fill the shoes of Dortmund’s main man up front?

For starters, a striker who has been under the guidance of the world’s best such as Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez certainly has a lot more to offer than other strikers in the world. Since joining Barcelona in 2016 he has scored 15 goals in 50 appearances. These numbers might not put the image of an ideal striker in your mind but a lot of his appearances involved him coming off the bench. But what can you expect from someone who is competing with Luis Suarez for the main striker role?

Although he wasn’t able to shine at Barcelona we saw glimpses of what he can do at Valencia. There he scored 43 goals in 124 appearances and his performances saw him earn comparisons with David Villa. Barcelona saw something in him that prompted them to sign him as a back up for Luis Suarez. But succeeding at Barcelona is no easy task and at Dortmund, he should have enough game time to fit right into the squad and keep the goals coming.

The Black and Yellows have had some technically gifted attacking players in their ranks. And Alcacer should get plenty of service. He has various strengths and weaknesses which could be easily worked on to help him flourish here at Dortmund. Alcacer is known for his finishing ability, is strong in the air and possesses strong awareness in and around the box.

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Keeping the ball is a recent issue that Dortmund began having especially around the defensive midfield section. There were times when a small press from the opposing teams led Dortmund to completely give up the ball for an opposition thrown in. We saw glimpses of this in Peter Stoger’s Dortmund side especially towards the end of last season. This, of course, could be subject to change under Lucien Favre. If Dortmund can keep hold possession especially in the final third then we can expect the forwards to run riot.

A striker that is good with his head is a blessing for players such as Pulisic, Reus and Sancho, who are all good crossers of the ball. In the box, he is a deadly striker. And with the right link ups, he might not be the one doing all the scoring. Alcacer can be a very selfless striker, he has the technical ability and awareness to make chances and finish them. Pass and move plays will be essential to his success so Dortmund’s already strong midfield should have that covered.

Alcacer also has another strength that is often overlooked. His pace. of course he may not be as fast as other strikers such as Aubameyang, or Jamie Vardy but he is up to par if not faster than players such as Lewandowski, Lacazette, and Suarez.  He also uses his body very well to shield the ball and keep possession. The Bundesliga has many rock-solid defenders such as Naldo and Niklas Sule, so strength and hold up play will be a huge part in his successes in front of goal.

But of course, he does have his weaknesses. One of them being his offside awareness. Dortmund do like to use the long ball and with a fairly pacey striker, the offside trap will be one of the opponents’ main weapons to prevent them. This is where remaining onside plays a huge part. Teams that like to play with a high line could easily suppress him should he wander offside time and time again.

Defensive contribution is also a huge weakness but then again when was Aubameyang helping out defensively? The occasional drop back to help the midfield would be useful but then again Dortmund have a very stacked midfield so Alcacer can get away with remaining up-front.

Alcacer has been labelled of being a poacher but if you look at Aubameyang’s Bundesliga goals in the 2016/2017 season, he scored countless number of goals from tap-ins but that only added to the fact that he was deadly in the box. As is Alcacer. As mentioned before, Paco Alcacer is deadly in the box along with his excellent awareness, and he should be at the right at the right time to bang in the goals as Auba did, which seems like an eternity ago.

Paco Alcacer is an important signing for Borussia Dortmund. They were in need of a striker and it looks like they have found a solid option. But will the club choose to keep him on for another year? There is an option to buy which will set Dortmund back 25 million euros. It all depends on his performances. There is no doubt that Dortmund will go fishing again in the upcoming transfer markets. And Alexander Isak who is young but could still make a major impact should he be given an opportunity and could become Dortmund’s star striker.

Paco Alcacer had revealed to Las Pronincias that he would like to return to Valencia back in December of 2017. But maybe a year with Borussia Dortmund will be enough to spark his career and unlock his full potential.