Bartłomiej Drągowski: The heir to the number one shirt at Borussia Dortmund?

Is Borussia Dortmund’s keeper problem truly the team’s “Achilles heel”?

Before we get to looking at Drągowski’s career and what sort of fit he’d be at Borussia Dortmund, I think it is important we look at the burning question: Is goalkeeper a position that should take the utmost priority in the upcoming transfer window? The answer to this question isn’t simple.

Taking a look at Borussia Dortmund’s current form and their position in the table, as we’ve mentioned, there is a long list of reasons that have to be taken into account when exploring their current slip from an attacking machine to a team struggling to meet their usual, basic, bare minimum benchmark. Of these reasons, unnecessary defensive lapses are still the number one reason the team has often dropped points. These lapses, of course, have to be pinned on the entirety of the defence, including the goalkeeper(s), but I think the most damning aspect of all is the amount of chances Dortmund have allowed on their goal and the manner of how these chances have come about.

Whether it be from set pieces or on the counter, the defenders have been criminally lax in terms of the way they have handled opposition attackers trying to breach their final third. Many of the chances converted are irritatingly avoidable, which makes conceding even worse. It is inevitable that Dortmund, who play with a high line, will concede chances, and invariably concede goals. This sort of play, of course, has a toll on defenders and can lead to burnout.

With current COVID conditions and a truncated schedule really shortening the amount of time players have to recover, depth in the defensive positions becomes absolutely key, and Dortmund lack quality depth options to give relief to the starting partnership or put pressure on the likes of Hummels and Akanji to perform.

Dan Axel Zagadou, while a fine defender has struggled with injuries, leaving the likes of Emre Can and Thomas Delaney to deputise and fill in when injuries or fatigue inevitably set in. It is because of this that Dortmund’s main focus should be preventing the keeper, whoever he may be, from being peppered with unnecessary and avoidable chances. It is important to realise that no matter who your keeper is, chances that can be avoided in the first place will inevitably come back to haunt you.

That being said however, the reason we are still having a discussion about potential replacement goalkeepers is because, like the rest of the defence, the two men in goal have been far from perfect and blameless, which means Dortmund would be warranted to look at replacements. Both Bürki and Hitz have had weaker moments that have cost the team important points. Taking Hitz’ showing against Freiburg and Hoffenheim for example, the Swiss shot stopper was at fault for goals in both games and ended up costing his team heavily.

With Bürki’s form continuing to flicker, this summer provides an opportunity for the club to reevaluate the current keeper situation, and look at alternatives that can bring the club those few steps higher next season.