Six reasons why Borussia Dortmund should consider switching to a back three

The team would be more compact during defensive transitions

A more obvious benefit of switching to a back three would be a more compact line disposition during defensive transitions. As previously stated, a recurring issue at Borussia Dortmund is the lack of organized progression after losing the ball, which tends to leave opponents with more players during counter-attacks against two or three defenders. This happens because BVB like to attack with many players on the offensive side, with the full-backs also going forward.

Although it is characteristic of Dortmund to play attacking football, this type of strategy requires all the players to transition back in case of loss of possession. Therefore, the players get quickly exhausted by the constant running back and forth, and the defensive system gets overly exposed.

Switching to a back three would mean that Dortmund would have an extra body on the defensive end of the pitch during offensive plays, providing more solidity in case of turnovers. At the same time, the team won’t lose its offensive mindset since the wing-backs would be able to support the midfielders and create more spaces for the forwards.