Borussia Dortmund player ratings from defeat to RB Leipzig

Borussia Dortmund fell to a thoroughly demoralizing 3-0 defeat on Saturday at the hands of former head coach Marco Rose and RB Leipzig.

Those who have followed Borussia Dortmund since the start of the season will not be entirely surprised in regard to the result in Saxony. The inconsistencies have been plain for all to see, but the true crux of the matter is that supporters now have to come to terms with the reality that this team lacks a distinguishable identity. Edin Terzic is surely now faced with the most challenging task of his career.

The bulk of that challenge exists due to an injury crisis that has left the squad, in particular the forward line, utterly depleted beyond recognition. Sebastian Haller, Karim Adeyemi, Donyell Malen, Thorgan Hazard, and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens all remain unavailable due to various injuries.

What this has done is totally eradicate the team’s ability to attack from the wing. This would be problematic for any coach, but it’s particularly restrictive when your last-gasp Haller replacement is completely ineffective without ample crossing service from the wings.

All of this was put on display on Saturday afternoon, and very few players provided anything to inspire a different result. As the dust settles on what was a deflating prelude to BVB’s reunion with Erling Haaland, let’s take a look at the individual player ratings from the Leipzig encounter.

Alexander Meyer (5/10)

There was little that Gregor Kobel’s replacement could have done to prevent any of Leipzig’s goals. In particular, Dominik Szoboszlai’s uncontested rocket from distance and Amadou Haidara’s nearly scuffed tap-in following a 3 v 1 situation. Even Leipzig’s first goal, a set piece lapse that has become synonymous with Dortmund over the years, could hardly be blamed on the German goalkeeper with clear obstruction to his view of the downward header via Willi Orban.