FC Köln 3-2 Borussia Dortmund: Key Takeaways

Borussia Dortmund lack the proper compact shape to stifle Köln’s attack:

Over the course of this season, we’ve already spoken a lot about Borussia Dortmund’s shape and how, in quite a few games this season, they’ve been able to get it right in a way that has made them hard to break down at times. The game against Manchester City is a prime example of this, and even though it was a loss in the end, Dortmund’s shape, compactness and ability to go toe to toe with City was apparent for the first three quarters of the game. Both the defense and midfield put up some very good roadblocks throughout the match, defending in packs and to the last man to make life difficult for one of the best team’s in the world.

One would have expected Dortmund to take the positives from this game and apply them to their performances going forward, however, in the game against Köln, all of that seemed to fly out the window. For Köln’s first, Linton Maina is released by Köln captain Jonas Hector while the veteran player is under pressure from two players (Brandt and Meunier). The ball is then put into the box by Maina, and the space is there for Florian Kainz to finish. It is all far too easy for Köln in this sequence of play. Köln’s second came from a set piece which connected with former Dortmund striker Steffan Tigges,  and the third goal also came from the left side, with a shot sent in from outside of the box.

Köln had ample chances on the counter however which saw Dortmund’s midfield overrun and exposed, meaning that Köln could have easily added to their advantage had they been more clinical themselves. There was little structure to set up any roadblocks for their attacks going forward. They put much less pressure on the Köln players than they did when facing Manchester City, and frankly there’s no excuse for it. The team is guilty of not applying the same level of consideration when facing “lower level opposition” and they get punished for their tepid approach frequently. It is something that needs to change and fast, considering the games that the team has coming up.

Final Thoughts:

Dortmund’s performance against Köln is yet another unfortunate example of a game and performance that Dortmund failed to really make their mark in. A lack of identity continues to plague the team, and this confusion will continue to put a damper on performances going forward unless all the players on the pitch have a clear idea of how they should be playing as a unit.

In addition to this, players must find a more clinical edge. Modeste aside, players like Donyell Malen are finding the space and getting opportunities to be difference makers, and yet they are not taking them. We can chalk this game off to the player returning after a long layoff, but Dortmund are entering a string of games where they need Malen among others to be a difference maker and to do better with the opportunities he is given.

Dortmund will also have to implement the same level of precision and composure they had when facing Manchester City. Their next games (Sevilla and Bayern) will be critical in terms of shaping their season going forward. Its hard to say what to expect in either fixture, but the club will certainly have to work hard to bounce back from this game and improve on their performance significantly.