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FSV Mainz 05 1-2 Borussia Dortmund: Key Takeaways

By Brian Szlenk Straub

MAINZ, GERMANY - JANUARY 25: Players of Dortmund celebrate during the Bundesliga match between 1. FSV Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund at MEWA Arena on January 25, 2023 in Mainz, Germany. (Photo by Markus Gilliar - GES Sportfoto/Getty Images)
MAINZ, GERMANY - JANUARY 25: Players of Dortmund celebrate during the Bundesliga match between 1. FSV Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund at MEWA Arena on January 25, 2023 in Mainz, Germany. (Photo by Markus Gilliar - GES Sportfoto/Getty Images) /
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MAINZ, GERMANY – JANUARY 25: Julian Ryerson of Dortmund controls the ball during the Bundesliga match between 1. FSV Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund at MEWA Arena on January 25, 2023 in Mainz, Germany. (Photo by Markus Gilliar – GES Sportfoto/Getty Images)
MAINZ, GERMANY – JANUARY 25: Julian Ryerson of Dortmund controls the ball during the Bundesliga match between 1. FSV Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund at MEWA Arena on January 25, 2023 in Mainz, Germany. (Photo by Markus Gilliar – GES Sportfoto/Getty Images) /

Julian Ryerson epitomizes the attitude his teammates should seek to emulate

For Julian Ryerson, the match against Mainz started off in a demoralizing fashion. The Norwegian full back was culpable for the poor marking of of Lee Jae-sung, which led to Mainz’s opener. That being said, Ryerson was quick to react and rectify the situation, scoring his first goal for the club and equalizing just minutes later.

Much can be said about both of these instances of play, and both praise and ciritcisim can be awarded in equal measure. With this in mind however, we can look at Ryerson’s performance and boil it down to two main words: passion and energy. These two words epitomize Ryerson’s display and  fully justify Sebastian Kehl’s comments about the player when the club signed him from Union Berlin earlier in the transfer window:

"“Julian is an intelligent player who defends very aggressively in a positive sense. We really like his profile, his character and his desire to leave the pitch as a winner at all costs.”"

Ryerson displayed just this against Mainz. Despite having a hand in the defensive mistake that led to the goal, Ryerson kept his head up and got to work, bombing up and down Dortmund right flank, engaging in both defense and attack. He didn’t have to wait long for his tenacity to pay off, and scoring his goal was just the beginning. He continued to show great energy levels throughout the match, and proved very clearly he isn’t one to shy away from a tough tackle or two.

Ryerson’s energy and dedication on the pitch is something other players at the club should very much look to emulate. It’s not just Ryerson’s physicality, but his willingness to keep running and playing hard despite facing adversity that will hopefully permeate throughout this side and help shift both the body language and performances of those around him in the coming games.

While Ryerson has been brought in as a depth option for Dortmund, the Norwegian international is making a strong case for himself to continue to play an important role going forward . One can only hope that he continues to feed off of this competitive nature and lead by example.