FC Schalke 04 2-2 Borussia Dortmund: Key Takeaways

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Nico Schlotterbeck (Photo by Marcel ter Bals/BSR Agency/Getty Images) /

Nico Schlotterbeck’s goal proves invaluable due to defensive lapses

It’s not often that one goes out of the way to credit a central defender for their attacking actions in a game where the defensive side of the team’s performance is the reason for a sub-par scoreline, and yet here we are. Nico Schlotterbeck’s performance was pivotal in making sure that Borussia Dortmund came away with a point in this game, despite the defense as a whole being culpable for diminishing just how many points they walked away with.

Schlotterbeck’s opening goal in the 38th minute was a sumptuous strike from outside the box and an example of his ability to contribute quite significantly on the opposite end of the pitch. It wasn’t the first time of course, with the German international responsible for the cross that Anthony Modeste put away in the dying embers against Bayern Munich earlier in the season. He also put together a wonderful solo run in the second half that created an opportunity for Dortmund to score from, but this proved less fruitful in the end.

Defensively, as mentioned, the team struggled, and this made Schlotterbeck’s goal contribution even more critical, especially considering the wastefulness we witnessed up top for Die Schwarzgelben. For his part, Schlotterbeck was one of the bright spots defensively, with the player doing his best to work in tandem with Mats Hummels and Julian Ryerson to keep Schalke’s attackers at bay. He did, however, have a few lapses, and was very static in the lead up to Schalke’s second goal. The ball looped over the German international’s head, and he was only able to watch as it made its way into the net past Alexander Meyer.

Hummels and Ryerson also had moments in the game that are best forgotten. Hummels, for his part, did manage to put in quite a few strong tackles to break up Schalke’s attacks, but his reactions at times put BVB’s goal under unnecessary pressure, with one of his clearances in particular failing to make it beyond Schalke’s attack, creating a one on one situation and leaving Meyer exposed.