Three takeaways from Borussia Dortmund’s draw against AC Milan
By Eli Brand
Borussia Dortmund’s chance creation issues
Borussia Dortmund’s best creator and set-piece taker last season was Raphael Guerreiro. With Jude Bellingham also contributing considerably. Geurreiro’s xAG was .3 per 90 last season with Bellingham contributing .13 per 90 as an 8 in the double pivot as well.
With Ramy Bensabaini coming in, Borussia Dortmund opted for a more defensive option and there is nothing wrong with that.
However, it is incumbent that Edin Terzic staggers the minutes of Marco Reus and Julian Brandt. This would prevent Dortmund from playing extended stretches without any elite creator on the pitch.
BVB even won a set-piece in a very promising position from inside 30 yards in an excellent shooting position late on. But with Brandt and Reus both off the pitch, Emre Can stepped up and the shot sailed over the middle of the goal by several feet. This is not to continue to rag on Can who never should have been put in this position.
Terzic will need to find another creator and set-piece taker off the bench in the squad if he continues to insist on starting Reus and Brandt together.
At 34, Reus should not be asked to start 3 games in 8 days which could be the case if he is in the XI on Saturday.
dark. Next. Borussia Dortmund player ratings from goalless draw against AC Milan
Jamie Bynoe-Gittens should be given more chances out wide to see if he can become the creator across from Donyell Malen. Gio Reyna is another player who merits chances, now that he has returned from injury. The USMNT international can also take set pieces, but has not been used by Terzic as often as he’d have liked since the turn of the year.