Eintracht Frankfurt vs Borussia Dortmund: Key Takeaways

Julian Brandt continues indispensable form for Dortmund:

When the name Julian Brandt was set to be a last minute omission for Dortmund’s matchup against Newcastle, I was worried. The team managed that game very well despite his absence, but his appearance against Frankfurt underlines how important he has become.

Over the course of the last year, we’ve seen Brandt in the midst of an evolution. The player that  came from Bayer Leverkusen in 2019 has undergone a shift, both in terms of skill as well as overall commitment on the pitch.

While he does still have the odd mistake in him (see the back heel that in part led to Frankfurt’s third goal), Brandt has been absolutely indispensable for Dortmund. His now 4 goals and 4 assists, if we include his smart finish from today, speak for themselves in terms of his commitment to the cause in Dortmund’s first 9 Bundesliga games. Credit certainly goes to Karim Adeyemi, another player touted for greatness now struggling with form, for his wonderful assist for Brandt’s finish, but the anticipation of Brandt’s run and ability to place the ball as he did was simply phenomenal.

In many ways, Adeyemi can look to Brandt as an example of how to persevere through a tough patch of form and come out a better player in the end. It is also a reminder for fans that sometimes players need patience to really develop and fulfill their potential. If Brandt could do it, Adeyemi, at his age, certainly has the time to do so as well.