Edin Terzic and the art of the draw: Borussia Dortmund's pragmatic tactics under the spotlight

Some of the defensive frailties come from Edin Terzic's prematch analysis. It is more likely that Borussia Dortmund will score first, and then concede for the draw, and I think one contributor to this is the mid-match management of players. Terzic analyses the opposing squad, creates the perfect defensive strategy, and it usually works... until the opposing coach decides to change something. This is where Terzic, and Dortmund, fail to adapt.

While BVB's opponents tend to make personnel changes early in the second half, Terzic waits perhaps too long, when a difference-maker could have more of an impact with thirty minutes, rather than fifteen. Terzic's first substitutions came in the 79th minute against Wolfsburg, and the 75th against Hoffenheim.

This style of tactics is common among newly promoted teams when they face heavyweights like Bayern Munich. Heck, this would even be a reasonable strategy for Borussia Dortmund to use against Bayern, given recent head-to-head matches. But this is NOT an acceptable method of management when playing teams like Augsburg, Mainz and Wolfsburg, games that fans expect their team to win.

Edin Terzic clearly has positive qualities when it comes to coaching a football team, but recently, he's been failing to inspire this Borussia Dortmund team or their fans. The immense pressure from having lost out on last season's league title is surely a contributor, but I don't like watching tactics designed with fear.

I'd rather see Borussia Dortmund lose a hard-fought Bundesliga match 4-2 than watch another dull 1-1 draw, where Dortmund take an early lead and spend seventy minutes acting afraid of losing while the opponent misses chance after chance. Terzic's tactics are becoming far too predictable, it is especially concerning given BVB's upcoming fixture list. It is make or break time for Borussia Dortmund, with Champions League qualification on the line. Whether Terzic decides to release the shackles could prove to be the difference maker for his side in the coming weeks.