How is Nuri Sahin building his Borussia Dortmund team?

1. Possession, domination, and new roles

The setup in Sahin's scheme is entirely different from what Borussia Dortmund had in previous years, which also relates to the squad-building decisions made during this summer transfer window. For instance, the departures of Ian Maatsen and Tom Rothe have made fans worry about the lack of depth in the left-back position. However, its possible that Sahin-ball does not require a standard left-back at all.

When in possession, which is an aspect Sahin highly praises in his dominant style of play, Borussia Dortmund set up in a 3-2-5. This tactical display is commonly used by teams who aim to retain the ball as much as possible in the opposition's half, and at the same time, keep as many bodies in attack to press high in case of dispossession. In practical terms, Nico Schlotterbeck starts as that 'left-back,' only to transition to left center-back in a back-three with Niklas Süle and Waldemar Anton.

With that back-three, Borussia Dortmund have more players in cover when losing possession in risky zones while maintaining a strong 3-2 build-up structure with a double-pivot in the midfield. But what is the right-back's role in all of this? In the attacking phase, the right-back, either Yan Couto or Julian Ryerson, becomes the right winger and links up offensively with the forwards.

Despite its benefits and almost guaranteed entertainment, it is undoubtedly a game plan that offers risks at times. Considering the high lines and will to play in the opposition's half, it could prove to be deadly when facing high-paced teams with counter-attackers. Another challenge might be breaking mid-to-low block teams, willing to sit and defend with tight lines.

Whether this Dortmund team will start performing consistently or not is a question this season will help answer. However, it could be a step in the right direction, especially for a club that takes pride in playing attacking and eye-catching football. All of these aspects in Sahin's approach will be up to the test by different teams and footballing schools of thought, but he's also shown he can adapt to those scenarios.