Borussia Dortmund
Far away from title form: BVB and “the basics”
Dortmund’s sports director Sebastian Kehl found clear words. photo
© David Indian song / dpa
Dortmund has a mentality debate again – at least a small one. The 1-1 draw in Bochum casts doubt on the team’s attitude. A national player holds his colleagues responsible.
Julian Brandt’s words are alarming. “In the end, it’s everyone’s responsibility to work their way up to the beginning of the season so that you’re at your peak – that you’re in good shape, that you do what you’re capable of. We just don’t have enough of that at the moment from yet”, said the national player from Borussia Dortmund after the disappointing 1-1 draw at VfL Bochum at Sport1 and clearly criticized some of their team-mates.
BVB is chasing its claims right at the start of the season. Dortmund is far away from being in the form of a serious contender for the title.
Kehl: “We completely lacked the sharpness”
Although they were prepared for it, the BVB pros in Bochum couldn’t cope with the aggressive style of play of their Revier rivals for a long time. The statements of those responsible in the catacombs of the Ruhr Stadium are reminiscent of times long thought to be over mentality debates and discussions about the right attitude of the team.
“We completely lacked the sharpness – also in the duels, in the readiness,” said sports director Sebastian Kehl with reference to the first half, in which VfL took the lead early and then was superior. Coach Edin Terzic saw it similarly: “We knew there were a lot of duels. If you’re not willing to throw everything into these 50:50 duels to make 50:50 60:40 or 70:30, then then it will remain open.” With the draw after Donyell Malen equalized, BVB was actually well served in the end.
In addition to the weaknesses in important direct duels, Dortmund lacked creativity and speed in the game, as they did in the happy 1-0 win against 1. FC Köln on the first day of the game. BVB often acted too awkwardly and sluggishly. Center forward Sébastien Haller was hardly involved in the game and did not pose a goal threat. The newly formed midfield with captain Emre Can, Marcel Sabitzer and Felix Nmecha doesn’t seem well-coordinated so far. There were often large gaps in the center.
“We still have a lot of potential in terms of playing,” said goalkeeper Gregor Kobel and demanded: “We still have a few normal weeks before the Champions League starts. We have to use them so that we can prepare ourselves well for the next ones Prepare games.”
Terzic: “Everything will settle down”
In the home game against newly promoted Heidenheim next Friday, BVB is already under pressure. If there is no convincing victory against the blatant outsider before the international break that follows, things should get really uncomfortable early in the season.
Despite all the anger about his team’s performance, Terzic tried to exude confidence. “Everything will still level off, everything will still find its way,” he said. “But what is extremely important to me: We have to work for it. We have to get it. Nobody will give it to us, nobody will give it to us or serve it to us. We have to do it with hard work, a lot of diligence and a lot Get self-criticism yourself.”
At least BVB showed a critical examination of their own performance after the disappointment in Bochum. “There are issues where you can clearly see that we have developed further. But it’s about the basics,” said Brandt, who himself was Dortmund’s most agile offensive player. “How am I in the game? What do I do when I get the ball? Things like that. We were all at a different point two or three months ago. It’s important to get back there as soon as possible.”