Borussia Dortmund rode their luck to secure a narrow 1-0 win against Club Brugge in their Champions League opener.
Despite dominating possession, Borussia Dortmund failed to create any meaningful chances from open play. But they ended up getting the three points after Matej Mitrovic’s attempted clearance hit Christian Pulisic and somehow found its way to the back of the net. Three points are all that matter in the end, but Lucien Favre will know that there is still plenty of work to be done if his side are to be successful this season.
So let us take a look at the three things we learned from Borussia Dortmund’s Champions League opener.
Borussia Dortmund lack an attacking direction
The Black and Yellows have often looked tepid and disjointed going forward under Lucien Favre. And the same was the case on Tuesday night as the performance reminded many of the forgettable Peter Stoger era. The players seemed to lack any chemistry and they simply weren’t decisive enough when going forward.
Dortmund’s build up play was far too slow and labored. Despite having two thirds of the ball, they did not ever look like scoring against the Belgian side.
Favre’s insistence on playing two defensive midfielders against teams Borussia Dortmund should be dominating is hurting the team going forward. His risk averse strategy got Dortmund the three points but once again his team selection was questionable to say the least. Marius Wolf has underperformed in all three Bundesliga matches, but he was once again given the nod to start. While deploying Marco Reus as the lone striker nullified his threat. And Mario Gotze is no longer capable of playing as the number ten.
Its too early to judge Favre as he is still trying to work out his best XI and injuries to key players haven’t helped his cause. But with games coming up thick and fast, Dortmund must improve and quickly, otherwise we could be in for a repeat of last season.
Shinji Kagawa can be the answer to Dortmund’s number ten woes
Mario Gotze was given the chance to stake his claim for a regular starting spot but 26 year old failed to make the most of his opportunity. Gotze looked to be off his game and lacked the dynamism required to succeed in the number ten role. He misplaced quite a few passes and lost the ball on several occasions and looked like a shadow of his former self.
It was a performance reminiscent of Wayne Rooney in the twilight of his Premier League career. Gotze is still only 26 though and has plenty of time to return from this latest setback. But he is not the solution to Dortmund’s problems at the number ten role.
That has to be Shinji Kagawa. Borussia Dortmund were ready to sell Kagawa towards the end of the transfer window, but no buyers could be found and it might prove to be a blessing in disguise for Lucien Favre.
Kagawa made his return to the team against Brugge, coming off the bench to replace Gotze at the hour mark, and he immediately made Borussia Dortmund look more threatening in attack. The Japanese international played some good passes, most notably the lovely dinked pass to Lukasz Piszczek which nearly resulted in a goal.
Shinji Kagawa is Borussia Dortmund’s best playmaker and it surprised many that he was out of favor at the start of the season. But after a good cameo against Brugge, lets hope that he is given another chance in the number ten role soon.
Paco Alcacer’s return cannot come quickly enough
Its fair to say that the best 20 minutes of football Borussia Dortmund have played this season came when Paco Alcacer was on the pitch. The Spaniard missed Tuesday’s match due to injury and Dortmund missed him dearly on the pitch.
Paco Alcacer is more than just a goalscorer. Playing for Barcelona and Spain has helped him become an all round striker. Not only can he pass and link up well with his teammates, he also goes into deeper positions to collect the ball and allow his teammates to make forward runs. Reus and Philipp, on the other hand like to run into spaces. And with two centre backs marking them, its difficult for them to be as effective.
Paco Alcacer’s movement, positioning, link up play and finishing ability make him the perfect striker for Lucien Favre’s system. His return to the team will also take some of the pressure off Marco Reus and allow him to play in his natural position. It will also give the rest of the Dortmund players an outlet to feed in the box, something that is missing at the moment.
Paco Alcacer may have only made one appearance off the bench for Borussia Dortmund so far, but it is already evident just how important he is to the team. And his return cannot come quickly enough for the Black and Yellows.