With their system analysis, the Borussia managers seem to have hit the mark. In Leverkusen you have to worry despite the victory, and the BVB lands an emotional liberation blow.
1. Alassane Pléa is the type of player Gladbach has missed
The Gladbach officials were unusually open before the season, letting the public share the motives for their actions. Last season’s analysis had shown that the Borussia system had decoded with the ninth falling back into midfield, so a new one was urgently needed. Other tactics, fresh staff: For Alassane Pléa, their new striker, the Borussians spent the record sum of 23 million euros. The 25-year-old had often played on the wing of his last club OGC Nizza. Dieter Hecking and Max Eberl nevertheless saw him as an – expensive – ideal solution in the attack centre.
A risky investment that seems to pay off. Right at his first use as a substitute he scored the equalizer in Augsburg, in Berlin he was successful and also in the 3:1 against Eintracht Frankfurt he showed his value for the VfL. The 1-0 went to his account, one of six (!) shots on goal of the Frenchman. Finally the Borussia has again a man in the center, who can also hold physically against it. He had nine aerial duels and his presence made it possible to keep the midfield row more compact and to move up in order. The reward after the fifth matchday: fourth place. Tendency ascending.
2. Dortmund lands an emotional liberation blow
One could now talk a lot about the statistical values of BVB’s 7:0 against 1 FC Nürnberg. About the 865 passes played, 92.8 percent of which went to the other player, the twelve shots from inside the penalty area or the tactical nuances with the wing strikers placed so far outside as never before this season. Or the hopelessly overstretched players of their opponents. All of this underestimates the emotional impact this cant win could have in the traditionally sensitive BVB environment.
Even after four wins and two draws in the first six games of the competition, the fear of a new season of eight and a half was palpable. The longing for the spectacle, the klopp’schen „always full throttle“. After this 7:0, the sporting subordinate Götze-Theater is dimmed, instead there is new material worth talking about: premiere goal by Manuel Ankanji, Achraf Hakimi and Jacob Bruun Larsen, the hits of the substitute Jadon Sancho and Julian Weigl. The confirmation that this much longed-for spectacle under Lucien Favre actually seems possible. This is probably the most important insight from Dortmund’s point of view.
Achraf Hakimi Honours
Real Madrid
- UEFA Champions League: 2017–18
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2017
3. Leverkusen must worry despite his victories
Bayer Leverkusen is still one of the league’s problem children despite their third compulsory game victory within six days. In terms of results, the team of coach Heiko Herrlich caught up after three defeats at the start of the season. The Leverkusen team, however, do not play well.
In the first half, they let themselves be completely overrun by the rising Fortuna Düsseldorf. The scoring record: 0:8! Düsseldorf’s coach Friedhelm Funkel mirrored the Leverkusen 4-2-3-1 and managed direct duels in midfield. These duels were won in the first half mostly by the Düsseldorf team, Leverkusen did not even come before the goal of Michael Rensing. Casino Heroes Bonus has a welcoming bonuses for their new players.
Leverkusen corrected the result in the second 45 minutes and won with 2:1 in the end, but in the next game against Borussia Dortmund Herrlich can come up with something. The close victories against Ludogorezk Razgrad, Mainz 05 and now Düsseldorf were a victorious Leverkusen, but not a convincing one.
