Consistently inconsistent: BVB remains a big puzzle

Consistently inconsistent: BVB remains a big puzzle

Edin Terzic appeared both frustrated and at a loss. He was "brutally disappointed", said the Borussia Dortmund coach. "Once again, we showed a familiar face that we are very dissatisfied with." If the runners-up continue to perform like they did in the 2-1 (1-1) defeat at VfB Stuttgart, "we won't need to talk about goals any more", said sporting director Sebastian Kehl.

BVB remains a great mystery. First the humiliation against FC Bayern Munich (0:4), then the supposed rehabilitation against Newcastle United (2:0), now the next low blow. Borussia cannot get rid of its performance fluctuations - and is therefore no longer a title contender for the time being.

Repeated setbacks over the years

Dortmund know "exactly what we are made of and what we are capable of", said Terzic after the desolate performance at VfB on Saturday. However, in order to be at the top and finally win a trophy again, it is not enough to just "show it from time to time". The coach explained that his team had to learn that. However, they have not been able to do so for years now. They made a statement for the umpteenth time with their victory against Newcastle in the Champions League during the week. For the umpteenth time, a huge relapse followed shortly afterwards. Borussia Dortmund cannot perform like this, said sporting director Kehl after the well-deserved defeat in Stuttgart.

As in the previous season, BVB is in danger of losing sight of the top of the Bundesliga table at an early stage. The gap to defending champions Bayern is already eight points. That's "a plank", said goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. Not to mention Bayer Leverkusen, who have made remarkable progress under coach Xabi Alonso. At the moment, Dortmund have to make sure that they secure a return to the Champions League. Nobody is talking about the championship at the moment.

Tough program after the international break

Last season, Borussia also fell behind early on, but then almost crowned a brilliant comeback after the turn of the year by winning the trophy. "We wanted to do better this year," explained Terzic in retrospect. Instead, his team is running behind again. He had no explanation for the drop in performance after the Newcastle game. Sporting director Kehl also struggled to find the cause. What they both realized: Apart from goalkeeper Kobel, who did however concede two penalties, almost none of the players reached their performance limit against VfB. And not for the first time.

Dortmund had often shown "that we are capable of fighting our way back", said coach Terzic, whose team will face some major hurdles after the international break. In the premier class against AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain, as well as in the DFB Cup against Stuttgart, it's all about progressing, while in the league against Borussia Mönchengladbach, Leverkusen and RB Leipzig it's about staying in touch with the top flight.

Füllkrug questions tactical approach

BVB owed almost everything against VfB on Saturday. It was largely harmless up front and overwhelmed at the back by the Swabians' fast attacks. There was no lack of passion or commitment, said goalscorer Niclas Füllkrug. Perhaps they hadn't chosen "the perfect approach", the international striker speculated on the Sky microphone. In any case, they had once again been "shown their limits by a good opponent." The discussions about how good Dortmund's squad really is are likely to pick up speed again in the coming days. BVB is and remains a big mystery.

1. Despite their victory against Newcastle in the Champions League, Borussia Dortmund has struggled to maintain consistency, as evidenced by their performance against VfB Stuttgart, according to sporting director Sebastian Kehl.
2. Following their defeat to VfB Stuttgart, coach Edin Terzic acknowledged that Borussia Dortmund needs to learn how to consistently perform at a high level in order to win trophies, a challenge they've faced for several years.
3. After their 2-1 loss at VfB Stuttgart, Borussia Dortmund's Niclas Füllkrug questioned whether they had selected the "perfect approach," suggesting that their tactics may need adjustment in order to compete with top-tier opponents like VfB.

Source: www.dpa.com