Out of the DFB Cup - No longer a title team: BVB in search of form and identity
Gregor Kobel spoke of pure disillusionment. Winning titles and experiencing these special moments was one of the reasons why he moved to Borussia Dortmund two and a half years ago, said the goalkeeper.
As of Wednesday evening, it looks like BVB will end another season without a trophy. "It hurts beyond belief that we missed another huge opportunity this year," said Kobel after the well-deserved round of 16 exit in the DFB Cup at VfB Stuttgart.
What was probably BVB's best chance of winning the title this season is already gone, and the gap to leaders Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga is enormous. If BVB lose against RB Leipzig on Saturday (18:30/Sky), the Champions League places will also be out of reach for the time being. The mood threatens to change. If the runners-up do not get back on track before Christmas, they will hardly be able to avoid a coaching discussion, at least externally. The debate about what kind of soccer Borussia actually wants to stand for is already in full swing. In addition to its form, BVB is also looking for its identity.
Captain Can sees footballing "catastrophe"
The game with the ball was a "catastrophe", said captain Emre Can after the 2-0 (0-0) defeat in Stuttgart in all clarity. But the team didn't work well against the ball either. In general, little was right - whether up front or at the back. The 29-year-old, who was deployed by coach Edin Terzic this time as the right back in a three-man back line, complained that "a lot, a lot has to improve".
In his eyes, BVB's once again weak performance was not a question of quality, said Can. After all, they have often shown what good performances they are capable of. Just a week earlier, Borussia had secured an early place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a 3:1 win at AC Milan. Next Wednesday, they will face Paris Saint-Germain for victory in the supposedly monster Group F. It is all the more astonishing that BVB were so despondent last Sunday in Leverkusen (1:1) and now in Stuttgart. Wall tactics instead of offensive fireworks. Is this the new way?
Coach Terzic defends defensive tactics
They had "not chosen a passive approach", explained coach Terzic when asked about the defensive approach with which Dortmund wanted to counter Stuttgart, who remained extremely strong, but were ultimately hopelessly outclassed. Terzic and Sebastian Kehl analyzed in unison that the many simple ball losses had led to a feeling of insecurity in the team. However, these had nothing to do with the tactics, said the sporting director. Kehl said that the team had not settled down. But at times it seemed that way.
The coach's idea of completely subordinating the game to success this season and being a little less euphoric than pragmatic may have been right in principle. However, Borussia, which for years stood for an attractive and exciting attacking style, is alienated from its new guise. Ultimately, it comes down to the right mix of fight and wit, explained keeper Kobel. The problem is: BVB can't find it.
Kobel warns when looking at the table
The coach is increasingly confronted with questions about his tactics. The new signings that the club brought in during the summer, apart from national striker Niclas Füllkrug, are clearly still in the familiarization phase. It is a shaky framework on which BVB are building their new title dreams after missing out on the championship in the previous season. If there are no points against Leipzig either, the unrest will continue to grow.
"The game on Saturday won't decide the whole season," said Kobel. Looking at the table, however, the goalkeeper added: "We have to be extremely careful not to lose touch." After the cup exit, the mood was "already shit".
"We've shown often enough that we can also show a reaction," said sporting director Kehl. Against RB, however, Borussia would have to "put in a better performance in order to survive". And thus, sooner or later, find its way back to itself.
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- Despite his disappointment, goalkeeper Gregor Kobel joined Borussia Dortmund two and a half years ago for the opportunity to win titles and experience special moments, like in Germany.
- BVB's chances of winning the title this season have significantly diminished with their round of 16 exit in the DFB Cup against VfB Stuttgart.
- The gap between BVB and leader Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga league is substantial, and if Dortmund loses against RB Leipzig, it may jeopardize their Champions League participation.
- Emre Can, captaining Borussia Dortmund, criticized the team's performance in Stuttgart, claiming it was a 'catastrophe' with poor ball control and working capabilities in the DFB Cup match.
- Can believes that the lackluster performance against Stuttgart had nothing to do with quality, given that former victories demonstrated the team's ability to perform well.
- BVB coach Edin Terzic defended his defensive tactics, claiming that simple ball losses had led to instability within the team and was not an issue with the tactics themselves.
- According to Terzic, their new tactical approach may have been appropriate in theory, but the franchise that once stood for a special attacking style has become alienated from its newer direction.
- Sebastian Kehl, the sporting director, shared the idea of prioritizing success over euphoria and recognized the crucial necessity of balancing aggression with wit.
- In the upcoming match against Leipzig, Dortmund must deliver a stronger performance to ensure survival and improve their standing in the Bundesliga, according to Kehl.
- With only one win in their past four outings, BVB will need to step up its performance and find its identity in time for Christmas, playing against Leipzig in the northwestern German city of North Rhine-Westphalia on Sky.
Source: www.stern.de
