Tag: AXEL WITSEL

Analyzing Marco Rose’s time at Borussia Dortmund

by Rhys Desmond, posted in German Bundesliga, Managers, Most Recent, Team Analysis

Rose had clear attacking intentions and tactical ideologies that he wanted to implement, but few of them seemed to pan out in application. While many individuals consistently performed to the highest level, very few of them gelled together as a cohesive unit, working toward an over-arching tactical plan. Here in lies Rose's greatest failure. Those who watched Dortmund once in a blue moon were able to see the exact same problem as those who watched Dortmund week in and week out. The Black & Yellows simply played like a team of individuals.

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Why Dortmund are so bad in defensive transitions

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, German Bundesliga, Managers, Masterclasses, Match Analysis, Most Recent, Team Analysis

Any time Borussia Dortmund look like they might be in with a shot of challenging Bayern for the Bundesliga title, they go and mess it up with an abysmal performance. Marco Rose's time in charge of the Black & Yellows has been characterized by a series of questionable tactical decisions (to say the least), and an utter lack of desire to fix the team's most pressing defensive concern - their disastrously poor positioning, speed and aptitude in transitions. After the club's shocking 5-2 loss to third place Bayer Leverkusen, we take an in-depth look at why Rose's Dortmund are so poor in defensive transitions, and what they can do to fix this.

Marco Rose – Borussia Dortmund – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in German Bundesliga, Managers, Team Analysis

Four months on from Rose's first match in charge of the Black & Yellows, BVB continue to find their feet. They've already been knocked out of the UEFA Champions League, and recently failed to capitalize on a crucial chance to go top of the table ahead of Bayern Munich. For Dortmund fans, there can only be so much optimism that the club remain in second place, yet again. Sooner or later, they are going to have to start putting up a genuine challenge for the title again. If not, Marco Rose will end up just being another in a long line of Dortmund failures. So with that, we take an in-depth look at how Marco Rose's Borussia Dortmund have performed in 2021-22, and what needs to change if the Black & Yellows are to challenge for the title.

How Leverkusen Exposed Rose’s Midfield Diamond…To No Avail – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Masterclasses

Borussia Dortmund are heading towards one of their worst seasons in years, and it is in large part due to the tactics of their new manager - Marco Rose. But quite confusingly, they continue to grind out wins. Rose has set his team up to play in a diamond midfield formation, that suits one single player in the squad, and nobody else, yet somehow they've escaped complete desperation two weeks in a row. The Black & Yellows currently sit second in the table as things stand, three points off the top, but they are very lucky to be anywhere near that.

Belgium – Euro 2020 – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in World Football

Having been placed in a group with Denmark, Russia and Finland, Belgium were certainly expected to top Group B. Roberto Martinez's side did not disappoint in the group stages, winning all three of their matches and conceding just 1 goal. Here is our tactical analysis of Belgium at Euro 2020 so far.

Mahmoud Dahoud’s Revival at Borussia Dortmund – Player Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Central Midfield, German Bundesliga, Player Analysis

After moving to Borussia Dortmund in 2017, Mahmoud Dahoud failed to establish himself at the club season after season. At the time of his arrival, the German international was considered one of the very best midfielders in the Bundesliga, and Dortmund's €12million signing of the Syrian-born superstar was seen as an absolute coup. An obvious baller and astute passer, Dahoud lacked the engine and defensive fervidity that Dortmund desired in his early years at the club and couldn't find his way into the Dortmund lineup. He was constantly cast aside season after season for the likes of Witsel, Delaney, Weigl and Can, despite his obvious quality on the ball. This left many fans wondering - when will Mo Dahoud be given a chance to shine for Dortmund? That question has now been answered, thanks in large part to current Dortmund boss Edin Terzic.

Edin Terzic – Borussia Dortmund – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Formations, German Bundesliga, Managers, Team Analysis, UEFA Champions League, World Football

Despite losing by a horrific 5-1 scoreline to VFB Stuttgart, Lucien Favre's sacking from the helm of Borussia Dortmund came at a strange time, with the club topping their UEFA Champions League group and no new manager in sight. Assistant coach Edin Terzic was given the interim role and unfortunately for the Black & Yellows, things could not have gotten off to a rockier start under the German coach. Terzic won just six of his opening thirteen matches in charge, forcing Dortmund into a difficult situation heading into the final third of the season with so much work to do in the quest to reclaim a place in the UEFA Champions League for next season. But after switching formations against Sevilla, Dortmund have found form again and have now won three on the spin, against big-hitters Sevilla, arch-nemeses Schalke 04, and relatively small-hitters Arminia Bielefield, who troubled Bayern Munich just weeks before. This recent run of form has culminated at the same time as two key decisions - Terzic's formational change away from the 4-2-3-1, and the announcement of Marco Rose as the club's future manager. The announcement gave Dortmund a massive lift and allowed them to regain confidence and focus. But Terzic and co also deserve some credit for the team's recent performances, posing some smart tactical tweaks along the way. Here is a tactical analysis of Edin Terzic's Borussia Dortmund, and whether or not they can make the top four this season.

Top 100 Male Footballers of 2020 (80-61)

by Rhys Desmond, posted in German Bundesliga, Premier League, Serie A, UEFA Champions League, World Football

2020 was a strange year for everyone in the world, not just footballers. But the COVID-19 pandemic has meant that we haven’t gotten as much football as we might have done otherwise. That said, there were still plenty of matches played across the year, and some surprise performers and performances along the way. As always, TheMastermindSite.com will now count down the top 100 male footballers in the world for the year. This list takes into account a player’s form in 2020 as its primary mechanism, with reputation, difficulty of league, club and national team success each playing a secondary role. So with that in mind, here is TheMastermindSite’s Top 100 Male Footballers in the World for 2020 (80-61).

Lucien Favre Leaves Behind a Legacy at Borussia Dortmund

by Rhys Desmond, posted in German Bundesliga, Managers, Team Analysis, UEFA Champions League, World Football

Lucien Favre was the best Borussia Dortmund manager since Jurgen Klopp. His sacking from the helm of Signal Iduna Park comes at a bizarre time, with the club topping their UEFA Champions League group. Although results haven't gone their way in the league recently, Favre was an outstanding coach for Dortmund and did not deserve the sack. This article will explore the legacy of Lucien Favre at BVB, and why Dortmund might regret sacking him in a few months time.

Lucien Favre – Borussia Dortmund – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coaching, Formations, German Bundesliga, Managers, UEFA Champions League, World Football

The suspension of all football activity has been a unfortunate for Borussia Dortmund as they were on a stunning run of form in the Bundesliga before the break. Favre's newly introduced 3-4-2-1 has changed the way Dortmund play for the better, while simultaneously providing more defensive support, the area of the field in which they needed reassurances the most. The formation has given the likes of Achraf Hakimi and Raphael Guerreiro the freedom to go on and create more magic and has also given Jadon Sancho and Thorgan Hazard a necessary boost at a crucial time in the season. This formation suits the players and personnel that Lucien Favre has at his disposal tremendously well and it will be very interesting to see if they can continue to play to such great heights when the season comes to a conclusion. Check out or Tactical Analysis of Lucien Favre's stellar 3-4-2-1 formation with BVB.

Top 100 Male Footballers 2019 (70-61)

by Rhys Desmond, posted in German Bundesliga, Premier League, Serie A, UEFA Champions League, World Football

It’s almost the end of the year, so it’s only fitting that we count down the top 100 footballers of 2019. Check out the next section of the list (70-61) below.