Saturday proved to be a decisive day in the race for the top spots in the Bundesliga. Two games in particular were pivotal in shaping key positions.
Eintracht Frankfurt travelled north to Borussia Dortmund with just four points between the two clubs in the table. Dortmund’s improved run of form had got them back in the running to retain their Champions League status.
Frankfurt have enjoyed a very positive campaign spearheaded by the goals of Andre Silva. Adi Hütter has moulded an attacking team that is fun to watch.
The return of Luka Jovic, on loan from Real Madrid, has helped bolster those forward options. Special praise must also go to Filip Kostic, who is behind only Thomas Müller in the assist charts.
At the Westfalenstadion on Saturday, it was more about the defence than the attack. Frankfurt were compact and resolute out of possession, set up to frustrate their hosts and hit them on the counter-attack.
Aside from two very good early chances for Erling Haaland, that you’d normally expect him finish, Frankfurt gave little away. Edin Terzic again had Dortmund set up too narrow and they struggled to stretch their opponents.
Without the injured Jadon Sancho they lack inventiveness. Even the creativity of Julian Brandt and Gio Reyna has been consigned to the bench with confidence eroded.
Dortmund have the players but without any meaningful shape or patterns of play they rely on individual moments of brilliance. Too often that is on the shoulders of Haaland. It’s little wonder he’s cut an increasingly frustrated figure of late.
He has an agent with a reputation for engineering huge financial deals. Speculation on Haaland’s future this summer has already begun, but Dortmund have already proved how resolute they can be on transfers. Therefore, given the current financial climate and Haaland’s exit clause for 2022, it is likely he stays for now.Continue reading