Three Observations From Borussia Dortmund’s Demolition of Wolfsburg

In what was expected to be a fairly uneventful weekend Bundesliga match, Borussia Dortmund decided to let off some steam against a poor VfL Wolfsburg side, beating them 6-1. Five first-half goals over the course of 14 minutes made the majority of this match feel like a televised training session for the black and yellows. Standout performances from Julian Brandt, Marco Reus and Erling Haaland made the rattled Wolfburg defense pay time and time again the entire time trio was on the pitch. It was an awful performance from the opponent, but Marco Rose’s team came together and gave the fans a thrilling day of football.

BVB Vs xG

Dortmund have garnered a reputation for outperforming their expected goals numbers over the past few seasons, and this year has been no different. BVB have beaten their xG by a Bundesliga leading 17.8 goals this season, with 3.4 goals being added to that stat against Wolfsburg. This stat is indicative of a couple of things for Dortmund this season. On the negative end, it’s a reflection on just how difficult it’s been for this squad to create clear goalscoring opportunities for itself, but it also shines a positive light on just how excellent the finishing has been from their primary goal scorers. With Erling Haaland leaving in the summer, Dortmund will likely have to find ways to be more creative next season if they want to even be close to Bayern’s goal tally.

Julian Brandt’s Redemption Arc

A few weeks ago, rumors of Julian Brandt’s departure were everywhere. The 25-year-old had seemingly come to the end of his rope with BVB, and in all honesty, rightly so. He’d been given the majority of this season to show some of the quality he displayed before his €25 million move to the club in 2019, and despite a few brilliant moments, the lows were just too low to be a regular member of the starting 11. That said, the last two matches have been nothing short of spectacular for the German international. With two goals, two assists and arguably, two man-of-the-match performances, Brandt may have played his way out of a transfer this summer. Hopefully, his great form will continue.

Future!!!

Dortmund’s u19 stars Tom Rothe, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Lion Semis all made their first-team debut in this blowout victory. Bynoe-Gittens and Semic had virtually no time on the pitch today, but getting out there is at least a step in the right direction for both of them. This match also saw the return of Youssoufa Moukoko, who looked fully fit and excited for his 25-minute appearance. Tom Rothe stole the headlines, though, scoring the opening goal, and played nearly the full 90 minutes in his senior debut. The 17-year-old showed some jitters at the start, but after scoring, he settled into the game and looked like a first-team regular. For those who watched any of the u19’s Youth League games this season, this was an excellent day of football.

Your Thoughts

What did you think of today’s game? Let me know your thoughts below.