It appears that Jürgen Klopp has found his best formation for the club's remaining matches before the winter break, as his team prepares to play RSC Anderlecht today at 20:45 CET in their last group game in the Champions League. It is unlikely that he will alter his tactics too much following their convincing and ultimately successful performance in the 1-0 win against TSG Hoffenheim. The coach himself said: “The match against Anderlecht is perfect for both our rhythm and for the development of our game.”
For the match against the Belgian champions, the Dortmund coach only needs to worry about replacing the injured Sebastian Kehl in his team, as he has bruises on his ribs and thighs. It is likely that Jürgen Klopp is going to have to continue to play without four World Champions, if the Australian Mitch Langerak keeps his place in goal ahead of Roman Weidenfeller. However, Klopp again has Ilkay Gündogan available, a player who missed the World Cup in Brazil and so many games since through injury.
Gündogan: “I hope that we can now go on a little run”
Late on Friday evening, the 24-year-old finally did what Dortmund players have done so rarely recently; he smiled. Here Gündogan gives an insight into what he is thinking at that moment: “Today has been a lot of fun,” Gündogan assured journalists and he immediately added: “I hope that we can now go on a little run and get the maximum amount of points from the rest of our games so that we can start the second half of the season in 2015 full of energy and self-confidence.” He enjoyed the praise and recognition that he got for his strong performance and for his first game-winning goal of the season. This talented player has waited long enough for that moment.
Jürgen Klopp and all the other decision makers at BVB have also been waiting long enough for him. However, that patience could now pay off. The team could have rushed Gündogan back following an injury to a nerve root in his back so that he could have helped out his struggling team but instead they brought him back slowly. After his comeback in Köln in the middle of October, the national team player didn't play his first full 90 minutes until the end of November. With every tackle and every difficulty that he overcame, Gündogan gained another degree of trust in his body. His faith in his abilities never went away.
Gündogan brings back the element of surprise to Dortmund's game
Against Hoffenheim, Gündogan put many of these qualities into action for the first time in a full 90 minute performance. His first goal to make it 1-0 was his first of the season, his first after a long injury lay-off, his first in the league since 13 April 2013, his first headed goal for Dortmund and only his second headed goal in his entire professional career. All these things help in the short-term. He eased Dortmund’s greatest need and made sure that they could at least move a little bit away from their unbelievable position at the bottom of the table. That was important.
However, what is more important is what Ilkay Gündogan showed in the middle of midfield against Hoffenheim: energy, freshness, a love of playing, courage and strength. Ilkay Gündogan no longer looked like a toy that had ran out of batteries. He ran a whopping 11.3 kilometers and was prepared to take risks. His passes were short, hard and sleek and were thoroughly pleasing on the eye. Sometimes it looks like he has his own orbit and the ball simply keeps coming back to him. He understands the game like very few others and knows how to play himself out of tight situations, usually with a single pass. He sees space before it is even there and he gives something to Dortmund’s game that they have missed for a long time; the element of surprise.
It can sometimes surprise an inexperienced Dortmund viewer that Gündogan now plays in more attacking positions, as every now and then Gündogan likes to get forward. He is basically a player who is always looking up and hunting the ball when he doesn’t have it but can nevertheless be reckless at times. As a rule, he tries to always play short balls forward and does not simply launch the ball long up the pitch or play the ball sideways. This is how he is different to a player like Nuri Sahin who likes to come from deep to receive the ball. Gündogan was meant to be Sahin’s successor but he has always tried to shy away from such comparisons.
The game against Hoffenheim was “a step in the right direction”
His entire performance against Hoffenheim certainly gives you the impression that Ilkay Gündogan is now back and that could, in turn, lead to a change in Dortmund’s fortunes, as the 24-year-old is not weighed down by all the massive errors that undermined his team mates' performances in a crazy first half of the season. He could now be the player who not only directs the others with his ideas but also inspires them.
Ilkay Gündogan would of course not let himself get so carried away and he simply said: “Against Hoffenheim I felt good. It was a step in the right direction but after all this time I have realized how hard it is to find your feet. My back is fine but the rest still has to fall into place.”
It is significant to note what BVB captain Mats Hummels recalls about Gündogan prior to his injury: “Before the injury, Ilkay was one of the best six or eight players in the world,” said the only remaining world champion, for the time being, in Borussia Dortmund's starting line-up. Ilkay Gündogan is not yet back to his best, that would be impossible. However, he is on the right track.
[mmc/emd]
It appears that Jürgen Klopp has found his best formation for the club's remaining matches before the winter break, as his team prepares to play RSC Anderlecht today at 20:45 CET in their last group game in the Champions League. It is unlikely that he will alter his tactics too much following their convincing and ultimately successful performance in the 1-0 win against TSG Hoffenheim. The coach himself said: “The match against Anderlecht is perfect for both our rhythm and for the development of our game.”
For the match against the Belgian champions, the Dortmund coach only needs to worry about replacing the injured Sebastian Kehl in his team, as he has bruises on his ribs and thighs. It is likely that Jürgen Klopp is going to have to continue to play without four World Champions, if the Australian Mitch Langerak keeps his place in goal ahead of Roman Weidenfeller. However, Klopp again has Ilkay Gündogan available, a player who missed the World Cup in Brazil and so many games since through injury.
Gündogan: “I hope that we can now go on a little run”
Late on Friday evening, the 24-year-old finally did what Dortmund players have done so rarely recently; he smiled. Here Gündogan gives an insight into what he is thinking at that moment: “Today has been a lot of fun,” Gündogan assured journalists and he immediately added: “I hope that we can now go on a little run and get the maximum amount of points from the rest of our games so that we can start the second half of the season in 2015 full of energy and self-confidence.” He enjoyed the praise and recognition that he got for his strong performance and for his first game-winning goal of the season. This talented player has waited long enough for that moment.
Jürgen Klopp and all the other decision makers at BVB have also been waiting long enough for him. However, that patience could now pay off. The team could have rushed Gündogan back following an injury to a nerve root in his back so that he could have helped out his struggling team but instead they brought him back slowly. After his comeback in Köln in the middle of October, the national team player didn't play his first full 90 minutes until the end of November. With every tackle and every difficulty that he overcame, Gündogan gained another degree of trust in his body. His faith in his abilities never went away.
Gündogan brings back the element of surprise to Dortmund's game
Against Hoffenheim, Gündogan put many of these qualities into action for the first time in a full 90 minute performance. His first goal to make it 1-0 was his first of the season, his first after a long injury lay-off, his first in the league since 13 April 2013, his first headed goal for Dortmund and only his second headed goal in his entire professional career. All these things help in the short-term. He eased Dortmund’s greatest need and made sure that they could at least move a little bit away from their unbelievable position at the bottom of the table. That was important.
However, what is more important is what Ilkay Gündogan showed in the middle of midfield against Hoffenheim: energy, freshness, a love of playing, courage and strength. Ilkay Gündogan no longer looked like a toy that had ran out of batteries. He ran a whopping 11.3 kilometers and was prepared to take risks. His passes were short, hard and sleek and were thoroughly pleasing on the eye. Sometimes it looks like he has his own orbit and the ball simply keeps coming back to him. He understands the game like very few others and knows how to play himself out of tight situations, usually with a single pass. He sees space before it is even there and he gives something to Dortmund’s game that they have missed for a long time; the element of surprise.
It can sometimes surprise an inexperienced Dortmund viewer that Gündogan now plays in more attacking positions, as every now and then Gündogan likes to get forward. He is basically a player who is always looking up and hunting the ball when he doesn’t have it but can nevertheless be reckless at times. As a rule, he tries to always play short balls forward and does not simply launch the ball long up the pitch or play the ball sideways. This is how he is different to a player like Nuri Sahin who likes to come from deep to receive the ball. Gündogan was meant to be Sahin’s successor but he has always tried to shy away from such comparisons.
The game against Hoffenheim was “a step in the right direction”
His entire performance against Hoffenheim certainly gives you the impression that Ilkay Gündogan is now back and that could, in turn, lead to a change in Dortmund’s fortunes, as the 24-year-old is not weighed down by all the massive errors that undermined his team mates' performances in a crazy first half of the season. He could now be the player who not only directs the others with his ideas but also inspires them.
Ilkay Gündogan would of course not let himself get so carried away and he simply said: “Against Hoffenheim I felt good. It was a step in the right direction but after all this time I have realized how hard it is to find your feet. My back is fine but the rest still has to fall into place.”
It is significant to note what BVB captain Mats Hummels recalls about Gündogan prior to his injury: “Before the injury, Ilkay was one of the best six or eight players in the world,” said the only remaining world champion, for the time being, in Borussia Dortmund's starting line-up. Ilkay Gündogan is not yet back to his best, that would be impossible. However, he is on the right track.
