Schalke vs. Borussia Dortmund: Winners and Losers from Ruhr Derby

Borussia Dortmund found only more misery on Saturday when they ventured into the first Ruhr derby of the new Bundesliga season, when Schalke overcame their bitter rivals 2-1 at the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen. 

The home side got off to a fantastic start when young central defender Joel Matip knocked in a shockingly defended corner in only the 10th minute to put the Royal Blues ahead in a game that seemed too close to call for passionate fans and neutrals alike. 

Conceding goals seems almost inevitable from one week to the next for this Dortmund side, but few would have claimed they predicted as such when the home side then doubled their lead just 13 minutes later. Again from yet another corner. 

Jurgen Klopp's side were able to claw a goal back through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the 26th minute, when Adrian Ramos knocked in a smart cross to the Gabonese forward, but in the end it was a resolute Royal Blues defence that held its line from then until the final kick of the game. 

Dortmund may have looked like the stronger team, with far more chances than their neighbouring rivals, but in the end it was Jens Keller's enigmatic side that took all three points. 

Here are the winners from Saturday's Ruhr derby. 

Loser: Klopp's Defensive Selections

Martin Meissner/Associated Press

Although Dortmund fans were undoubtedly excited at the prospect of Mats Hummels returning to the side in such an important game, it became quite evident rather early on that Klopp had chose the wrong centre-back pairing. 

Neven Subotic kept his place alongside the returning Dortmund captain, to the bemusement of most fans who quite rightly believed that Sokratis Papastathopoulos was undoubtedly the club's most in-form defender so far this season. 

Similarly it was Hummels who was asked to mark Schalke's first goalscorer, Joel Matip, in the lead up to the first goal and the German international hardly covered himself in glory for the second one either. 

Sokratis did of course come on with 10 minutes left to play, but by then the game had ran its course. 

Not a great day at the office for the initial Dortmund centre-back pairing. 

Winner: Schalke's Big Game Mentality

Martin Meissner/Associated Press

In one of the more peculiar anomalies in German football this season, Schalke have found themselves continuously over-performing in games that they really shouldn't have any chance of winning or taking points from. 

In a turbulent season that has seen them drop points left, right and centre in the Bundesliga, we've seen Keller's side take points from Bayern Munich, Chelsea and now all three against Dortmund. 

Although this may ultimately prove rather useless if they keep dropping points against lesser sides the following week, it will at least prove to the fans and players alike that they are capable of taking on anyone on their day if they just had a little more commitment and belief. 

Loser: Klopp's 4-4-2

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

One of the biggest surprises in this game was Klopp's decision to change his entire team around and start from scratch, with a new formation and system. 

Dortmund usually play varying styles of football, but they almost always revolve a rather simple 4-2-3-1 formation which tends to play with two central midfielders, an attacking midfielder through the middle of the park and one lone striker supported by two wide-forwards. 

Yet, against Schalke, the Dortmund coach instead opted for a flat 4-4-2 with two very defensive midfielders in Matthias Ginter and Sven Bender, while Ciro Immobile and Ramos played as the strike partnership up front. 

This tended to isolate Dortmund's two wide players, Aubameyang and Kevin Grosskreutz, while also outnumbering the away side in the middle of the park against Schalke's three central midfielders.

The visiting side did change things around when Shinji Kagawa was introduced on the 57th minute, undoubtedly changing Dortmund's formation back to a 4-2-3-1, but by then it all seemed a little too late.  

A fascinating change in style from Klopp, but not one that paid off in this game. 

Winner: Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting

Martin Meissner/Associated Press

In what is becoming a rather regular occurrence this season, it was the face of Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting that once again summarized Schalke's success on Saturday afternoon. 

The 25-year-old forward has really hit the ground running since arriving in Gelsenkirchen from Mainz this summer, with three goals and two assists in just six league matches for Schalke this season. (Via Transfermarkt)

The Cameroonian international terrorised Dortmund's right flank throughout the match and was again the spearhead for a Schalke attack that has at times compensated a rather unorganised defence, when he doubled the home side's lead on the 23rd minute. 

A man-of-the-match performance from the new signing. 

Loser: The Bundesliga Title Race

Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

We may only be in September and in the midst of only the sixth matchday of the Bundesliga season, yet Saturday's Ruhr derby now means that Bayern sit top of the German table with a two point lead. 

What's even more worrying about this is the fact that the only team that could have really challenged Pep Guardiola's side this season lost in the Veltins Arena to the Royal Blues and are now a massive seven points behind the Bavarian champions. 

Dortmund have their legitimate reasons for such a poor run of form, but to be so far behind Bayern so soon in the campaign isn't good at all for neutral fans of the league and ultimately its reputation around the world.