Borussia Dortmund vs. Hoffenheim: Issues and Decisions That Will Shape Game
Borussia Dortmund return to Bundesliga action on Friday with another tough encounter, this time against high-flying Hoffenheim, who sit nine points above Jurgen Klopp’s team in seventh place.
Markus Gisdol has revitalised the village side and picked up some big scalps of late, including Schalke and Hannover, and he will be hoping to add lowly Dortmund to the list.
Following another defeat on Saturday, Klopp’s team are now under some genuine pressure to turn things around or risk losing the loyal, determined backing of their fans—the one thing they have above all else in the league.
Here are the factors that could affect Friday’s encounter.
Should Ilkay Gundogan Start?
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Dortmund can quite easily be characterised by the manner in which Ilkay Gundogan has performed this season.
Exceptionally talented, athletic and with a hunger for success at the top, the young German international was first bogged down by injury and then by a distinct lack of incentive once he returned to the first team.
Klopp has taken note of this and duly chose to drop the midfielder against Eintracht Frankfurt last Saturday to seemingly disastrous results.
Will the star be brought back into the side against Hoffenheim?
Whether he is and how he plays could end up being the defining factor in how Dortmund’s midfield do on the night.
Hoffenheim Will Attack with Power
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It may seem like a tired way to define Hoffenheim now that they have established themselves as a formidable Bundesliga club, but Markus Gisdol’s side are indeed quite excellent in attack.
According to WhoScored.com, the village side have managed to amass a shots-per-game ratio of 14.8, which outranks all but the current top three and Dortmund themselves.
With players such as Kevin Volland, Anthony Modeste and a certain Brazilian playmaker, Klopp will be sweating over his porous defense ahead of the game.
Can Jakub Bring Back Some Much Needed Width?
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Although this may be something of a long shot, considering the player's current fitness status in the side, the return of Jakub Blaszczykowski to the Dortmund midfield could prove vital in any potential return to form.
The Polish international is arguably the only true winger in Klopp’s entire squad, and his natural width could be exactly what the team have lacked of late.
A simple player who quite happily runs the line and crosses the ball in with exceptional precision, “Kuba” and his direct line to goal could make the difference among a team of forwards who have spent so long trying to walk the ball into the back of the net.
Can Dortmund Handle Firmino?
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Hoffenheim have a number of players who could hurt any defence, but the name that will come most immediately to mind on Friday will be “Robert Firmino.”
According to Transfermarkt, the Brazilian playmaker has amassed three goals and three assists in just 13 games in all competitions this season and is undoubtedly the key player in Gisdol’s attack.
The Dortmund defense has managed to ship nine goals in their last six Bundesliga games.
Klopp will surely hope his defensive midfielders, Sven Bender and Sebastian Kehl, can handle the attacking midfielder before he reaches the final third.
Could This Be Klopp's Last Game for Dortmund?
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A number of players, tactics and other weird factors will undoubtedly take their toll on Friday when these two sides clash, but the one thing that will decide this match is how the Dortmund players react to the prospect of their manager losing his job with another defeat.
Klopp has characteristically called the coming match “High Noon,” as reported on the club website, and he clearly put plenty of pressure on the need to turn Dortmund’s dreadful run of form around before the winter break.
If the former German champions were to pick up their ninth defeat in 14 games, one wonders whether Klopp will jump before the board even consider giving him a push.
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