Three goals, victory, top of the table and a fuller stadium: Despite the positive mood at Borussia Dortmund, there was also an old point of criticism – with a variety of reasons.
The expression on Marco Rose’s face did not quite match the record and the lead in the standings. “Of course we are very happy with the three points,” he summed up after the 3-1 win over Mainz 05, which made him the first Borussia Dortmund coach to start with five league home wins in a row.
His team “got into the game really well”, “scored a nice goal quickly” and “felt they had everything under control at first, even if we were a bit erratic now and then”. All in all, it was a “decent game over 90 minutes”, “a deserved victory and a good start into the next phase”.
Brandt: “We have to act more cleverly “
So far, so good. But the fact that BVB, as so often this season, had to tremble in the final phase for the previously sovereign lead, annoyed the coach. “Mainz were more active in the second half. With the 2:0 we actually had the necessary calmness, but at the back we made life difficult for ourselves again. That is unnecessary.” Julian Brandt agreed: “We have to act more cleverly. Especially when we’re leading 2:0. “
Similarly, Sebastian Kehl reflected on the game after a night out. “Of course we were very happy, even if maybe it didn’t come across that way to everyone yesterday,” the licensed player told kicker on Sunday. “The people in the stadium were thrilled to have seen another win, we are at the top of the table and have taken three points against unpleasant Mainz. That’s very positive.” Especially with the English weeks now coming up, “It was very important to go into the next packed period with a win, it’s going to be an intense period. “
Rose takes pressure off Hummels’ knee
But Kehl also mentioned the limitation: “We also don’t overlook that we can still do some things better.” The fact that it was close again in the end also concerns the future sporting director: “If we could choose it, we would of course like to decide the games even more clearly and earlier, but we have to work hard for that.” The team is sending “clear signals that they want to win until the end”, already “against Leverkusen and against Hoffenheim we were still able to decide the games in our favour at the back”.
Nevertheless, the 41-year-old would also like to do without the tension in the closing stages: “We would definitely like to turn it off, but there is not one clear reason for that.” Against Mainz, coach Rose once again had to find the middle ground between sparing individual key players and having the best possible eleven on the pitch. Thus, Mats Hummels and Marco Reus were allowed off the pitch earlier. “We took Mats off a little earlier today because we want to take some pressure off his knee. Our captain has played a lot of games. That’s why we also took Marco off earlier,” explained Rose.
Erling Haaland, however, stayed up front until the end after his recently healed muscle blister. “We also needed him for the opponent’s standards today. He cleaned up well at the end,” says the coach and has to laugh himself at the added bonus: “And by the way, he scores a goal in the 95th minute. You can use that, too.”
Before two Champions League and a cup week, the forces must be divided, also to avoid the recurring shakiness in the final phase. Kehl believes that “the condition of some of the players due to injuries, call-ups to the national teams and a lack of preparation in some cases” is “certainly a starting point” for this.