The competition in central defense at Borussia Dortmund is heating up. BVB coach Nuri Sahin is spoiled for choice. It requires a lot of tact.
Waldemar Anton, Niklas Süle or Nico Schlotterbeck? Or all of them together? Let’s discuss SPORTS1-Reporter Manfred Sedlbauer and BVB reporter Oliver Müller in a new edition of SPORTS1-Podcasts “The Dortmund Week”.
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Anton, Süle or Schlotterbeck? BVB coach Sahin is spoilt for choice
BVB coach Nuri Sahin is spoiled for choice. Schlotterbeck, Anton and Süle are all in top form ahead of the Bundesliga start on Saturday against Eintracht Frankfurt (from 6:30 p.m. in the LIVETICKER). Sedlbauer and Müller confirm with their impressions from the training camp that it is a neck-and-neck race for the starting place.
“Before the season, Schlotterbeck and Anton were certain to be in the team. But Süle is something like a new signing for me,” says BVB reporter Müller. The change of heart and hard work of the last few weeks have already paid off for Süle. The 28-year-old is in no way inferior to his competitors.
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A look at the numbers shows why Müller initially only gave Süle an outside chance.
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Looking at the numbers: Süle just an outsider
Süle was far behind his competitors last season. He was inferior in both appearances (23) and minutes played (1509).
Süle started the game on the bench 19 times, more than ever before in a Bundesliga season. Schlotterbeck (two goals, one assist) and Anton (three assists), on the other hand, were established players in their teams and each made 33 appearances last season. Anton was on the pitch for a total of 17 minutes longer than Schlotterbeck, who played the most of all Dortmund players with 2861 minutes.
Süle also lagged behind in terms of tackle values. He was only able to win 56 percent of duels (and only 43 percent in the air).
Schlotterbeck was significantly stronger here, coming in second in the league (66 percent; behind Jeff Chabot). The 24-year-old was even number one during the season.
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Although Anton was on par with Schlotterbeck in the aerial duels, he “only” won 59 percent on the ground. Antons impresses with his running strength (an average of 11.1 km per game) and high ball control.
Süle steps on the gas – from outsider to defensive boss?
Although Süle is in SPORTS1Although he admitted in an interview that he wasn’t in the best shape of his life, he was already the fastest of the three last season. He also has outstanding build-up skills. Süle got 94 percent of his passes to his teammates – without taking any extreme risks.
He proved how important he can be in this regard in the cup match against Phönix Lübeck, when he had 195 ball contacts – a record in a cup match.
The ex-Munich player is also in promising shape – both physically and mentally. In an exclusive SPORT1 interview, Süle spoke more openly than ever and let it be known that he certainly has aspirations of being in the starting eleven.
Will Süle go from being an outsider to becoming a defensive boss? According to the two podcasters, he definitely has what it takes.
Three-man defense as a model for the future?
But perhaps none of the three central defenders is in danger of being relegated to the BVB bench. In the first competitive match, in the cup against Lübeck, Sahin fielded a three-man chain – with Anton on the right, left-footed Schlotterbeck on the left and Süle in the centre. In the friendly against Aston Villa, all three were on the field, despite the four-man chain.
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Schlotterbeck moved to the left side, new signing Yan Couto played on the right.
All three have already gained experience playing in a back three or as a full-back in a back four. A model for the future?
“We are not playing with three central defenders now because I am afraid of putting one on the bench. I can make decisions and it will happen that one of them sits on the bench,” said Sahin after the cup win.
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And yet Müller is certain about the start of the Bundesliga: “He will field all three.”
BVB with three-man defense – consequences for Couto and Ryerson
Therefore, Müller estimates that there will be a duel for a regular place in defence between Yan Couto and Julian Ryerson. Sedlbauer also thinks: “Ryerson would clearly be the one to suffer in a line-up with three central defenders.”
Ryerson played at right back last season, his favourite position. Even though the versatile Norwegian has also been deployed on the left, it was clear that his strengths lie on the right side.
Both Müller and Sedlbauer fear that Ryerson will not be able to prevail against new signing Couto, who impressed in the first games and training sessions.
No matter what Sahin decides on Saturday, the BVB coach will need a lot of tact in his decision, according to Sedlbauer.
“The longer the season goes on, the less problematic I think the situation is. It is good and important if you can change without losing quality. With the amount of games, everyone will become important and get their minutes,” says the SPORTS1reporter, but adds: “The biggest difficulty for Sahin is to keep everyone happy.”
