Bundesliga Five Truths: Six-goal Dortmund not ruthless enough

Borussia Dortmund are an excellent footballing side, and that was again on show during their trip to Paderborn on Sunday – producing some excellent combinations as they tore a gallant Paderborn to shreds in the first half of their fixture. Yet, the game went to the interval at parity.

Lucien Favre’s men went on to win 6-1. On paper, it is a handsome win but Dortmund trail Bayern Munich at the top of the table by seven points. However, had Dortmund taken their chances in the first half against Bayern on Tuesday the gap at the top of the table would be just one point. It is that sort of lack of ruthlessness that costs sides titles – and it was again on show on Sunday with Julian Brandt missing one particularly-presentable chance in the first half. Paderborn did not have the requisite quality to make Dortmund pay in the manner Bayern did. However, it still represents a pattern.

Dortmund are brilliant. Dortmund can be ruthless. However, Dortmund are not always ruthless. At the level Dortmund aspire to, their ruthlessness is left wanting. If they are going to overhaul Bayern they must and need to be more clinical. They have the talent and now they need the mentality.

The Bundesliga is the only truly elite-level football league currently in full operation, and as a result, there are likely even more eyes on it than usual, so as a platform to make a statement of great importance it currently has few equals, certainly in the sporting sphere.

And Weston McKennie, Jadon Sancho, Achraf Hakimi and Marcus Thuram made use of their platform this weekend, each in a different way – but all as important as each other.

They shouldn’t have to make these stands. Yet inexplicably we live in a world whereby such stands, as inexplicable as it sounds, need making. Justice must be served.

Bayern Munich will win an eighth straight Bundesliga title. It will be their 30th league title. It is an indictment of modern football that any club can dominate a major European league to that extent. It is, alas, the same in both Italy and France.

Context to this Bayern side is crucial, though. Hansi Flick’s side are probably the best side in Europe. Their four matches since the resumption of the Bundesliga has seen Bayern plunder 13 goals and concede just two.

When football was brought to an abrupt halt in March, Bayern looked a good, solid bet to win a sixth European crown, and they remain the outstanding team post-lockdown. Further, their earlier return to competitive football should offer them a competitive advantage over their continental rivals when Europe’s premier competition returns.

However, Bayern’s brilliance does the Bundesliga a disservice. RB Leipzig, Borussia Monchengladbach, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund are all excellent sides. On Sunday it was Gladbach who first put forward their candidacy as Germany’s second-best side, with Marcus Thuram, Florian Neuhaus and Alassane Pléa all excelling in their 4-1 victory over Union Berlin that moved them up to third. Dortmund then re-established their place as second only to Bayern. The Bundesliga is a league of excellence sometimes obscured by the generational excellence of its leading club.

Alassane Plea has made 26 appearances – starting 24 - in the Bundesliga this season. He has provided 10 goals and 10 assists. They are elite numbers. There are four players who have achieved that output in Europe’s top five league:

Ahead of his switch to Borussia-Park Pléa he had been linked with moves to West Ham and Southampton. However, his performances have been of such excellence that his potential suitors now include Barcelona, and the performance he put in against Union Berlin justified that interest with two assists and a goal.

His current coach Marco Rose is in no doubt of his quality.

And, if rumours are to be believed, he might be available at a very generous price considering his output. If elite clubs are looking for an elite player at a non-elite price then Plea should be the go-to player.

Paderborn might be bottom of the table, but Steffen Baumgart has done an excellent job. After a brief Bundesliga foray in 2015, two consecutive relegations saw the North Rhine-Westphalia club struggling in 3. Liga before Baumgart arrived.

Two promotions saw them up into the Bundesliga. They have won just four games this season and they were thumped 6-1 by Dortmund on Sunday with all seven goals coming in the second half. They were all-but down before that admonishment, but their season is no failure. Baumgart spent a paltry €300,000 in the close season and Paderborn have been competitive all season. This was their first defeat since the resumption of football in Germany.

Paderborn will get relegated but it would be little surprise if they bounce right back, especially if they can keep hold of the impressive Baumgart.