An up and down month sees Dortmund smash two rivals but lose twice
After a two previously amazing months, which saw Bean’s Dortmund side go unbeaten in all competitions thus far, it was obvious that at some point they would face at the bare minimum a slightly tougher month. The month of October gave Bean just that, as he experienced not only his first defeat but back to back defeats.
BVB VS Ludogorets 5-0
In the first Europa League fixture of a bust October month for Dortmund and Bean, the young manager fielded a rotated squad, with mostly substitutes having the chance to play for an entire 90 minutes. As well as Marco Reus starting for the first time since his broken collarbone in the opening match of the year.
It was a walk in the park for Borussia Dortmund with them scoring five goals to no reply.
The German side were in complete control of possession and chances as they stormed through the away teams defence again and again.
The best moment of the game came, when Reus scored from the spot after a long absence with his injury. He wasn’t ready to fully be back in the starting XI just yet but this game gave him a much needed run out and confidence boost.
Reus was joined by; Gundogan, Ozbolt, Bender and Ginter on the score sheet.
My man of the match: I give this to Gundogan, as the only starter on the pitch who had played regularly this season, he pulled the strings from his central midfield spot and even notched up two assists as well as his goal.
Borussia Monchengladbach VS BVB 1-3
The first fierce rivalry fixture of the season and the first fierce fixture in which Bean will have to see over with composure.
The home fans went home angry with the officials after they had two goals ruled offside. The first was rightly given by the linesmen, but the second was a howler by the assistant referee and denied BMG the chance to take the lead in this important game. As is so always the case in football, things went from bad to worse very quickly.
Henrikh Mkhitaryanopened the scoring for Dortmund 24 minutes, scoring directly from a 25 yard free-kick, in off the bar.
Within 10 minutes the score was 3-0 and BMG were facing defeat at the hands of their local rivals. Scorer turned provider as this time a free-kick was whipped across the face of goal and was tapped in by the emerging star of the season Shinji Kagawa.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored his second and Dortmund’s third with a curing shot past the despairing goalkeeper.
BMG did get one back three minutes before half time courtesy of Patrick Herrmann, but it was too little too late.
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My man of the match: Is of course Henrikh Mkhitaryan the man announced himself in a pressure fixture and dominated proceedings.
BVB VS Hamburg 2-0
There is very little to report, in this straight forward routine victory for Dortmund at home.
Yet again dominating the possession and creating chances throughout the entirety of the match, it in fact only took Kagawa one minute to score a stunning solo effort, jinxing past multiple defenders before blasting it in at the near post.
Gundogan scored the second, with a slightly less entertaining goal. A fierce shot by Topal was well saved, but the keeper could only parry it into the path of the oncoming central midfielder who tapped it in.
A boring game in truth, as Hamburg rarely threatened the Dortmund area.
My man of the match: Give this man a knighthood already! Kagawa has been on stunning form and scored again in this fixture, arguably cementing his place in the side permanently.
Braga VS BVB 3-2
The first defeat of Joshua Bean’s tenure at Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund came into the match knowing that a win would all but gift them top spot qualification come the end of the Group Stages. But ?ukasz Piszczek evidently had other ideas. After just seven minutes the full-back was shown a straight red card, for one of the worse challenges seen on a football field (it is only a game and even I winced!). The challenge would later see Piszczek fined two weeks wages, which he instantly accepted.
However it was no easy win for Braga as the remaining ten men of Dortmund, pushed them to their limits. The 3-2 victory saw Dortmund equalise twice thanks to Marco Reus and Aubameyang, with
Aubameyang’s goal coming in the 86th minute.
However heartbreakingly, Braga scored as time expired to win the game and highlight just how idiotic Piszczek’s challenge was.
My man of the match: For the first time this update it goes to an opposition player, defensive midfielder Nikola Vuk?evi? was outstanding. He made sure that Dortmund felt every second that they were running around with out 11 men. He sprayed the ball to all corners of the pitch and kept the Dortmund men from resting, in the end it was this fatigue which cost Dortmund as they couldn’t get back in numbers from a corner to prevent an easy extra winner for Braga.
FC Koln VS BVB 4-2
After this game it looked as if the wheels of the season were well and truly about the fall off. An opening 10 minute implosion which saw Dortmund concede twice and miss an open goal of their own, really summed up the game for them.
Dortmund did get on the score sheet twice as they attempted to pull off a dramatic comeback, but after Aubameyang’s 41st minute goal to make it 2-1, Koln scored under a minute later to make it 3-1.
When Julian Weigl scored a screamer from the edge of the area to make it 3-2, Koln scored their fourth and final goal of the game just four minutes later.
Dortmund deserved to lose and Bean had a task on his hands to keep them on track.
My man of the match: Ironically it is my centre back Mats Hummels wjo takes this award (no seriously!) he cleared the ball off the line twice and made one amazing last ditch challenge. I dread to think what the final score would have been if it weren't for him!
BVB VS Ingolstadt 4-2
Another heart in mouth fixture for the Dortmund boys, as Ingolstadt took the lead after just three minutes. Dortmund were on the verge of one of the biggest implosions in recent years, but Bean was able to steady the ship and cruise to victory.
Aubameyang scored 15 minutes later, powering a shot past the keepers near post. Reus scored with 10 minutes of Aubameyang, rounding the keeper and slotting it into the empty net.
It was all smooth sailing for Dortmund as Ingolstadt equalised from a corner on the brink of half-time to make it 2-2.
However an identical goal from Aubameyang and a thunderous volley from outside the area by Sokratis Papastathopoulos secured Dortmund passage into the third round.
My man of the match: Aubameyang deserves the accolade for his performance in this fixture, with back to back defeats and trailing somehow in this one, the pacey striker stood up and made himself heard as he dragged his side to victory.
BVB VS Gelsenkirchen 3-0
Or as they are better known, FC Schalke.
One of Dortmund’s biggest rivalries and one of the biggest rivalires in world football, the Ruhr Derby.
The entire pre-match build up wasn’t based on the football or the fact that first was hosting third. The entire line of questioning was which manager could handle the pressure the most.
Well that was answered emphatically by Bean and his side as they defeated their rivals without breaking a sweat.
It was pure territorial and possession based domination by Dortmund, placing their opponents in a strangle hold. But they just couldn’t find the killer blow.
But as the clock hit 62 minutes, Aubameyang scored at the near post with a flicked on header that somehow evaded everybody and the pressure faded. Weigl scored a tap in after a stunning cross from Kagawa which found the young midfielder wide open and just four yard out.
Aubameyang scored the third and final goal from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute after he was brought down by the keeper.
My man of the match: For back to back games the award goes to Aubameyang who scored twice in a fierce rivalry match.
Managers assessment
Player of the month: This award goes to Reus for coming back from injury and scoring two goals and creating five goals in what has been a stunning month for the German winger. Boy oh boy are Dortmund fans happy to have this man back!
Goal of the month: Purely for sentimental reasons, Reus scoops the double this month. Having missed him for the past two months as he leaves a gaping hole in the side, to see him come back and emphatically dispatch of the penalty was a nice ending to the 5-0 rout.
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This months performances leaves us top of the First Division, second in Group C of the Europa League and into the 3rd round of the German Cup.