Busy month sees Dortmund's title fight continue
After the disappointing loss to Bayern Munich in the last game of January, Munich were able to close the gap. With an inevitable surge on the horizon by the giants of German football, Bean knew he had to guide his side to another stunning month and that is exactly what he did, winning every game apart from one loss yet again at the end of the month.
Dortmund VS Mainz 3-1
In a rallying cry from captain Mats Hummels, the German and Borussia Dortmund centre-back called for his club side to put the loss against Munich behind them and push on wards.
It would seem Aubameyang took heed of this, as it took him just a mere two minutes to open the goal scoring for the day, with a first time volley just yards out courtesy of a Mario Fernandes cross. The Mainz keeper could do nothing to prevent the shot from point blank range as it flew past his head into the back of the net.
Firm fan favourite Shinji Kagawa then made it 2-0 just before the half an hour mark, heading in at the back post, courtesy of a Marco Reus floating cross which beat everyone, including the goalkeeper. The keepers misjudgement of the flight of the ball, gave Kagawa an empty net to head home making it 2-0.
However on the stroke of half-time, Mainz were able to pull one back thanks to a penalty, given away by Park Joo-Ho, bringing down his man with an ill-timed slide tackle.
With just minutes remaining however, Aubameyang made it 3-1 and secured all three points scoring from the penalty spot himself.
Dortmund VS Bremen: German Cup Quarter Finals 5-1
A stunning victory which Bean stated after the game "shocked him", Dortmund humiliated Werder Bremen in the quarter finals of the German Cup, thanks to an Aubameyang hat-trick.
Bremen actually took the lead away from home after just seven minutes, Claudio Pizarro with an emphatic header from close range, after a in swinging corner.
But things changed very quickly for Bremen, as Aubameyang tied the game up some minutes later, with a brilliant solo run, reminiscent of Maradona against England in the World Cup, jinxing past player after player before finally rounding the keeper and passing into an empty net.
A Marco Reus free-kick struck the inside of the post, leaving the keeper stranded and beyond belief when the rebound, landed perfectly for Aubameyang to simply pass the ball in.
Youngster Julian Wiegl added his name to the score sheet, with a close range header after Reus managed to turn his marker inside out and then crossed with his weaker foot to an open Wiegl. By half-time Bremen had fallen apart.
Aubameyang scored his third goal just minutes into the second half, after some beautiful build up play between himself and Gundgoan allowing him to blast it beyond a despairing goalkeeper.
Reus then scored from a close range free-kick to round off the stunning day.
Darmstadt VS Dortmund 0-3
Yet another superb performance by Joshua Bean's Borussia Dortmund side. By this point in the season, Aubameyang was simply taking the mickey now, scoring goals relentlessly. Another brace today saw Dortmund secure all three points.
The striker opened the scoring on the day, with an emphatic first time finish into the bottom corner, after a Gundogan shot was blocked by the defenders, it rebounded to Aubameyang who swept it home.
Several minutes into the second half, Aubameyang scored his second and effectively secured the win with a stunning long range strike, which hit the underside of the bar and bounced in. The strike was from all of 25 yards and the striker looked ecstatic to score such a long distance goal, despite being more well known for being a goal poacher.
Julian Wiegl scored a goal identical to the Aubameyang's opening goal, Reus had his shot blocked off the line, only for it to bounce for Wiegl to slot home.
Dortmund VS Rubin Kazan 1st and 2nd Leg 7-3 agg
A goal machine of a match, over two legs there were 10 goals scored between the two sides. Dortmund won the tie in the first leg, with a 4-1 victory away from home. a goalkeeper own goal was a horrific way for Kazan to start, but it was only the start of the onslaught.
An Aubameyang penalty just 10 minutes later, really put Kazan up against it and with Papasthoulos scoring a bullet header on the 25 minute mark, it was game over for Kazan.
The home side did pull one back in the 71st minute, giving them hope for the second leg, until Aubameyang scored a header from several yards out.
In the second leg Bean played a fully rotated side and it ended with an entertaining 3-2 victory. Kazan, much to their credit, equalised twice in this game. Gonzalo Castro scored from a free-kick to give Dortmund the lead, they were pegged back thanks to a Ruslan Combolov goal from near enough on the goal line.
Adrian Ramos, who had begged Bean for game time too this opportunity to show him what he could do and he scored the 2nd Dortmund goal of the game. A fine curling shot, from just inside the area. However a Rubin Kazan penalty made it 2-2 and they looked like they were going to restore some pride. But Ramos ruined the day, scoring from a header with minutes to go, to win the game for Dortmund.
Dortmund VS Stuttgart 3-0
Seriously can Aubameyang actually stop scoring my God I may as well just call this the 'Aubameyang story'!
Another two goals today along with a goal from German winger, Marco Reus, gave Dortmund a very, very, comfortable 3-0 win at home. Aubameyang as he often does, opened the scoring, thanks to a close range half volley after a delightful cross from Fernandes. He scored his second just minutes later, this time from a Kagawa cross, which found the striker at the far post who then slotted him from a mere few yards out.
Reus rounded off the game with a penalty, after being brought down in the box, he collected himself, placed the ball down and blasted it straight down the middle.
Augsburg VS Dortmund 2-1
A truly odd game from Dortmund, who should have won this game comfortably and claimed a great 100% month record. But instead they conceded after just 33 seconds from a long punt up field by the keeper, which evaded Hummels and was tapped in past a marooned Dortmund keeper.
Aubameyang equalised exactly 22 seconds later and the goal and seen two goals in less than two minutes, but after this, Dortmund very quickly became the weaker side, with Augsburg hitting the woodwork twice in the next 20 minutes.
The eventual winner was scored on the strike of half-time and despite Beans reportedly ferocious team talk, Dortmund weren't able to muster up the momentum to score an equaliser.
Managers assessment
Losing the last game of the month again is infuriating, the loss last month to Bayern Munich away from home can be excused quite easily. But home or away in this sort of form, Augsburg should not be a serious problem the fact that we lost is embarrassing.
But all in all it was another stunning month!