Borussia Dortmund vs Werder Bremen
Bundesliga
Friday
20th October 2023
Signal Iduna Park
The most comprehensive preview, detailed analysis and reliable predictions of the Bundesliga gameweek 8 fixture between Borussia Dortmund and Werder Bremen.
Borussia Dortmund vs Werder Bremen: Preview
Borussia Dortmund form analysis
Dortmund seem to be a team still trying to find their best form under Edin Terzic. The attacking talent is obvious, with the likes of Reus, Brandt, Malen and Füllkrug providing goals and creativity. However, Dortmund have struggled defensively, conceding at least once in every game during this stretch.
The 2-2 home draw with Heidenheim in the cup demonstrated their defensive vulnerabilities, as they let a 2-0 lead slip. In the Bundesliga, they’ve shown they can outscore opponents, with victories over Freiburg, Wolfsburg and Hoffenheim. But they’ve had to come from behind in several games.
The 4-2 win over Union Berlin showcased Dortmund’s attacking potential, but also exposed frailties at the back again.
Overall, Terzic has the makings of an exciting team going forward. However, Dortmund need to improve defensively to back up their attacking prowess. If they can strike that balance, they could challenge Bayern Munich. But Dortmund must address their vulnerability on counters and set pieces first. With attacking talent like Reus and Malen though, their potential is clear if defensive stability can be found.
Werder Bremen form analysis
Werder started this period strongly, beating Mainz 4-0 at home. Marvin Ducksch scored a penalty and they dominated. However, they were brought back down to earth away at Heidenheim in the cup, losing 4-2 despite Ducksch and Weiser goals.
After bouncing back to beat Cologne 2-1 thanks to Niklas Njinmah’s winner, Werder hit another low point in a heavy 0-4 loss away at Darmstadt. Their defense was ripped apart conceding four first half goals.
Most recently, Werder lost a five goal thriller 2-3 at home to Hoffenheim despite leading twice through Schmid and Stage. Defensive issues persisted as they conceded three.
Overall, Werder have shown they have goals in them with Ducksch, Njinmah and others chipping in. But glaring defensive problems have been exposed in the losses to Heidenheim and Darmstadt.
