Borussia Dortmund’s Tactical Evolution Under Edin Terzic
Amidst a turbulent season, Borussia Dortmund’s journey has been marked by managerial changes, tactical experiments, and a quest to secure a Champions League berth. Following Lucien Favre’s abrupt dismissal after a heavy defeat to Stuttgart, Edin Terzic stepped in as interim head coach. His early tenure yielded mixed results, but a strategic shift in formation and the announcement of Marco Rose as the upcoming manager sparked a notable revival. This article analyzes the tactical adjustments Terzic implemented and examines their impact on Dortmund’s performance and top-four ambitions.
The Limitations of the 4-2-3-1 Formation
Borussia Dortmund initially persisted with the 4-2-3-1 system, a formation that had previously brought success, especially under Lucien Favre’s guidance. Key to this setup’s past effectiveness was the central midfield partnership of Thomas Delaney and Axel Witsel, as well as a more robust center-back pairing with Dan-Axel Zagadou, Abdou Diallo, and Julian Weigl contributing in earlier seasons.
However, by the 2019-2020 campaign, personnel changes and injuries disrupted this equilibrium. Zagadou struggled for fitness, and Diallo and Weigl departed. The resulting partnership of Manuel Akanji and Mats Hummels in a back four exposed vulnerabilities—both defenders exhibited similar strengths and shared weaknesses, particularly a lack of pace and positional discipline. These shortcomings saw Dortmund concede avoidable goals and lose ground in the title race, ultimately prompting Favre to shift to a three-at-the-back system midway through the season.
When Edin Terzic took over, he reverted to a four-man defense, continuing with Akanji and Hummels as the center-back pairing. This approach failed to produce stability, especially with Raphael Guerreiro at left-back often taking advanced positions and leaving defensive gaps. The team struggled to achieve clean sheets and looked structurally fragile, highlighting the need for tactical adjustments.
Shifting Shapes: From Instability to Solidity
It wasn’t until Dortmund’s Champions League clash with Sevilla that Terzic introduced meaningful change, opting for a 4-3-1-2 formation. This setup provided greater defensive balance and allowed the midfield to utilize its depth more effectively. Crucially, Emre Can was deployed as a center-back, adding much-needed athleticism and leadership to the back line, while Mateu Morey began to emerge as a promising right-back, compensating for the departure of Achraf Hakimi.
These tweaks paid dividends: Dortmund kept consecutive clean sheets and looked revitalized at both ends of the pitch. In midfield, Axel Witsel’s injury posed challenges, but it also opened the door for Mahmoud Dahoud to feature more prominently. Dahoud’s form as a deep-lying playmaker provided security and distribution from the base of midfield, while Jude Bellingham and Julian Brandt offered energy and creativity further forward. The reshuffle allowed Terzic to extract better performances from a talented but previously unbalanced squad.
Attacking Structure: Flexibility and Interplay
Dortmund’s attacking system under Terzic has placed emphasis on interchanging positions and combination play. The 4-1-4-1 formation used against Arminia Bielefeld, for instance, saw Marco Reus and Jude Bellingham operate as advanced midfielders, with a single defensive anchor behind them. Jadon Sancho, meanwhile, rediscovered top form following the managerial change, becoming central to Dortmund’s creative and goal-scoring output. His statistical resurgence included increased goals, assists, and impactful dribbles and carries into dangerous areas.
While left-wing and attacking midfield positions became focal points for much of Dortmund’s threat, the right flank was less settled, with players like Giovanni Reyna, Julian Brandt, and Thorgan Hazard all rotating in and out of the starting lineup. Despite injury setbacks, Hazard’s return offered hope for increased depth and flexibility in attacking roles. Notably, Erling Haaland maintained prolific scoring form, leading the line with his trademark pace and clinical finishing.
Promising youth talent also started to emerge, with Youssoufa Moukoko notably becoming the youngest Bundesliga goal scorer at just sixteen, underlining Dortmund’s tradition of nurturing rising stars.
Combination Play and Counter-Attack Threat
Dortmund’s hallmark has long been incisive, quick interplay in the final third. The wingers and advanced midfielders frequently rotate positions, often overloading one side of the pitch to create numerical superiority and disorganize opposition defenses.
Key attacking patterns include:
– Interchange between wide players and fullbacks to progress the ball around the box
– Central combinations involving Marco Reus, Jadon Sancho, and Raphael Guerreiro
– Fast transitions from defense to attack, frequently executed through Mats Hummels’ long diagonal passes (he leads Bundesliga outfield players in long balls per game)
– Use of one-touch passing to break down compact defensive blocks
Although Dortmund shifted towards more possession-focused football under both Favre and Terzic, their quick transition play remains a potent weapon, albeit diminished somewhat since Hakimi’s departure. Statistically, Dortmund leads the Bundesliga in pass completion (86%), possession share (59.2%), and short passes per match, demonstrating their technical proficiency in tighter spaces.
Raphael Guerreiro: Dortmund’s Unconventional Attacking Force
Raphael Guerreiro embodies the modern, creative fullback, frequently drifting into central areas and playing a significant role in attacking buildup. This season, Guerreiro has contributed three goals and eight assists from left-back, while also leading the league in progressive passes and through-balls per match among defenders.
He thrives on intricate passing sequences, often forming triangles with Reus and Sancho on the left. His advanced positioning and vision allow him to feed teammates in the box, evidenced by his high number of chances created per game. Despite his defensive remit, Guerreiro’s impact is most keenly felt in the attacking half, which aligns with Dortmund’s tendency to generate a significant share of their shots from the left flank.
Summary: A Story of Transition and Tactical Growth
While the 2020/21 season has been challenging for Borussia Dortmund, it stands as a period of tactical reinvention and forward-looking optimism. Terzic’s willingness to experiment with formations has paid off, enabling key players like Sancho, Haaland, and Guerreiro to flourish within a more balanced structure. The announcement of Marco Rose as the next head coach has instilled further confidence, and with their recent upturn in form, Dortmund are well positioned to contend for a top-four finish.
This evolving tactical identity, rooted in technical quality and adaptability, ensures that Dortmund remain one of the Bundesliga’s most exciting and watchable teams, with plenty of promise for the seasons ahead.
