The Bundesliga has turned many doubters wrong this season, often being called a two horse race between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, the race this season has been completely different with newcomers RB Leipzig and TSG Hoffenheim breathing down Bayern’s neck at the top, league heavyweights Borussia Dortmund are snuggling among the top four due to inconsistency and a pile of injuries this season.
In this article, we will look into three Dortmund players who have been underwhelming this campaign and need to improve their consistency to turn Dortmund’s fortunes around.
3. Gonzalo Castro
Gonzalo Castro’s involvement in this list might be a surprise for the regular T4O reader for Dortmund because a month ago, the former Leverkusen midfielder was listed among the top three players for the Black and Yellows after matchday six. It wasn’t all too convincing now it seems.
Yes, the 27-year old has been productive for Dortmund this season, scoring three goals and more importantly, providing seven assists, most by any Dortmund player this season.
Here is the problem, though.
By looking closer into his statistics, we have figured out that Gonzalo Castro actually flatters to deceive against high pressing teams. Two of his goals came against lower table club Darmstadt and he registered two assists against a lowly Wolfsburg, who didn’t have any idea of how to press under the previous coach Dieter Hecking and rightly got thrashed 5:1 by BVB. The other two came in against a good pressing Freiburg side.
While we may have to admit Castro played really well against Christian Streich’s men but the experienced midfielder manages a total of ZERO goals or assists against teams, that are doing really well. (Well not Hamburg).
Castro failed to get involved against teams like Mainz, Leipzig, Leverkusen and Ingolstadt because of their doggedness in midfield and defense, leaving no space at all for the opposition to work with. It’s probably safe to say that Gonzalo Castro is the ‘Mario Gotze in Bayern’ for Dortmund right now. A beast against small, low mentality clubs who fades off against high pressing teams.
With his age and experience, Castro should lead the BVB offense by examples, something he has failed to deliver thus far but we are all assured of the qualities, the former Leverkusen midfielder, possesses.
