Dietmar Hamann voices concern over Dortmund's 'unpredictability'
By Henrik Petersen
Dietmar Hamann has criticized Lucien Favre's Borussia Dortmund side for being unpredictable ahead of their derby clash with Schalke 04 on Saturday.
| Lucien Favre. | Photo: Marco Verch, CC BY-SA 2.0 |
Dortmund have struggled to find the right formula for consistent wins, having won four and lost three out of their first seven games in all competitions this season.
And according to Hamann, Dortmund's inconsistency in performances should be a growing concern for the responsible at the club.
"I couldn't believe what I was seeing and was shocked to a certain extent," Hamann wrote in a column for Sky, referring to Dortmund's loss against Lazio.
"I'm a bit worried about Dortmund's development because they have become unpredictable. The reactions of the responsible at the club said a lot. And the post-match interview with Lucien Favre showed me that he is stumped. The coach no longer understands his team.
"There is no explanation for their performance. I won't accept the excuse that Mats Hummels was the only fit centre-back. Thomas Delaney did well in central defence against Hoffenheim, and there were plenty of excellent players on the pitch, including Reus, Witsel, Sancho and Haaland.
"I believe that the unpredictability in a negative sense is a major concern for the BVB bosses. When you think back to the season before last, when they were seven points ahead of Bayern before Christmas and then gave the title away, you have to ask yourself whether Dortmund have made any progress," stated Hamann.
Favre has coached Dortmund since 2018 and is under contract until next summer.