Mahmoud Dahoud convinces in an unusual role: towards a sunny winter

Mahmoud Dahoud’s form at BVB has been steadily improving for almost exactly a year. Now the 26-year-old is convincing in an unfamiliar role. The winter timetable should be clear in this condition.

“Of course,” replies Frank Wormuth (61) without hesitation in an interview SPOX and GOAL. “Of course” he believed Mahmoud Dahoud would be capable of such a development despite previous disappointing years at BVB.

After all, the 26-year-old has “the basis of a very good footballer: the technique, speed of action and ability to make the right decisions under pressure,” adds Wormuth, who once coached Dahoud in the German U20 national team.

The six has long since outstripped its competitors Axel Witsel and Emre Can and recently even shone in an unusual role as a goalscorer. In this condition there will be no getting past him in the national team. The situation was quite different almost exactly a year ago.

BVB – Dahoud with increasing form curve: 81 becomes 2

It was at the beginning of 2021 that Dahoud was repeatedly associated with a farewell. Under Lucien Favre, his former sponsor from Gladbach’s times, the enthusiastic Dahoud was usually just a substitute, the Swiss, as is well known, relied on the motto “caution before indulgence”. Edin Terzic also initially did without the native Syrian. In the meantime, Dahoud was even suspended after a dispute with the caretaker coach.

Between his move in 2017 and his personal turnaround in the game against Sevilla last February, Dahoud only started 28 league games. In the current season, the right-footer started in all 19 games in which he was available in all competitions, he only came off the bench three times. In the first two games in the second half of the season, Dahoud also shone twice as a goalscorer (one assist) – just as often as in his previous 81 league appearances for BVB in total.

Dahoud, as a hybrid player with sixes and eights, is an important factor in Marco Rose’s style, which is characterized by fast switching games. As a link between defensive and offensive, he initiates numerous attacks from the depths. Despite his risky style, Dahoud – unlike Witsel and Can – manages to speed up the game while providing stability.

Dahoud: “A rogue who thinks no evil”

Skills that distinguished Dahoud from an early age. “This mischievous and positively mischievous behavior was also reflected in his game,” Wormuth recalls: “He always had a smile on his face. A rogue who thinks no harm. His game was like that too.”

Dahoud has also made enormous progress in his defensive work. In the past, this didn’t exactly come first because of its strengths. “This ease of play in his game often led to bad passes or positional errors, especially when defending,” remembers Wormuth, who took a special measure against it: “I still remember well that I ran behind him as a shadow for about 15 minutes in a training game and explained the game to him from his point of view. I had endurance training and he had tactics training. He learned quickly.”

Last summer, his performance explosion brought Dahoud an extension of his contract, which was originally scheduled to run until 2022 – but surprisingly only for another year. Dahoud spoke of “air” for both sides and initially wanted to wait and see his role under Rose. The next extension should now only be a matter of time.

BVB-Motor Dahoud: Any plans for the winter?

Another reward was the appointment to the senior national team. Since then, two friendly appearances have been recorded, and Dahoud was on the list of possible replacements at the last European Championship. There his game idea and creativity would have looked good on the often unimaginative DFB team.

Hansi Flick also nominated the fine technician in the fall, but he was denied an assignment. Dahoud missed the last international matches due to injury.

However, Dahoud is currently on the best way to exchange the cold German winter for a sunny one, because this time there is no way around him for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar. Appropriately enough, the resignation of Toni Kroos has freed up a place in the midfield association.

But first there are other tasks with BVB. On Tuesday evening, FC St. Pauli will be waiting in the cup semifinals (from 8.45 p.m. in LIVETICKER). “We can also do his degrees from the back as a six [gegen Pauli] good use again,” said Rose in the previous press conference and praised Dahoud’s “basic attitude”.

The 45-year-old thus implied that Dahoud would also be in the starting eleven against Hamburg in the round of 16 in the cup. Now a matter of course.

BVB: The upcoming games