Dynamo's biggest construction sites: Defense and standards

Dynamo Dresden have come to a standstill on their way back to the 2nd Bundesliga. After a very successful start to the season, the Saxons are currently unable to win their matches in the 3rd division. Even the home games at the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion are no longer producing victories. The 3-3 draw against Rot-Weiss Essen was the third draw in front of a home crowd in a row. What's the reason for this?

Defense problem

"We can't play to nil," says coach Thomas Stamm. That became clear once again in the Essen game. Goal number one came from a counter-attack after a Dresden corner. And despite being outnumbered 4:3, the opposing attackers were given too much space.

The second and third goals conceded were even more bitter: In each case, the Dynamo equalizer was immediately followed by the visitors taking the lead again. "It's my job to explain it to the players," said Stamm, taking the blame and explaining: "We're not playing the way we want and need to from the back five. It has to be clear to the players who goes for the ball, it's not clear who pushes people. That's my job, to communicate it so that it's clear to the players," said Stamm.

A change of system to a back four is therefore under discussion. "We've been thinking about it for a while. The big trick is to decide: Do we stick with the system or not? It's a process and you have to make good decisions. But a switch to a back four is an issue, absolutely," said Stamm.

The problem with set pieces

18:2 corners against Essen, but no goals or at least no acute goal threat - Dynamo are simply too harmless from set pieces. "The positive thing against Essen was that we came close," said Vinko Sapina.

Stamm also sees this as a process. "Overall, we are becoming more dangerous. It's about the conviction to go where it could hurt. We're working on it, practicing it again and again. It takes time for the yield from corners and other set pieces to match the effort we put in." Defender Lukas Boeder is hoping for the chest release: "Once you do something like that, it might make things a lot easier."