Borussia Dortmund are winning, but the debate about how they are doing it is growing louder. Five straight victories across all competitions, including a 3-0 defeat of Paderborn on matchday three, have lifted the club to second in the Bundesliga table with nine points, level with leaders Freiburg. The result looks comfortable, yet the performance told a different story. Paderborn led the statistics for touches in the opposition box and shots inside the area at half-time, and it took two late goals from substitute Felix Nmecha to settle the contest. Analyst Dietmar Hamann put it plainly after the game: the BVB did not play well and struggled to break down the promoted side for long stretches. Fabio Silva's early goal and Nmecha's brace masked real structural problems in possession, and sport director Lars Ricken's pre-season call for "work and spectacle" remains unfulfilled.

The squad situation adds further complexity. Giannis Konstantelias, signed for a reported 26 million euros, is already facing months out after rupturing his knee on the opening day. Konstantinos Karetsas collapsed during the Champions League win over Villarreal, though coach Niko Kovac confirmed the cause was dehydration and the teenager has since returned to individual training. Filippo Mane and Giovanni Inacio are also unavailable. Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri stepped into the starting eleven against Paderborn and will likely continue in that role. A trip to VfB Stuttgart on 19 September is next, and it will test whether Dortmund's winning habit can survive stiffer opposition.