Borussia Dortmund are winning, but the debate about how they are winning refuses to go away. A 3-0 victory over promoted Paderborn on Saturday extended their unbeaten run to five matches across all competitions, lifting them to second in the Bundesliga table with nine points from three games. Yet as analysis from GOAL made clear, the performance was far from convincing. Paderborn led the statistics for shots inside the penalty area at half-time, and the result ultimately hinged on individual quality rather than any coherent collective plan. Felix Nmecha came off the bench to score twice and seal the win, with Fabio Silva's early goal the only reward from a laboured first half. Coach Niko Kovac has now won five straight, but the gap between results and performance remains a genuine concern heading into a trip to VfB Stuttgart on 19 September.

The arrival of Joey Veerman continues to offer promise. The Dutch midfielder made his first Bundesliga start against Paderborn and drew strong praise for his composure and passing range, with comparisons to Toni Kroos and Andrea Pirlo following his Champions League debut against Villarreal. He is the creative presence the squad has lacked, even if the system around him has not yet caught up.

On a more positive note, Konstantinos Karetsas has been cleared after his alarming collapse against Villarreal, with dehydration confirmed as the cause. Nico Schlotterbeck also returned from injury against Paderborn, giving Kovac welcome defensive reinforcement.