My first impressions of the squad are very very positive. I'll be deviating from the 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3 (or 4-1-4-1, whatever way you like looking at it). The only major difference is that the midfielder that formerly played off of a pure 9, has now been dropped deeper to play in front of the defence. I like working with small squads (maximum 23 first team players) with the forward and midfield players in the squad being able to play in at least two different positions effectively, almost all players in the squad fit this requirement, and in Erik Durm and Kevin Grosskreutz, I have two very handy utility men.
Here is the basic principle of the tactic that I will be using for the save and my "first choice" starting eleven (I believe no manager should have a preferred first eleven, it should change game to game), it will get tinkered from game to game and tweaked when I feel it needs tweaking.
The first thing to note is probably that I am basically playing without a pure striker at the moment even though I have one in Aubameyeng but playing him wide! In choosing to not play with an attacking midfielder, I need my striker to drop deep and fill this gap and allow my wide strikers (who in Reus and Aubameyang are perfect) to exploit the gaps. I am of the belief that if you dominate the ball then you dominate the match and in order to do this, you win the midfield battle.
The main difference the squad will have to adapt to is the slower build up and bigger need to keep the ball. Ideally, I would want to be averaging ~55% possession per match, this does lead to another problem though, of the counter attack, which German teams are renowned for, this may be my biggest challenge at the start until the side are fluid in the system.
I am already identifying Ilkay Gundogan as the key component in the side. He'll be playing as an aggressive regista, perhaps surprisingly as I am sure most would play him as an interior. I will be demanding him to take the ball off the centre backs and drive on through the midfield, dictating play and switching the ball from side to side. The one downside to him at the moment is his positioning, but he is still young and it will improve. Any success this season will only happen if he learns this position, there was a few options to play in the pivote, but in Ilkay I may have found a gem.
The captain. Quite literally, my dream centre back (excluding his acceleration) on this game, absolute rock and excellent at playing the ball out from the back, but his acceleration does make me worry, seeing as we will be playing with an exceptionally high line in order to press as high and intensely as possible, one long ball and we could be torn apart.
Mr. Dortmund, when others jumped ship, he stayed. He won't be sold, his attributes are obscene and I will be hoping for 20+ goals per season off of him. Long term I could potentially move him centrally and play as the false nine, but for now I like him playing wide.
* Currently undergoing issues with installing the cut out face pack, when I get it working then there will be faces in the future.