It might have finished 1-0 for the other Borussia, but Monchengladbach nevertheless left Dortmund as big winners on Saturday night. The overall quality of their football confirmed Marco Rose’s surprise league leaders as genuine top-four contenders. At least.



The Foals (that’s their nickname) had been going well for most of last season too, finishing in the Europa League places last season. But this feels altogether different, far more convincing. The random attacking game and soft defending of Dieter Hecking have been replaced by sharp patterns, high energy and a multidimensional approach blending the “work against the ball” school of Jurgen Klopp and Ralf Rangnick with stints of possession-based artistry.



The squad doesn’t feature nearly as many high-class players as those of Bayern, BVB or RB Leipzig, and yet Rose’s team are more pleasing to the eye right now. Tough and creative, flexible and solid, they were the more rounded side...