Marco Reus' Role as a Wing Defender for Borussia Dortmund

## The Unconventional General: Marco Reus as Dortmund’s Wing Defender

When most fans picture attacking maestros like Marco Reus, they see him orchestrating chaos from advanced midfield positions – cutting inside with his sublime left foot, delivering killer passes, or blasting shots towards goal. Yet, particularly early in his tenure under Jürgen Klopp and occasionally even now under Terzic, **Reus uniquely frequently operates as an *inverted wing defender* for Borussia Dortmund.** This isn't traditional fullback duty; it's a signature tactical deployment turning him into a devastatingly effective asymmetric weapon.

Starting out wide on the right flank during many iconic Klopp teams (often labelled nominally as a 'winger'), Reus would actually drop incredibly deep when out of possession. His primary instructions weren't just to harass opposing fullbacks but to actively **form part of the first line of defence alongside the genuine centre-backs.** He became famous for shuttling backwards and sideways with relentless energy, tracking opposing left-backs almost to their own penalty area, forcing them into mistakes under intense pressure. This "inversion" flipped convention – nominally starting high but functionally anchoring wide defensively.

This role demanded extreme athleticism and tactical discipline, qualities Reus possesses abundantly. By dragging an opponent wide, he:

* **Narrowed the pitch** geographically, compacting Dortmund’s shape centrally.

* **Prevented crosses:** Cut off supply lines into Dortmund's penalty area from that channel entirely.

* **Won possession high up the touchline:** His speed and anticipation allowed him to steal balls others might lose, instantly transitioning defence into counter-attacks launched down the opposite flank. He’d win it back himself, then drive forward diagonally towards goal or switch play decisively.

Crucially, this wasn't passive guarding. From this deep base, he remained profoundly influential offensively. Tucking inside off the right touchline post-regainment, his world-class dribbling, vision, and late arrival into the box (arrived *exactly* when spaces opened) made him a constant goal threat – a player who defended like a fullback moments before arriving like an unmarked striker. He embodied Klopp's gegenpressing philosophy perfectly: lead the press defensively, then lead the breakforward.

Even today, while less frequent than his pure No.10 role, coaches still leverage his defensive diligence by asking him to fall back significantly from high positions, ensuring opposition aren't easily granted time or space on his side. It highlights Borussia Dortmund's tactical evolution and Reus’s exceptional versatility – the willingness and ability to transform from an attacking star into the team’s hardest working auxiliary defender without complaint, defining him as far more than just a goalscorer. He embodies the club's relentless spirit across every blade of grass.

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