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Bundesliga Matchday 6: Top five talking points

October 1, 2016

From the surprise result in Bavaria to the surprise packages and the top flight's east German debutants, the Bundesliga delivered plenty of talking points on matchday six.

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Fussball Bundesliga Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Borussia Dortmund Julian Brandt
Image: Getty Images/AFP/P. Stollarz

1. Worries with Weigl

When Julian Weigl plays well, Dortmund tend to do the same but it also works in reverse. Closing down the defensive midfielder so that he had little time to distribute the ball was a hugely successful tactic for Leverkusen, who swarmed all over the team in yellow and black. With Weigl shackled, Dortmund struggled. There's no denying the German international's quality, but Dortmund must find ways to reduce their reliance on the number 33. Leverkusen pressed aggressively and made Weigl the focus of their attention. Thomas Tuchel and his Dortmund players could not come up with an effective response and they were beaten for a second time this season, failing to take advantage of Bayern's earlier draw.

2. Cologne contenders

The first sign that something special might be happening this year inCologne came after the convincing win against Freiburg, which left Peter Stöger's team top of the table, albeit for one night. Several weeks on and Cologne still haven't lost and are still in the top four. Their draw against Bayern - the defending champion's first dropped points of the season - was fully deserved and they might even have snatched all three points had Simon Zoller held his nerve in the dying seconds. Timo Horn came up with a contender for save of the season and an acrobatic Anthony Modeste scored his fifth of the season as Cologne delivered fresh evidence that European football is very much a realistic target.

3. Kimmich no longer the kid

Five goals in nine games in all competitions is the kind of form plenty of Bundesliga strikers would have liked to start the season with, but instead it's Joshua Kimmich whose name is regularly appearing on the scoresheet these days. The 21-year-old is technically strong, tactically savvy, extremely versatile and has now added a scoring touch and appears to be flourishing under new coach Carlo Ancelotti. As the game got more uncomfortable against Cologne, Kimmich's poise wobbled a bit. Largely though, it was yet another impressive display from a young man starting to deliver on his promise.

4. Surprise form

After last season's great run of form, not many would have predicted that Hertha and Hoffenheim would repeat those feats in the new campaign. With new captain and goalscorer Vedad Ibisevic leading the way, Hertha have collected three points more than this time last year. Pal Dardai's side are quickly putting the disappointment of missing out on the Europa League behind them and there's plenty of reason to believe Hertha might make it into the Champions League for next term. As for Hoffenheim, Julian Nagelsmann's side has yet to lose after a tidy disposal of Ingolstadt away from home. A decisive stretch approaches as Freiburg, Leverkusen, Hertha and Bayern await.

5. Leipzig not just making up the numbers

Wealthy RB Leipzig received a lot of media attention over the summer, but few would have expected them to make such a solid start in the Bundesliga. Never before had a newly promoted team gone unbeaten in their first six Bundesliga games. For all the background noise, Leipzig have played some of the most exciting football this season. Defensively, though, is where they have been most impressive, especially considering their personnel. They've only conceded five goals in six games, and goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi has had to make very few saves thanks to a superbly organized defense. Leipzig's trip to Munich to play Bayern on December 21 will be fascinating.