Matchday six takeaways

Dortmund defensive issues

While losing any Ruhr derby is a disappointment, it was the manner of defeat that will hurt Jürgen Klopp and his charges the most. Despite the return of Mats Hummels to the center of defense, Dortmund were remarkably poor.

"Rarely do you win games in football conceding goals like that," said the BVB coach after the game. Klopp was referring to the self-inflicted nature of the two goals Dortmund conceded.

Joel Matip was allowed to waltz into a box full of Dortmund defenders and send an unchallenged header past Roman Weidenfeller. Each of BVB's defenders were left looking and pointing at one another. It was more like Sunday league than Sunday best.

Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting's goal was finely taken, but Adrian Ramos' clearance will give him nightmares. With enough time to make a sensible decision, Ramos rushed things and sent the ball back into the danger area. It was an assist for the Colombian, but not one he would have wanted. Weidenfeller would have been most displeased after making a good save just moments before.

These two goals were completely and utterly avoidable. Speculation arose around why Neven Subotic was picked over Sokratis and, of course, Dortmund's injury concerns were also raised, but in truth neither were valid.

Dortmund's defense didn't do their job at pivotal moments and it cost them the game. If that doesn't change, more points will be lost.

Gladbach growing

While Dortmund dally and Leverkusen languish, Gladbach are growing under Lucien Favre. A stubborn 2-1 win away against Paderborn saw the undefeated Foals jump into second spot in the Bundesliga.

Based on the improvements they've made in recent seasons - last year they secured a Europa League qualifying spot - the club have dealt with the departures of Roman Neustädter, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Juan Arango and, of course, Marco Reus superbly. Rotating in Patrick Herrmann, Branimir Hrgota and Ibrahma Traore worked better than in the Europa League clash with Villarreal and with Yann Sommer in goal, they were able to hold on to three points that often make the difference at the end of the season.

Go goalkeepers!

After the World Cup in Brazil, the goalkeeper position saw a glorious return to the headlines after a string of fine performances. Germany's number one Manuel Neuer set the greatest example, rewriting the blueprint for the modern keeper in the process.

On matchday six, he and a number of others proved just how important it is to have strength between the posts.

Neuer's double save in the first half against Cologne came at a key time, and reminded onlookers just how quick his reaction time is. Were it not for a fine performance from his opposite number - Timo Horn - Cologne would have conceded more than just two goals.

The biggest hands of the day surely belonged to Freiburg's Roman Bürki, though. His string of saves, including a remarkable reflex save onto the bar to deny Karim Bellarabi, earned his side a point against Leverkusen.

Stuttgart's Thorsten Kirschbaum, called in for the out-of-form Sven Ulreich, did his job and kept a confidence-building clean sheet for the home side, while Schalke's Ralf Fährmann celebrated his birthday with a Ruhr derby win.