Last weekend saw the final round of 2010/11 Bundesliga matches take place, with Borussia Munchengladbach finishing third-bottom to grab a play-off place against VfL Bochum, third in the German second division. The two clubs will play each other home and away later this month to determine the one remaining slot in next season’s top division and, given their fantastic end to the season, M.Gladbach must be considered strong favourites; only six games ago they were rooted to the bottom of the table but four wins and a draw have seen them leapfrog Eintracht Frankfurt and St Pauli to give themselves a chance at survival.
Here’s a look at the key performers in that fantastic six-game run:
Marc-André ter Stegen
It’s no coincidence M.Gladbach have seen an upturn in form since the teenager started in goal. Ter Stegen made his debut six weeks ago and has been an ever-present since then. Averaging 3 Saves per match, he’s kept 3 Clean Sheets and conceded just 3 Goals in those six games, including a Man on the Match performance against Dortmund where he frustrated the champions-elect time and again with a total of 7 Saves.
Such has been his level of performance, ter Stegen is already the top-rated player for his side this season, with an average of 7.28 per game.
Martin Stranzl
The big centre-half has been a colossus at the back in his 17 appearances but has managed to improve further- Stranzl’s average rating per game for the campaign is 7.00, but he’s managed 7.2 over the last six matches. He’s been the best defensive player at the club, far and away, making 2.9 Tackles, 3.5 Interceptions, 4.8 Clearances and 0.6 Blocks per game this season.
When it comes to distribution, Stranzl keeps it plain and simple at the back; his Pass Accuracy is an impressive 77% but he makes a mere 0.18 Key Passes per game, an indication of his tendency to win the ball and pass it on to the side’s more creative types.
Tony Jantschke
Gladbach’s young right-back has matched Stranzl as the top-rated defender over the six games, averaging just over 7.2 per game in our ratings. He’s only become a first-team regular in early March and has 10 starts under his belt but given that his average for the season is 6.8, it’s an indication as to how much Jantschke has recently upped his game.
Over the season, he’s made more Tackles than any of his team mates, with 3.1 per game, and his 2.3 Interceptions is third-highest in the side, too. He’s been impressive in the air, winning 64% of Aerial Duels and makes 0.45 Key Passes per game, though his 68% Pass Accuracy could certainly be improved upon.
Marco Reus
The right winger has missed just two games this season but has surpassed all previous displays over the last six games. Reus has scored 4 and Assisted 1 of his side’s 10 goals over the crucial run in, with 2 Man of the Match performances (his only of the season). He’s also cleaned up his act, too; Reus had been handed 9 Yellow Cards in the previous 28 league games but has collected none since.
Over the course of the season, he’s been the real stand-out consistent player; Reus is top for Goals (10) and Assists (8), and his average of 2 Shots, 2.25 Key Passes and 1.6 Dribbles per game is the best of any M.Gladbach player, too. His average rating for the season is 7.14 per game, highest of any outfield player, with his performances earning Reus a call-up to the German national squad for the first time last week.
Mike Hanke
Another who has risen to the occasion when given his chance. Hanke was more of a squad player until recently, managing just 4 starts all season but has started every one of those last six games. The centre-forward has played a part in 5 of the 10 Munchengladbach goals over the run-in, with 1 Goal, 4 Assists and a Man of the Match performance against Frieburg.
Taken over the season, Hanke’s stats appear low (1.1 Shot, 1.07 Key Passes, 0.8 Successful Dribbles, average rating 6.55 per game) but this is down to the many substitute appearances, giving him little game time to perform. When handed the chance, he’s shown just how pivotal his performances can be for M.Gladbach.
