Patrick Herrmann has already heard the Champions League anthem in Mönchengladbach, he has fought against relegation and played in the relegation. And he even stood once with the Borussia at the top of the table. It was over eight years ago, on the second matchday of the 2011/12 season. And now that.
Since the weekend Gladbach may again be named league leaders - ahead of Bayern Munich, ahead of RB Leipzig, ahead of Borussia Dortmund. Herrmann, who had been with Borussia for eleven years, contributed a considerable part of it. In recent years, he has always ranked on the border between start formation and bank. Also this season he had to sit on the bench first. In Marco Roses rhombic system, there was no suitable role for the dynamic outside striker.
Now Rose has switched to a 4-3-3 system. Herrmann got his chance as a right winger - and took advantage of it. In Augsburg he was with two goals and a participation in the board the outstanding actor. Thus Herrmann conquered for the first time this season a place in the eleven of the week.
Herrmann's team-mate Alassane Pléa also made it to the eleven of the week on this match day. Like many a Gladbach player, he needed a start-up time before finding his way around Coach Rose's system. Meanwhile, his strengths come to fruition: Pléa is dynamic and dribble strong, can complete and prepare. With a goal and two assists he also managed the leap into the top eleven.
RB Leipzig could also have conquered the table top at the weekend. Against Bayer Leverkusen, however, the club did not come out over a 1-1, many great opportunities before the break despite. In the second half, the team had to thank goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi that it even got a point. Five parades of the heaviest category reach Gulácsi. He was thus the outstanding keeper of the matchday.
Despite the surprising 1: 2 defeat against Hoffenheim Bayern put the central defense of the top-eleven. Jérôme Boateng and Niklas Süle complemented each other: Süle impressed above all as a passport, 85 of his 89 passes came to. Boateng has high defensive values. He won four of his five tackles and lost four passes. These are top values on this match day.
Maximilian Mittelstädt has a run. Hertha's left-back was already in the top team last week. Also in Hertha's 3-1 win against Fortuna Dusseldorf he convinced as a ball hunter: Mittelstädt won four of his five tackles, intercepted two opposing passes and conquered seven second balls. Mainz Daniel Brosinski felt particularly good in the penalty areas in Paderborn: He cleared a total of nine balls in the back and scored with penalties for the decisive 2: 1.
Sebastian Rode played Eintracht Frankfurt 2: 2 against Werder Bremen an unorthodox tactical role: As a six he dropped repeatedly to the central defender Makoto Hasebe. As a result, the outer center-back of the Frankfurt Dreierkette could advance far. Rode helped out, so to speak, as a central defender so that the other center-back could become outsiders. He excelled in this role as a game designer from the deep. For the top-Elf qualified him his goal for the interim 1-1 equalizer. His volley shot has a good chance of being named the Goal of the Month.
Two goals, one assist: In a strong Borussia-Elf Patrick Herrmann was the outstanding man. At his side, Marius Wolf has made the leap into the top eleven. Berlin's right winger showed courage: nine times he went into dribbling, five times he could pass his opponent. In addition, he prepared the important equalizer to 1: 1.
Vladimir Daridas career resembles that of Herrmann. Since felt half an eternity - 2013 he came to Freiburg - he kicks in the Bundesliga. For a long time he was undisputed regular player at Berlin. In recent months, he commuted between the starting line and the bench, which was also due to numerous injuries. Most recently, he proved how important he is for the balance of his team. Darida convinces defensively with his sense of space. Against Dusseldorf he also appeared offensively in appearance. He scored one goal, prepared one, and was directly involved in four more shots on goal.
Against Augsburg Alassane Pléa proved after less than two minutes of his class: With a sprint he exposed the entire opposing defense and initiated the 1-0. At the end he had a goal and two assists. Frankfurt André Silva can not quite keep up with these numbers. He only scored against Werder. But that was enough on this match day to get into the top-eleven.
Note: Tobias Escher is Managing Director of Escher & Co. GbR, which manages the journalistic platform Spielverlagerung.de. René Maric, assistant coach of Borussia Mönchengladbach, is involved in this company. Tobias Escher writes as a freelance author for the magazine SPIEGEL and the magazine 11Freunde.