Can Max Kruse and Raffael fire Borussia M.Gladbach into the Champions League?

Borussia Moenchengladbach Team Presentation

After losing their opening three away games and just winning two of their opening five games, few would have expected Borussia M.Gladbach to be sitting pretty in fourth place just three points behind last year’s beaten Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund. But, ever since their shaky start to the campaign, they have been on fire, losing just once in the eight games since.

One of the main reasons for their transformation, has been their home form. They have a perfect record at home, winning all six of their games so far, only Bayern Munich, can boast of a better record at home, but, the Bavarians have played a game more. They have scored 20 goals in their opening six games, only Dortmund, with 21, have managed more. They have the joint-best defensive record at home, having conceded just four goals.

But, their ascent up the table, has been about more than just the numbers. Some of their attacking play this season, has been a joy to watch. And in Raffael and Max Kruse, they have the deadliest strike partnership in the league. For the first time, in a very long time, Gladbach can boast of an attack that is every other Bundesliga team’s envy. After all, although Gladbach nearly made it into the Champions League in the 2011/12 season, that was thanks mainly to Marco Reus’s brilliance. Even in that campaign, where they finished fourth, they only scored 49 goals.

But, just 13 games into the current campaign, Die Fohlen (The Foals) have already managed 30 goals and are on course to finish with their best goals tally in over a decade. Much of that, has been down to the almost telepathic understanding between their two summer signings, Raffael and Max Kruse. In just 13 games, they already have scored 13 goals between them. Whilst Kruse leads with seven in the goal scoring charts, all is level, in the assists chart, where they both have four each.

Whilst the German international Kruse, came to Gladbach after a standout season with Freiburg, the Brazilian was signed from Dynamo Kiev, after an unsuccessful stint at the Ukrainian club, which saw him come on loan to Schalke earlier in the year. The duo are ably supported by perfect blend of youth and experience on either wings, providing them with the service that most strikers dream of.

On the left wing, 33-year-old Venezuelan winger Juan Arango has been chipping in with his fair share of goals, and already has four to his name, to go along with his two assists. On the other wing, another young German has been nothing short of magnificent for The Foals. 22-year-old German Patrick Herrmann, who is a product of their youth academy and has represented Germany in all levels, but the senior side, has been a revelation this season and is second best in the League in assists with five already, aside from his 3 goals.

Not only do Gladbach have the second best attack in the League behind Dortmund, they average 55 % possession so far this season, only Bayern Munich have managed more. Not only that, an area that has always been their Achilles heel, has been their defence, and they look to have even correct that as they have fourth-best defense in the League.

With an awe-inspiring attack and a defence that looks solid, Gladbach will be hoping that this is the year, they get into the Champions League after almost making it, just two seasons ago. With the kind of form they are in, you wouldn’t bet against them, doing just that.