The 4th official is running a team of the season series for the Bundesliga after match day 10. We already figured out our defense using a 4-4-2 formation. In this article, we will cover the midfield spots. The midfield positions will comprise of four different spots – Right midfield, two central defenders and a left midfielder.
Right Midfield – Marco Fabian – Eintracht Frankfurt
The third Eintracht Frankfurt player on the list (no! this has nothing to do with me being an Eintracht fan). Marco Fabian arrived in the Rückrunde of last season but failed to deliver due to the extremely high expectation and hype by the fans. A close friend of Bundesliga’s Mexican superstar Javier Hernandez, Fabian managed only three assists in 11 outings last season.
This season, however, the Mexican midfielder has been a nothing short of a revelation. Fabian is flourishing under the guidance of new coach Niko Kovac. Scoring three goals and providing four assists already, the former Guadalajara graduate has been one of the most rejuvenated players in the Bundesliga this term. While Frankfurt were restricted in the offensive zones last season and the injury to main playmaker Marc Stendera caught SGE hot on their heels, the resurrection of Fabian has been a boon for Niko Kovac.
Much more composed on the ball with better passing, Fabian’s improvement is clearly evident. Fabian takes 3.6 shots per game, third highest in the league, with 1.5 of his shots coming from long range. Not just the shots, but the Mexican International, also offers 1.5 crosses per game. His performance against Bayern, was one of Frankfurt’s high notes this season, scoring a goal and providing an assist as Frankfurt held Bayern 2:2, Fabian was extremely influential in SGE’s pressing and ball winning in the opposition half.
While Eintracht have a sturdy defense, Fabian deserves the most credit for all of their offensive work. One thing is for sure, if Marco Fabian can keep his persistence throughout the entirety of the season, Frankfurt can achieve bigger heights as the Bundesliga will have another Mexican star to rave about.
Right Center Midfield – Thiago Alcantara – FC Bayern
Before the season started, very few could have expected Thiago to stay at Bayern, following the departure of his beloved coach Pep Guardiola to Manchester City. The Spaniard was constantly linked with a move away from the Allianz Arena. However, the former Barcelona midfielder, chose to stay put, as he decided to try his luck with new coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Now with 10 match days already played, very few could argue about the Thiago’s decision. Simply because he has been one of the best midfielders of the Bundesliga this season if not the best. New coach Carlo Ancelotti had faith on the 25-year-old and rightfully offered him the chance to shine under his new boss – which he did.
In the newly crafted (not really) 4-3-3 formation, Thiago sits as one of the three midfielders, whose main job is to convey the attack with the likes of Arturo Vidal and Xabi Alonso taking charge in behind the offensive lines. A challenge, Thiago is currently relishing upon. Indeed! Thiago has been the best player in the Bundesliga per whoscored with a rating of 7.86. Averaging 3.1 dribbles per game, Thiago has made 13 chances for Bayern this season, only David Alaba and Thomas Muller have achieved more.
The charismatic midfielder has completed most passes than anyone else in the league, not really a surprise is it? But the fact that he also made 34 interceptions (fourth-best in the league) certainly comes as a shocker. It proves Thiago’s worth in the newly tormented Bayern squad not just as an attacking midfielder but an all-round figure as well.
Left Center Midfield – Kerem Demirbay – 1899 TSG Hoffenheim
This Bundesliga season has been a story of reinvigorated players, who have failed to stun the eye in the past but are showing their credibility with a massive boost in confidence within their game. Following the story of Marco Fabian’s reform as a top midfielder, Kerem Demirbay is the next one in our list who has successfully (and surprisingly) made the team of the season roster.
Demirbay moved from HSV to Hoffenheim in the recent summer, after a fabulous loan spell with second division Fortuna Dusseldorf, where he was loaned out by HSV. After a disastrous loan spell with Kaiserslautern, Demirbay turned out to be a great asset for Die Flingeraner last season, scoring a whopping ten goals and providing five assists.
This term, the Turkish-born German midfielder has turned on a few more gears and is playing on a completely different level. Much of the credit behind Demirbay’s rise should be given to Hoffenheim coach Julian Nagelsmann, he had the belief to craft the talent of the 23-year old, after signing him for just 1.75 million euros.
Demirbay features as one of two attacking midfielders in Nagelsmann’s lately proffered 3-1-4-2 formation. A great custodian in the middle of the pitch, Demirbay’s pressing ability and tactical awareness is certainly remarkable. “Homeless guy’s Ilkay Gundogan” – just how I like to put my finger across the talented midfielder, Demirbay is certainly an all-rounder like Gundogan. With a great technique, he has averaged 4.4 dribbles per game, more than any Hoffenheim player.
But not just the dribbles, Demirbay covers almost every aspect of the game. The 23-year takes 1.4 shots from outside the box per game, which is ninth most in the league this season. The former HSV man has totaled 2.3 key passes per game. Defensively, Demirbay has managed 18 interceptions so far, and averages three defensive actions per game, fairly good for an attacking midfielder. The Hoffenheim midfielder manages a match rating of 7.75, making him the second best player in the Bundesliga this season per whoscored.
Left Midfield – Vincenzo Grifo – SC Freiburg
Forming the final midfield spot is Vincenzo Grifo of Freiburg. The Italian winger, who was one of Freiburg’s shining stars last season on their road to promotion in the second division. He scored a whopping 14 goals and provided as many as 15 assists in Freiburg’s title winning campaign in the Zweite Bundesliga.
Grifo, this season, has successfully continued his run of good form despite playing against much tougher opponents in the Bundesliga. Scoring two goals and providing five assists, Grifo has no doubt turned into one of Bundesliga’s best chance creator. By far the best player for Die Breisgauer-Brasilianer, Grifo has created an extraordinary number of chances for Christian Streich’s Freiburg, his tally of 27 chances created is currently best in the league.
Moreover, Grifo’s role as an attacking winger is far more than just scoring and assisting his teammates, the 23-year-old is a key figure in Freiburg’s intense pressing unit. The former Dresden man averages more than one interceptions and over two tackles per game.
The fact that Grifo makes 1.4 long key passes per game hints at Freiburg’s usual play style where they mostly rely on the counter attacks. He has decent pace, and likes to deliver a lot of crosses. But his habit of taking long shots has turned into one of his dangerous traits, the Italian youngster can shoot it from distance and averages 2.1 long shots per game.
So we complete our midfield spot in Bundesliga team of the season after matchday 10. The lack of players from big heavyweights such as Gladbach, Dortmund, Leverkusen or Schalke prove just how competitive the league has been this season. The next series will cover the interesting part, as we begin to churn out the two available offensive spots.
