The “Rolls” Reus: Better Than Goetze?

By Guest Author
12 years Ago

Germany is one of the perennial powerhouses in world football, having been there, done that. But over the past 3-4 years their global football-ing image has undergone a rapid transition. Seen as an efficient, mechanical side with some stellar names in their ranks in the past;Ai??German football has made giant strides in developing a youthful philosophy that would go on to serve them for years to come.

AAi??fluid, dynamic side with a beautiful culmination of exciting young blood, Germany is surely developing a blueprint of their own.Ai??Germany currently has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to up-and-coming young stars. From Holtby, to Kroos, Bender, Stegen, to Leno, the list just goes on and on. This is when we haven’t mentioned some prominent names like Goetze, Reus or Muller. In this article we turn our attentions to the one who we think has had the greatest impact on the league, Marco “rolls” Reus.

Reusai??i?? ascent has been phenomenal, and it can’t be fully appreciated unless we take a glance at his career graph. Originally from Dortmund, Reus played for hometown side Post SV Dortmund before making the jump to the Borussia Dortmundai??i??s youth side. With BVB not showing any interest in extending his contract, he left for Rot-Wiess Ahlen and slotted into their second team.

In the 2007/08 season he played a bit part role in the club’s promotion to the second tier. But it was 2008/2009 which was his breakthrough season. He played twenty seven times for Rot-Wiess, and his display earned him a four year contract with Borussia MAi??nchengladbach, where he took just three matches to get his first goal for the club in a solo 50 meter dash. Under Michael Frontzeck, Reus played as a winger but showed a genuine knack of scoring goals. He finished the 2009/2010 season with 11 goals and 4 assists- impressive numbers for a winger.

Next season saw the firing of Michael Frontzeck midway, andAi??Lucien Favre was brought in to fight the drop. The Swiss escaped by the skin of his teeth, and had Reus to thank for their survival. His eleven goals and nine assists proved handy and prevented his sideai??i??s relegation and in doing so became one of the star players of the season.

The rise of Reus has to be attributed largely to Favre, who didn’t stick him on the wing and gave him the freedom he was craving for. He was often played as a wing forward or an inside forward, thus becoming the nucleus of Gladbach’s attacks. His major strengths are his pace and ball control. Despite playing in one of the fastest leagues in the world, it’s hard not to take notice of his electric speed. He can hold up the ball, control it with both feet, and also take on the defender. His movement is sharp, and with the extra pace, he is always one to look out for on the counter. He has improved his finishing, becoming more clinical one-on-one. He has got a sweet right foot and has already scored some Shearer-esque pile-drivers this season. His goal scoring often gives him an image of being a selfish player, but just like his assists show, it is quite the contrary. He lays a lot of goals on a dish for teammates, and is truly a team-player. Despite all his skills and technique, the biggest advantage with Marco, is he is never shy to track back when not in possession, a real trump card for modern day attackers. He can also fit in anywhere across the front line or even midfield, giving the manager greater variety to chose from.

He has been in impressive form this season, capping his 16 goals with 9 assists in Bundesliga. His performances have elevated Gladbach into the Champions League frame, having secured the fourth spot. He is WhoScored’s numero uno Bundesliga player with a rating of 7.83. His phenomenal start to the season where he scored ten in his first fourteen games, caught the eye of the continent, and there was a tug of war among European heavyweights for his services. But Reus quickly moved to turn down their approaches, and went on to sign for home club Borrusia Dortmund.

After agreeing to a five year contract, the young German said “I’ll be sad to leave, as it’s been such an important environment for me. It was crucial for me to be upfront and honest with Gladbach and not to drag it out.Ai??But I’ve decided to take the next step in the summer and I want to play in a side that can fight for the title and give me the guarantee of Champions League football. Dortmund can do that.“

Having secured the dealAi??Ai??Jurgen Klopp, the Dortmund coach, told Sport-Bild magazine: “This was a situation where the player said to himself: ‘This is a happening club and I can be part of it.’ We have shown we are a place where players grow and improve.” With the departure of Kagawa, Dortmund might even have a ready-made replacement in Marco.

There will always be comparisons between him and Mario Goetze, with the German media drooling over two of the world football’s hottest prospects.ai???Marco Reus is an exceptional talent. ai???I actually rate Reus higher than Goetze.ai??? said Ross Dunbar, Bundesliga blogger for Mirror Football and SB Nation.Ai??Despite having such different games, why is there comparison with Goetze one might ask?

Both are exceptionally talented young players, with technique and maturity beyond their years. They have made the cut, in a country oozing with talent, thus catching the eye. They both also make innumerable key passes, and are brilliant advanced play-makers. But that is where their comparison must end, apart from the sky-high expectations they are burdened with.

Mario plays more like a midfielder, providing a bridge between defense and attack, unlike Reus who is more of an attacker. Goetze can play a deep lying play-maker role, an attacking midfielder or even an advanced play-maker. A false 10 as they call it. He tends to create more goals, while Reus would like to be on the end of such chances. Having said that, Reus is blessed with exceptional flexibility. With the evolution of 4-3-3 into a mobile 4-2-3-1, the false 10 is a fast growing trend. Sneijder for Netherlands, Ozil for club and country, Fabregas for Barcelona and even Muniain for Bilbao, typify the false number 10, just like Rooney and Messi have evolved into false 9’s. Reus has often played in both the roles, and surprisingly to very good effect, unlike Goetze who is a false number 10 at best.

Above heat map shows the movement of Reus in the match against Cologne (Courtesy : http://soccernet.espn.go.com)

Gladbach sometimes play a broken 4-2-3-1, which eventually changes to a 4-2-1-3 in attack. Arrango and Hermann playing on the flanks, while Hanke and Reus play through the centre. Their interchangeable positions gave Gladbach unpredictability in attack, while Reus fits into a false 10, operating behind the main striker, Hanke. But with different strategies for different teams, and extreme dynamism in their formation Reus plays a dual role. When Hanke is the most advanced player, Reus operates behind him as a play-maker, making through balls. But in his absence or when Hanke plays deeper, Reus is the false 9. He starts deeper and chooses his runs depending on players and their movements around him, and finally becomes the most advanced attacker.

The only weakness in his game is the apparent difficulty in winning balls in the air. He surely has improved on this part of his game, but yet, in the air he isn’t upto the mark. Playing more as a striker or down the middle, rather than the flanks might help him overcome this rare chink in hisAi??armor.

Selection for the Euros seems inevitable with his form right throughout the season being nothing short of exceptional. When asked by Sport-Bild, Low had this to say:Ai??”Marco Reus has not played with us so often, but for me he is one of the winners of the Bundesliga season.Ai??Goetze has only been with us for about a year, but plays as though he’s always been part of this team. I think that both can play more than just a bench role at the European Championship.” But where Reus fits in, will be interesting to see. He has direct competition for a starting place, against the likes of Kroos, Muller, Ozil, Goetze himself and not to forget the omnipresent Podolski.Ai??Ai??If form was the criteria, he should be one of the first players in the starting XI.Ai??Yet, one never know, the championships in Europe have always given birth to future stars, throwing up a surprise or two in the way, and this might be the chance for Marco’s star to shine on the world stage. “Rolls” Reus indeed.

___

Written byAi??Debarshee Mitra

Follow him on twitterAi??@goonerstar_deb

Categories: Around the World, COVER STORY, Editor's Pick
Tags: Borussia Goetze Reus

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