Player Focus: Gladbach Mastermind Xhaka Now Among Europe's Most Wanted

It’s rare that we credit footballers for their intelligence, but in a recent sports study it was determined that the footballing elite of the world demonstrate above-average cognitive abilities, excelling at tasks such as creative problem solving, multi-tasking and possessing the ability to recall previous experiences to find a suitable solution almost instantaneously.

It’s not too difficult to envisage potential scenarios on the pitch in which these mental attributes may come into play. For example being able to predict a potential pass from an opponent and then attempting to intercept the ball or assessing the field of play, whilst on the ball, to determine the best feasible pass.

Some footballers understand different aspects of the game better than others and a footballer that one may consider to fit this theory is Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder Granit Xhaka. He’s been hailed as the “Young Einstein” by teammates for his diligence on the pitch, as well as his passion for science.

Xhaka initially gained recognition whilst starring in the 2009 U17 World Cup, in a promising Swiss side, which included the likes of Ricardo Rodriguez and Haris Seferovic. Xhaka influenced proceedings throughout the tournament leading his country to being crowned World champions. Many of the players involved in Switzerland’s team were of various ethnic origins and backgrounds  - with Xhaka being no exception.

Although born and raised in Switzerland, Xhaka is of Kosovan descent, with his parents fleeing before his birth due to war. Xhaka’s footballing journey began when he was just four years of age, ‘forced’ at the time by his father to partake in a training session at Concordia Basel, although now Xhaka is more than grateful that his father made him commit to the sport so early in his life. A few years down the line, Concordia’s rivals, FC Basel, took him under their wing, largely contributing to his footballing education.

At 18 he drew great praise from Swiss international coach, Ottmar Hitzfeld, lauding his footballing IQ and, more substantially, drawing comparisons with Bastian Schweinsteiger. Basel coach Thorsten Fink also heaped praise on his midfielder, labelling him as the “best talent in Switzerland” even ahead of Xherdan Shaqiri. However, he was also quick to state that it would be wise to manage the expectations of his young prodigy, and the importance of managing his game time at such a young age.

It wasn't long before Xhaka was drawing interest from clubs across Europe, but it was Gladbach who broke their transfer record at that time, €8.5 million, to secure the services of the highly sought after Swiss international. Gladbach's sporting director Max Eberl, stated that they watched him intensely over a period of two years and were assured that the teenager at the time was the perfect fit for vision they had conceptualised for the club.

Xhaka currently operates in a midfield two alongside Christoph Kramer for the Borussen club, deployed as a deep-lying playmaker in manager Lucien Favre’s system. He’s at the hub of the team, retaining and recycling possession, transitioning play from defence to attack. With the German international given similar responsibilities with a little more freedom to roam forward. The two sit in front of the back four, offering ample cover – Xhaka averages 2.3 tackles and 3 interceptions per game, with Kramer’s figures at 3 and 2.5 respectively. It may be the reason as to why Gladbach boast the second best defensive record in the league (only bettered by Bayern – 11) having conceded just 20 goals this season.

Xhaka can easily be considered the most influential player on the pitch for Gladbach, averaging more touches (92.6) and passes (78) than any of his teammates. Although he may not captain the team, he is often seen commanding the ball and shouting encouragement or instructions to his teammates. This wasn't always the case for Xhaka, though.

Favre, often described as a perfectionist and meticulous tactician, is very specific with his requirements and what he expects from his players, which often makes Gladbach a very entertaining team to watch. Xhaka struggled to get to grips with the coach's philosophy in his debut season, admitting himself that he made mistakes during this time but that the support of the Favre was crucial. The manager stressed the importance of going back to basics and putting his head down. Grafting amidst the criticism has helped Xhaka enjoy a successful and ever-improving spell at the club.

Supporters of The Foals were treated to a comfortable win over Hannover 96 at the weekend, fully establishing their pursuit for a top-four place. Gladbach were largely in control of proceedings, cruising to a 2-0 win in Borussia-Park, with Favre’s ideology fittingly encapsulated by a free-flowing, well-worked second goal.

Lo and behold, Xhaka was pulling all the right strings throughout, earning the WhoScored man of the match award with arguably one of the most complete performances this season. Spraying passes across the pitch, whilst seemingly omnipresent in midfield, Xhaka attempted 4 shots, 3 key passes, 6 dribbles, 5 tackles, 3 interceptions and maintained an 89.3% pass accuracy from 125 pass attempts. All of this was enough to earn him a superb rating of 9.28.

Often seen as an imperturbable figure on the pitch, Xhaka rarely gives the ball away and it would be somewhat naïve to assume that he often opts for an easy pass given his impressive 86% pass completion rate in the Bundesliga this season. He frequently exhibits a great range of passing, supported by the fact that he has played an average of 7.2 accurate long balls per game, with the only midfielders to better that being Johannes Geis and 'pass master' Xabi Alonso.

Discipline is an area of Xhaka’s game that he himself has singled out for improvement, as well as being more proactive in attack. 9 yellows and 2 reds from the Europa League and Bundesliga this season doesn’t exactly make for encouraging reading, even though most indiscretions have been as a result of over-eagerness to regain possession rather than aggressiveness.

Nevertheless, the positives have certainly outweighed the negatives in this campaign, with the 22-year-old midfielder being rewarded for his great form with a new 4-year deal earlier this year. Whether this contract prolongs his stay or commands a higher transfer fee this season is unknown. One thing's for certain, there will be a number of clubs making inquiries about the player’s availability this summer.

Xhaka takes his appearance off the pitch quite seriously as most footballers do, admitting to getting his hair cut twice a week and having a wardrobe just for his footwear. He fits the stereotype in that sense but what separates him from your average run-of-the-mill footballers is his in-game intelligence, and it looks likely that he’s set for a bright future.

Where will Xhaka be playing his football next season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below