Theres no single statistic that can explain why Borussia Mönchengladbach currently sit seventh in the Bundesliga.
Yes, after finishing 14th last season, Gladbach have a chance of qualifying for European competition this term.
That would be massive.
But if you look at the statistics, theres nothing special about them.
Their underlying numbers arent anything extraordinary.
Yes, their xG is the sixth highest in the league, but their xGA is the second worst.
If you were to calculate by xG difference, Gladbach would be 13th.
They also dont press the opposition very hard, as their PPDA (passes allowed per defensive action) is among the highest (which means one of the least intense).
Under Gerardo Seoane, Gladbach are not really one of the best attacking or defensive teams.
Frankly, they are not good in either category.
They are just& well, efficient.
Efficiency comes in several categories: maximising their attack, maximising their set-pieces, maximising the strength of their players, and, most importantly, maximising their space—which covers all the things I mentioned before.
Direct Attack Makes Borussia Mönchengladbach Efficient & Dangerous
As mentioned above, Gladbach are not a team that like to press their opponents high and intensely.
Instead, they prefer to wait for their opponents to enter the attacking third.
Why? Because Gladbach like to push their opponents up the defensive line.
In the Bundesliga this season, Gladbach are the third-best team in terms of pushing their opponents defensive line higher, with an average of 48.13 metres.
For some teams, facing a team with a high defensive line might be bad because their opponents structure in possession is compact—the gap between the lines and the players is always small, making it easy for them to keep possession.
For Gladbach, however, this is an advantage.
And yes, it relates to some of the efficiency aspects mentioned above: It can help them maximise their attack and the space.
By raising their opponent‘s defensive line, Gladbach are able to create a lot of space behind it—space that they can exploit.
If Gladbach can win the ball from their opponents, they can then attack directly or counterattack into the space behind their defensive line.
They have often created chances or even goals from this situation.
There are many goals that can be c
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