Lewandowski and Haaland among mid-season Bundesliga award winners
The full time whistle in FC Koln's 1-0 win over VfB Stuttgart signalled the end of the Hinrunde. At the midway point of the Bundesliga season, Bayern Munich predictably lead the way, with Freiburg arguably the surprise package after 17 games. Greuther Fuerth have proven to be the league's whipping boys - Union Berlin aside - picking up five points from 51 available, while RB Leipzig have perhaps been the biggest disappointment.
With that in mind, we run through the Hinrunde awards as we enter the Bundesliga winter break with a number of accolades, based on WhoScored rating, up for grabs.
Best Player
3. Patrik Schick - Bayer Leverkusen
After a superb Euro 2020 campaign with the Czech Republic, Bayer Leverkusen hoped Patrik Schick would carry his fine goalscoring form over the summer to club level and they have not been disappointed. Only Robert Lewandowski (19) has scored more Bundesliga goals than Schick (16) this season. For a player who had netted 19 league goals over the previous two campaigns combined, that's an impressive return for the, at times, injury prone striker, who has returned a WhoScored rating of 7.59 this season.
2. Erling Haaland - Borussia Dortmund
A stint on the sidelines hasn't stopped Erling Haaland. The Borussia Dortmund hitman has had a direct hand in 17 goals in 11 league outings this term, with Freiburg and Hertha Berlin the only teams to stop the young hitman from directly contributing to a goal. A goal every 69.4 minutes is a fine return for Haaland, who continues to excel in the opposition box, earning a WhoScored rating of 7.93 across his 11 appearances.
1. Robert Lewandowski - Bayern Munich
Was it going to be anyone else? Robert Lewandowski has scored more goals (19) than any other player, while the likes of Wolfsburg (17) and Bochum (16) have failed to keep up with the hotshot Pole this term. Lewandowski has directly contributed to a goal in 14 of 17 appearances and his remarkable consistency is rewarded with a superb WhoScored rating of 8.08.
Best Youngster (21 and under)
3. Florian Wirtz - Bayer Leverkusen
After a stunning breakout season, Florian Wirtz is proving he is anything but a flash in pan. The teenage German star has been a key man for Bayer Leverkusen, with his partnership with Patrik Schick in the final third a particular highlight. Only Thomas Muller (13) has registered more assists than Wirtz (8) in Germany's top tier this term, six of which have been for Schick, with Wirtz to Schick the best assist-to-goalscorer combination in Europe's top five leagues this term. The 18-year-old podiums in this category with a WhoScored rating of 7.33.
2. Alphonso Davies - Bayern Munich
Is it a surprise to see Alphonso Davies feature here? Not really. The Canadian has been a revelation for Bayern Munich since stepping in at left-back, making the starting spot his own for FC Hollywood. Davies bombards upfield without a second invitation having completed at least 19 more dribbles (61) than any other player in the Bundesliga this season. An additional three assists has helped the 21-year-old to a WhoScored rating of 7.37.
1. Erling Haaland - Borussia Dortmund
The second best rated player in the Bundesliga so far this season tops the best rated youngster leaderboard. It's remarkable to think Erling Haaland is only 21 years of age, and yet he has the goalscoring prowess of a seasoned pro with 13 goals to his name the third best return in the division. Borussia Dortmund will do well to retain his services in 2022, that's for sure!
Best Signing
3. Omar Marmoush - VfB Stuttgart
Not a headline grabbing addition to the VfB Stuttgart squad, but Omar Marmoush is proving a solid loan capture for Die Roten. No VfB Stuttgart player has registered more assists (3) than the 22-year-old, who also has two goals to his name this term. 2.2 successful dribbles per game ranks among the top 10 players in the Bundesliga in 2021/22 and has helped the Egyptian to a WhoScored rating of 7.04
2. Dayot Upamecano - Bayern Munich
Following Julian Nagelsmann to Bayern Munich from RB Leipzig, Dayot Upamencano has been a solid addition to a Bavarian backline that lost both Jerome Boateng and David Alaba over the summer. 82.5 passes per game is more than any other player in Germany's top tier, while four assists is an impressive return for the centre-back, who has garnered a WhoScored rating of 7.15.
1. David Raum - Hoffenheim
David Raum was a creative machine in Greuther Fuerth's promotion season, registering 13 assists; no 2.Bundesliga player returned more. Raum penned a pre-contract with Hoffenheim at the beginning of the year, moving as a free agent in the summer, and he has proven a bargain buy and then some having yielded a WhoScored rating of 7.19. The 23-year-old has had a direct hand in five Bundesliga goals this season and his good form caught the eye of Hansi Flick, the Germany boss handing the left-back his first senior cap in September as he pushes Robin Gosens for the spot on the left for the national team.
Biggest Rating Increase (20+ apps last season, 10+ apps this season)
3. Julian Brandt - Borussia Dortmund
Having struggled to nail down a starting spot for Borussia Dortmund last season, Julian Brandt is repaying the faith shown in him by Marco Rose. Brandt has started 11 of 17 games this season and has directly contributed to nine goals, scoring five. Impressing both on and off the ball, the 25-year-old has seen his rating rise 0.64 from 6.58 last season to 7.22 this term to feature in third.
2. Lucas Holer - Freiburg
After a so-so 2020/21 with Freiburg, at the midway stage of the Bundesliga season and Lucas Holer has already matched his goal return from last term, netting four times from his 17 outings. Freiburg have been one of the surprise packages of the season with Holer key. The German has seen a rating rise of 0.66 from 6.71 last season to 7.37 in 2021/22.
1. Patrik Schick - Bayer Leverkusen
The player with the biggest rating increase is the third best rated player in the Bundesliga this season. Having earned a WhoScored rating of 6.81 for Bayer Leverkusen last season, Schick has seen his rating surge to 7.59, a rise of 0.78 with the Czech shining in front of goal. Indeed, the Bayer Leverkusen forward has 16 goals to his name this term, which explains the exceptional rise.
Biggest Rating Decrease (20+ apps last season, 10+ apps this season)
3. Lucas Alario - Bayer Leverkusen
As Patrik Schick has shone, it's come at the expense of Lucas Alario, whose rating has fallen from 6.75 to 6.09, a drop of 0.66, that the third biggest decrease. The Argentine wasn't a regular starter for Bayer Leverkusen last term, but still managed 11 league goals and two assists. This season, Alario has failed to contribute to a goal to podium here.
2. Marcel Sabitzer - Bayern Munich
Like Dayot Upamecano, Marcel Sabitzer followed Julian Nagelsmann to Bayern Munich from RB Leipzig, with the Austrian swelling the former's midfield ranks. However, when Sabitzer has been called upon by Nagelsmann, he has looked a little out of his depth and across his 11 appearances this season - nine for Bayern and two for RB Leipzig - the 27-year-old has garnered a WhoScored rating of 6.21, that a drop of 0.79 from last season.
1. Andre Silva - RB Leipzig
Andre Silva has, admittedly, begun to find some form of late, with three of his five league goals scored in his last five Bundesliga outings, but after smashing in 28 league goals last season; RB Leipzig will have expected more from the Portugal international in the opening months of 2021/22. Silva has missed seven clear-cut goalscoring chances this term, that ranking among the top 10 players, and a rating drop of 0.88 is the biggest from last season to this.
Team of the Season
Given their nine-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga after the Hinrunde, Bayern Munich are the dominant side in the team of the season so far with no fewer than six players in the XI. Robert Lewandowski leads the charge in this XI as the best rated player in the division with a WhoScored rating of 8.08. Borussia Dortmund goal machine Erling Haaland partners Lewandowski, with Patrik Schick unfortunate to miss out.
Christopher Nkunku has been RB Leipzig's star man this term and he joins Thomas Muller in the middle of the park. German pair Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane flank the former duo, and they operate ahead of Christopher Trimmel and Alphonso Davies on the right and left, respectively.
At the heart of the defence is Nico Schlotterbeck, the 22-year-old superb for a Freiburg side that has shipped just 16 league goals; no team has conceded fewer. He is joined by VfB Stuttgart's Konstantinos Mavropanos, the Greece international ranking third for interceptions (36) and fourth for clearances (87). Mark Flekken has let in just 16 goals this term, while no goalkeeper has kept more clean sheets (6) as the Freiburg shotstopper features between the sticks.
