Despite only being 28 years old, Maximilian Arnold is something of an elder statesman at the Wolfsburg arena these days. In a squad that often boasts an average age four years younger than the German international, it’s no surprise that the playmaker that’s just past 360 games for Wolfsburg is not only the club captain but also the player that all success seems to revolve around. Saturday’s 4-0 win over Bochum was just the latest example of that.
The first and third goals of the day came directly from the left foot of Arnold, as he found the unmarked head of Felix Nmecha in the Bochum box twice to round off an easy afternoon for the Wolves. And, perhaps more importantly, their fifth unbeaten game in a row as they moved up to twelfth place. "We can now enjoy it for once," joked a delighted Arnold after the game. And there’s certainly reason for smiles at the Volkswagen club.
Indeed, Niko Kovac and his side have undoubtedly turned a corner in the Bundesliga. When we dig into the stats to see what has changed in recent weeks and months, it’s clear that the former Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich head coach has gone back to the drawing board and unearthed a winning solution from amongst the rubble of a poor star to the season.
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