VfB Stuttgart are on fire! But will it last?
After beating Dortmund on Saturday, Stuttgart are now third in the standings and the numbers indicate that Sebastian Hoeneß's side won't slow down any time soon.
There is doubt that VfB Stuttgart are happy that Serhou Guirassy has returned to fitness. The 27-year-old Guinean center-forward missed two games with a hamstring injury, and it is perhaps not surprising that his club were without a win during his absence as VfB lost to Hoffenheim and Heidenheim. On Saturday, Guirassy came off the bench and scored the winner against Dortmund from the spot.
Guirassy’s goalscoring record has been incredible, and as I pointed out in the Monday Bulletin, the Bundesliga Match Facts underline the importance of his goalscoring efficiency for Stuttgart overall. But while Guirassy has been on a burner, scoring a goal every 45 minutes—outpacing a certain Harry Kane—for 15 goals in just nine games overall, Stuttgart are far more than a team benefitting from their hot striker.
Indeed, the game against Dortmund on Saturday serves as a good example. Stuttgart played Dortmund off the park by dominating the xG (4.28 vs 1.12), had 58% possession, completed 89% of 613 passes versus Dortmund’s 81% completion rate of 442 passes, and outshot their opponent with 10 to one on target. It was as dominant a performance as you can find, even without Guirassy, who didn’t come on in the 67th minute.
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