Leverkusen is going from win to win this season – also thanks to Alejandro Grimaldo and Jeremie Frimpong. The numbers of the two rail players are outstanding.
Incredible providers of numbers: Alejandro Grimaldo (left) and Jeremie Frimpong IMAGO/imagebroker
The dominance of the Leverkusen team this season can be proven with numerous statistics. Would you like an example? The eight players with the highest grades in 2023/24 will wear the Werkself jersey. There has never been such a concentration of players from a team in the top 10 at this point in the season in the history of the Bundesliga.
Among Bayer’s star pupils: the wing players Alejandro Grimaldo and Jeremie Frimpong, who shine on offense without neglecting their defensive duties. Her track record is impressive, no matter the competition.
You don’t have to look far to find evidence of their game skills: it was only in the 3-2 win in Freiburg on the last matchday that both Bayer professionals played a key role in ensuring that the Rhinelanders started their journey home from Breisgau with three points.
Already in the 2nd minute, Grimaldo served Florian Wirtz, who humorlessly took the lead to 1-0. In the 53rd minute, his counterpart Frimpong set up for Patrik Schick, who scored to make it 3-1. For the left winger it was already the 21st scorer point of this Bundesliga season, for the right winger it was number 16.
How extraordinary such a return is for two players in this position is shown by a comparison with other pairs this millennium who played in a chain of four or five on the wings. In order to equal the record set by the Dortmund duo Raphael Guerreiro and Achraf Hakimi from the 2019/20 season, the two Leverkusen players only needed the first half of the season.
In a system that alternates between a three-man, four-man and five-man chain, the two present their respective opponents with challenges that are almost impossible to overcome – each with their own strengths. Because even if they collect scorer points in step, they could hardly be more different.
Grimaldo castles between the left wing and the central attacking midfield and shines as a passer, passer and art shooter. 2135 ball contacts are the most for a wing player in the league. His twelve assists are the best together with Leroy Sané and Xavi. The Bayer newcomer from Lisbon has the highest number of expected assists.
The Spanish international’s left foot regularly gives opposing keepers nightmares. His three goals from distance are only bettered by Jan-Niklas Beste and Serhou Guirassy, who each have four long-range goals. Like only the best, he has already converted two free kicks. In total he has already taken seven set pieces that resulted in a goal.
Grimaldo’s congenial partner embodies other strengths. Frimpong is an irresistible dribbler whose pace almost no defender can keep up with.
Although he is “only” 7th in the ranking of the fastest players this season, no one has such a consistent top speed. He is the only Bundesliga professional to have been the fastest player of the match day five times. Nobody ended up in second and third place as often as the Leverkusen player: he came second four times and third three times.
When the Dutch international was on the pitch for over 45 minutes, he was always among the top 20 fastest players of the match day! Grimaldo, on the other hand, never achieved such top speed on a single match day.
Frimpong averages 39.7 sprints per 90 minutes, which is also a league-wide record. It’s no wonder that the 23-year-old is one of the most dangerous players after fast counterattacks: Frimpong had his feet in the game in five of the Werkself’s counterattacks (2 goals, 3 assists), including the final score in the 3-0 win against rivals Bayern Munich.
The two individual talents bring their qualities into a collective that harmonizes excellently under the leadership of Bayer coach Xabi Alonso. If Leverkusen’s star pupils don’t let up, they will undoubtedly be top of their class at the end of the season.
Ullrich Schindler
2024-03-27 14:59:13
#graphics #Grimaldo #Frimpong #electrify #Bayer
