FC Schalke: Benito Raman could be missing piece to key equation

Benito Rama made a big impression in the DFB-Pokal and the FC Schalke man says more is to come. So how big can his impact reach?

Benito Raman has not exactly gelled since making the move to FC Schalke, making just three starts thus far into the season and scoring zero goals. But it’s not like he’s alone in that sense.

You could say that FC Schalke have a goal-scoring problem. I say ‘could’ because it’s not like it’s the most glaring problem in the world. Sure, they have scored 14 goals, which is second to last of all teams in the top half of the table. But all things considered it’s not that bad.

What is a bit troubling is that only two of those goals have come from forwards—one from Rabbi Matondo and one from Ahmed Kutucu. Both are 19 and neither could call themselves a regular in the starting XI.

Meanwhile, Mark Uth and Guido Burgstaller remain firmly planted at zero. The leading scorer is also the leading creator—Amine Harit. The second lead scorer is a central midfielder and in third place is our beloved centerback, Salif Sane.

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Again, is it a problem? No. Goals are goals. But the one area of concern that continues to hang around is the fact that a lot of reliance is placed on Amine Harit and zero goals are coming from our regular forwards.

The solution?

Hopefully Benito Raman.

After scoring two quick goals against Arminia Bielefeld, Raman proceeded to say that more was yet to come, and I’m sure I don’t speak for just myself when I say, “yes please, that would be very nice, thank you.”

In these two areas of concern, there is one obvious solution—find a forward that can score consistently and, preferably, do a bit more than that. Maybe dabble in creation, maybe know how to operate in space. And I don’t want to get carried away, but perhaps someone that can dribble a bit as well.

Benito Raman may not have settled yet, but his performance against Arminia and the promise of more are a tantalizing combination that may indicate just as he said, in which case this FC Schalke attack is primed for a fresh injection.

If not, well, there’s always Ahmed Kutucu, right? And if not him, there’s always Rabbi Matondi, right? The point is, there are solution available. But Raman has twenty goals in the last two seasons combined. A little more of that would be something worth celebrating.