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FC Schalke 04: 5 things we learned from win over Gladbach

By Kevin Parvizi

17 January 2020, North Rhine-Westphalia, Gelsenkirchen: Football: Bundesliga, FC Schalke 04 - Borussia Mönchengladbach, 18th matchday in the Veltins Arena: Schalke's Omar Mascarell (l) and coach David Wagner hug each other. Photo: Bernd Thissen/dpa - IMPORTANT NOTE: In accordance with the regulations of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga and the DFB Deutscher Fußball-Bund, it is prohibited to exploit or have exploited in the stadium and/or from the game taken photographs in the form of sequence images and/or video-like photo series. (Photo by Bernd Thissen/picture alliance via Getty Images)
17 January 2020, North Rhine-Westphalia, Gelsenkirchen: Football: Bundesliga, FC Schalke 04 - Borussia Mönchengladbach, 18th matchday in the Veltins Arena: Schalke's Omar Mascarell (l) and coach David Wagner hug each other. Photo: Bernd Thissen/dpa - IMPORTANT NOTE: In accordance with the regulations of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga and the DFB Deutscher Fußball-Bund, it is prohibited to exploit or have exploited in the stadium and/or from the game taken photographs in the form of sequence images and/or video-like photo series. (Photo by Bernd Thissen/picture alliance via Getty Images) /
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Schalke FW Michael Gregoritsch
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY – JANUARY 17: Michael Gregoritsch of Schalke 04 during the German Bundesliga match between Schalke 04 v Borussia Monchengladbach at the Veltins Arena on January 17, 2020 in Gelsenkirchen Germany (Photo by Jeroen Meuwsen/Soccrates/Getty Images) /

2. They can win without Harit

For weeks, I asked questions about what Schalke would do without Amine Harit. There have been so many games where the Morocco international has carried the team to victory, including games where he’s provided the winning goal or assist. Harit is the team’s creative maestro, pulling the strings and making moves into the final third.

Without him, Schalke still shined against Gladbach, showing that they are very much a different team with Gregoritsch in the attack. Schalke showed they can create chances without Harit, which matters the most. We knew they had two other goal-scorers in Benito Raman and Suat Serdar, but who would pick up the slack creatively? The answer is “everyone”, but especially Gregoritsch. Beating one of the league’s best teams without their best player should give Schalke a world of confidence heading into a more difficult away game with Bayern Munich.

3. Gregoritsch is better than advertised.

Austria international Michael Gregoritsch was once one of the Bundesliga’s best young players at FC Augsburg, but the club, despite their other successes, had found it difficult to get the most out of him – let alone keep him happy.

It’s only been one game, but Gregoritsch certainly looked like he belongs in a Royal Blues kit. Gregoritsch showed the quality that had him once tabbed as a future top Bundesliga player, and, well, he still has potential. A goal and an assist is a dream debut, but Gregoritsch provided more than just a goal and an assist. His hard work and ability to create chances for teammates won’t be lost on the fans who watched him light up the Veltins Arena in his Schalke debut.

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