LB Bastian Oczipka
Stout defensively, Bastian Oczipka took Patrick Herrmann out of the game completely in the battle of Bundesliga veterans. Offensively, Oczipka didn’t have his usual impact, but he did send in a couple of teasing balls and did what he could to support the attack.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10
CB Matija Nastasic
It’s great to see Matija Nastasic health again, because he is one of the most underrated defenders in the Bundesliga. Nastasic is a crisp passer who is calm on the ball and almost never puts a foot wrong in the challenge. He regularly wins his duels in the ground and in the air, and he helped Schalke take Gladbach superstar Marcus Thuram out of the game. This performance won’t be buzzed about, but Nastasic deserves praise for his work.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10
CB Ozan Kabak
The case can be made that Ozan Kabak is the best center back in the Bundesliga right now. It is incredible to think that his – relatively soft – yellow card on Matchday 18 was his first booking of the season thus far. Kabak is calm beyond his years in the middle of the defense and has already become a top-class passer. Per WhoScored.com, he completed 8 of his 10 long pass attempts against the Foals.
Rating: 8.0 out of 10
RB Jonjoe Kenny
Another quality performance from Jonjoe Kenny, who fits David Wagner and Schalke perfectly. The Royal Blues need to do what they can to sign Kenny permanently from the ambitious Everton, and since Kenny fits the club so well, it seems like he should be interested in a permanent deal. He works hard and always shows great strength in the tackle.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10