Schalke’s biggest problem has one more possible solution

Schalke have a lot of things going right this season, but they can’t seem to score consistent goals. There is only one more possible solution before we go shopping.

It’s pretty crazy when you look at the difference between Schalke‘s attack and Schalke’s defense. On defense, we’ve seen our top two centerbacks get hurt. In response, there has been zero drop-off in quality. Not even the tiniest of bits. And with Ozan Kabak getting hurt against Paderborn, Jean-Clair Todibo continued that theme.

Five centerbacks (and a few spot fill-ins like Weston McKennie and Bastian Oczipka) and very little deviation in the quality of the defense.

In the attack? We’ve had Guido Burgstaller, Mark Uth, Benito Raman, Ahmed Kutucu and now Michael Gregoritsch starting up top and there is so much deviation in quality that it’s hard to even keep it all straight.

Many believe that Schalke’s inability to score consistent goals or, for that matter, have a consistent goal scorer, is the last obstacle between them and sustained relevance in European football where they belong.

I’d tend to agree. Through these five strikes, we have learned quite a bit. We loaned out Uth, which should be the end of him. Burgstaller has been exposed, though he may be worth keeping as a bench option. Gregoritsch… well, we don’t know yet. But it’s not looking good.

Benito Raman is the only guy of this bunch to find consistent playing time and return consistent dividends. Four goals, three assists and more pressing and speed than anyone else on this attack make him as invaluable as Amine Harit, no doubt.

More from Release The Knappen

• Schalke 04: Arkadiusz Milik would take everything, but he’s worth it
• Schalke 04: Ozan Kabak makes Jean-Claire Todibo pass quietly
• Schalke 04: Omar Mascarell the only boost between now and then
• Schalke 04: David Wagner just has to make it to the end of the season
• Schalke 04: At least we still have Weston McKennie

Then there is Ahmed Kutucu. 264 Premier League minutes, zero starts, 66 minutes between goal contributions. Kutucu has been brilliant. Raman has been brilliant.

Brilliant.

Brilliant.

What do you do with two brilliants? You play them together. Somehow, the only worthwhile combination that has not yet been attempted between this slew of attacking options is Kutucu and Raman. We see bits and pieces of it later in matches, but never from the opening whistle. Paderborn was the latest and guess what? They were tremendous.

With Gregoritsch out of the center of the pitch, Kutucu and Raman rotated in and out of the center, making space when the other was occupying it and sliding into space when it was open. Their speed provided a constant threat on both sides of the pitch, not just one.

They were simply superb together, and if there is any remaining hope that our goal scoring woes can be solved without spending any money or taking any more risks, it’s with these two. Raman and Kutucu, speed and speed, brilliance and brilliance.

At this point, we have a little less than half a season remaining, we need to get a sense for if this attack can be the answer of if we need to invest. So move everyone else out of the way and get these two in there together. I think we’ll like what we see.