Last line of defence
To make up for the departure of Ron-Robert Zieler last summer, VfB signed two new goalkeepers in Gregor Kobel (on loan from TSG Hoffenheim) and Fabian Bredlow. Kobel has been between the sticks for 22 league matches thus far, keeping eight clean sheets. Bredlow has also stepped up to the plate when required, for example on Matchday 7 against SpVgg Greuther Fürth when Kobel had to go off in the 22nd minute after taking a knock to the knee. The 25-year-old proved his worth in a 2-0 win that day and has featured in a total of four league and three cup matches to date.
Ever-present
Pascal Stenzel is the proverbial first name on the team-sheet at the moment. Having joined VfB on loan from SC Freiburg, he has gone on to make the most appearances this season of anyone at the club. The 24-year-old has featured in all 25 league matches, 24 of them from the start. He also led the team out as captain for two of those matches. He has had the most touches (2,685) and completed passes (2,098) of anyone in Bundesliga 2.
Young guns
VfB set particular store by their youth set-up, and “one of their own” has already had a taste of first-team action this season. Seventeen-year-old Lilian Egloff made his debut on 5 February in the DFB Cup match away to Bayer 04 Leverkusen. On 22 February, he made his Bundesliga 2 bow when he came on as a substitute at home to SSV Jahn Regensburg. Luca Mack is another youngster who is now in the first-team squad. The 19-year-old broke the lateral malleolus bone in his ankle early in the season but has returned to fitness and is working on making his first-team debut. In addition to these two, Sebastian Hornung, Antonis Aidonis, Nick Bätzner, Nikos Zografakis and Florian Kleinhansl all join up regularly with the first-team squad for training.
Home-grown talent Egloff is not the only teenager to make his debut in a VfB shirt this season, with Roberto Massimo, Mateo Klimowicz, Clinton Mola, Darko Churlinov and Tanguy Coulibaly also having that honour.
Top scorer
Silas Wamangituka made his first appearance for the club after joining from FC Paris on Matchday 4, away to FC Erzgebirge Aue. Since then, the Congolese forward has been a constant goal threat, scoring five times and setting up another four in Bundesliga 2. The 20-year-old has thus been involved in nine goals, putting him top of the new recruits in that particular column. VfB veteran Daniel Didavi is level with him on nine (six goals, three assists).
An eye for goal
Whether in the starting XI or off the bench, Hamadi Al Ghaddioui has been a player the club has been able to rely on for goals this season, often in crucial situations. The Bonn-born forward has made 20 appearances to date and scored six times – the most of any of VfB’s recent signings.
Back for more
Having gone through the VfB youth system, midfielder Philipp Förster went on to ply his trade with SV Waldhof Mannheim, 1. FC Nürnberg and SV Sandhausen before returning to the club just before deadline day after a five-year absence. He has gone on to make 17 starts and three substitute appearances this season.
Mr Consistency
Wataru Endo was on a roll before the enforced break put a stop to his run of consecutive minutes. Prior to that, the Japanese midfielder had played 12 matches in a row in their entirety. The 27-year-old has 13 league appearances to date, having made his debut on 3 November in the home win over SG Dynamo Dresden.
Mr Versatility
Atakan Karazor has certainly been able to showcase plenty of aspects to his game thus far this season, with 18 appearances for the club split between defensive midfield and across the back line.
Double debut
VfB have been able to unveil Nathaniel Phillips on two separate occasions this season. The Liverpool loanee first came to Stuttgart in August, making his debut in the DFB Cup tie away to Hansa Rostock. During the winter break, VfB and Liverpool agreed to end the loan due to the English Premier League leaders being short on players. Phillips made his bow for Jürgen Klopp’s team in the FA Cup against local rivals Everton before returning to VfB on loan a few days later.