Davy Klaassen orchestrated Werder Bremen's impressive victory over Wolfsburg on Friday night and has found a new lease of life in the Bundesliga. It's a long way from his nightmare season with Everton.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/C Mueller
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This was a far cry from the depths of his despair at Goodison Park a few months ago.
Every powerful run forward, every sliding tackle in midfield, is Everton's loss and Bremen's gain as Klaassen continues to produce the kind of quality that promises to lift Bremen from mid-table mediocrity to a European place.
The internationally capped midfielder was a key member of the Ajax side that reached the Europa League final in 2016, falling at the final hurdle to Manchester United. He was rightly considered one of the most complete midfielders in Europe when he made his move to England, and while things didn't work out in Liverpool — as is often the case when accomplished players try to break into Premier League squads —his talents have shone almost immediately in the Bundesliga.
Credit must go to Bremen for spotting the talented 25-year-old, who has proven that it's not just fleet-footed teenagers who can use the Bundesliga as a platform to elevate their reputations. For Klaassen, the motive was more of a repair job after only 16 appearances and no goals for Everton.
Klaassen fires in the opener for Werder Bremen against Wolfsburg, his second goal in four games for Die Grün-Weißen.Image: Imago/Nordphoto
At the Weserstadion on this early early October night, Klaassen was a cut above everyone else on the field. His late runs caused Wolfsburg problems all night, as did his eye for a pass and ability to turn defense into attack at the drop of a hat. Klaassen scored the winner at Augsburg on Matchday 4and, three matchdays on, he scored the opener, a well-struck drive that he anticipated brilliantly.
It's Klaassen's ability to sense the game developing that is perhaps his greatest asset. The departure of the central lying Thomas Delaney to Borussia Dortmund in the summer left Bremen without a dynamic box-to-box midfielder. Klaassen has already shown signs he is not only capable of filling this role, but also of providing an extra level of skill that was perhaps missing in Florian Kohfeldt's side last season.
Bundesliga Matchday 7 in pictures
Saturday was a good day for the Bundesliga's Americans, with Weston McKennie and Bobby Wood among the goals. But the game of the day was undoubtedly in Dortmund, where the hosts edged an incredible seven goal thriller.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Becker
Fortuna Düsseldorf 0 - 2 Schalke
It took Weston McKennie 33 games to open his Schalke account, now he can't stop hitting the net. The American youngster opened the scoring in this one after scoring the winner against Lokomotiv Moscow in midweek. Guido Burgstaller made it safe for Schalke, who have now won three in a row without conceding.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Becker
Hannover 3 -1 Stuttgart
But McKennie wasn't the only American having fun on Saturday. Bobby Wood (left) was handed his first start since moving to Hannover and rewarded his coach Andre Breitenreiter with quickfire headed double before halftime. Mario Gomez pulled one back for Stuttgart after the break but Ihlas Bebou made it safe late on as the hosts held on for their first league win of the season.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/O. Hardt
Borussia Dortmund 4 - 3 Augsburg
Paco Alcacer's stunning injury time freekick completed his hat-trick and won his team a pulsating game at Signal Iduna Park. Dortmund twice trailed their visitors before Alcacer and Mario Götze (in his first league appearance of the season) put them ahead for the first time. When Roman Bürki spilt Michael Gregoritsch's header in to the net on 87 minutes, it looked all over. Not quite.
Image: Reuters/L.Kuegeler
Bayern Munich 0 - 3 Borussia Mönchengladbach
If before it was a blip, it's now most certainly a crisis by Bayern Munich's lofty standards. An excellent 9th minute strike from French forward Alassane Plea gave the visitors the lead before Thiago's error allowed Lars Stindl to score on his return from a severe ankle injury. The comeback many expected never came and Patrick Herrmann completed the rout late on.
Image: imago/Eibner
Mainz 0 - 0 Hertha Berlin
A game low on quality, chances and - from the looks of it - spectators saw these sides share the points. Even Ondrej Duda, the Bundesliga's top scorer before this weekend couldn't summon up anything to steal the points. The result keeps Hertha in the Champions League spots and Mainz safely in midtable.
Image: Imago/T. Frey
Werder Bremen 2-0 Wolfsburg
Davy Klaassen showed how quickly he is settling in at his new club by delivering a game-winning performance in a gritty match. The Dutchman's goal on the volley in the box 10 minutes before the break gave Werder confidence in a game where Wolfsburg had passages of pressure. Forty-year-old Claudio Pizarro came off the bench to set up fellow sub Johannes Eggestein for the second late on.
Image: Imago/Nordphoto
Freiburg 0-0 Bayer Leverkusen
There are still big questions hovering over Heiko Herrlich and Bayer Leverkusen after a disappointing draw away at Freiburg. Lucas Alario had a couple of good chances for the visitors while Luca Waldschmidt struck the post late on for the hosts, whose coach Christian Streich ended the day the happier of the two bosses.
Image: Imago/Eibner
Hoffenheim 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt
After 2-1 home defeats to RB Leipzig and Manchester City, Hoffenheim lost again by the same score at home to Eintracht Frankfurt. Frankfurt took a two-goal lead in Sinsheim thanks to a long-range lob from Ante Rebic and a low drive from Luka Jovic. Rebic later saw red while Hoffenheim pulled a goal back through Reiss Nelson, but Eintracht hung on for a third straight win in all competitions.
"We will learn from this," promised Nuremberg coach Michael Köllner after his side crashed to a 7-0 defeat away at Borussia Dortmund two weeks ago - but few lessons appear to have been learned as "The Club" shipped six in the Red Bull Arena. Marcel Sabitzer and Timo Werner both scored twice for RB, the latter also seeing a penalty saved after Nuremberg were reduced to ten men in the second half.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/R. Michael
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With Klaassen in the side, Bremen are a far more dangerous outfit and their ascent to second in the Bundesliga, if only for less than 24 hours, is testament to the progress they have made and the smart business the club made in the close season.
But no one will be prouder of the club's superb start to the season than the man whose very name oozes class.
