Ever-present

There have been numerous stand-out performers for the Reds this season, but for sheer endurance, reliability and longevity, three players stand a cut above the rest for having not missed a single minute of Bundesliga football: goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler and defenders Karim Haggui and Emanuel Pogatetz. The three have each played every minute of all 17 league games, and 1,530 minutes of football. Close behind them is midfielder Lars Stindl (15 appearances, 1349 minutes), followed by his partner Manuel Schmiedebach (16 appearances, 1338 minutes). Jan Schlaudraff (16 games, 1,273 minutes), Christian Schulz (16 games, 1,265), Sergio Pinto (15 games, 1,238) and Mohammed Abdellaoue (14 games, 1,133 minutes) have also featured consistently for 96 this year. Sofian Chahed (11, 910), Konstantin Rausch (17, 870) and Christian Pander (16, 841) have been also been used to good effect by manager Mirko Slomka this year, as have our squad players Steven Cherundolo (7, 585), Moritz Stoppelkamp (12, 283), Henning Hauger (3, 110), Mario Eggimann (3, 15) and Daniel Royer (1, 2). Long-term injury victims Leon Andreasen and Carlitos are yet to make an appearance in the Bundesliga, as are reserve goalkeepers Markus Miller and Samuel Radlinger. Younger prospects such as Deniz Aycicek, Erdal Akdari, Jannis Pläschke and Christopher Avevor will be hoping to make their Bundesliga debuts in the second half of the season.

'Moa' the goal-machine

Hannover’s Norwegian striker Mohammed Abdellaoue has been the pick of our strikers in terms of goals scored this season, with nine goals in the league and two assists to his name. He has also kept a cool head when taking penalties, and his 100% record of three successes from the spot from three attempts is matched only by Filip Daems of Borussia Mönchengladbach and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar of Schalke 04. Jan Schlaudraff is second in the goal charts with two, but has also laid on three for his team-mates. Christian Pander has one goal and four assists so far, while midfield dynamo Sergio Pinto has scored once, setting up three goals. Konstantin Rausch, Sofian Chahed and Mohammed Abdellaoue have two assist each, and Lars Stindl and club captain Steven Cherundolo have one assist to their names.

Pinto holds the cards 

On the defensive front, but a job no less important to the team, Sergio Pinto currently leads the table for picking up the most yellow cards. He has been booked seven times. Manuel Schmiedebach and Lars Stindl, two other combative players, trail him on five cards, followed by Christian Schulz (4), Emanuel Pogatetz, Konstantin Rausch (both 3) and Karim Haggui and Ron-Robert Zieler (both 2). Didier Ya Konan, Steven Cherundolo, Christian Pander, Altin Lala, Sofian Chahed, Mohammed Abdellaoue and Jan Schlaudraff have all been booked once. The Reds’ record for red cards is also low: Didier Ya Konan and Artur Sobiech have been shown straight red cards, while Steven Cherundolo saw two yellow cards in the victory over Bayern Munich.

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