Tom Rothe: Borussia Dortmund wonderkid making big impact on loan with Holstein Kiel

In possession

Tom Rothe’s 73% pass accuracy is not exceptional, but this could be down to how frequently he crosses the ball. Crosses are rarely completed due to the difficulty of matching runs and the shape of the ball while avoiding goalkeepers and defenders. This is partially supported by Rothe’s 49% completion percentage of long passes compared to his 80% of medium passes and 85% of short passes.

These numbers suggest that the role Rothe is playing is what is lowering his pass completion rather than his quality. While a better short and medium pass accuracy will be expected as Rothe returns to Borussia Dortmund next season, these numbers should improve with match experience and a team with better technical ability around him.

Conclusion

Tom Rothe’s development is going well as he is starting regularly and is comfortably on track to surpass his total minutes from last season which were split between Borussia Dortmund’s first-team, U-23s and U-19s.

Rothe is more importantly getting these minutes in a side that is competing for promotion and showcasing his all around qualities. The 18 year old should be able to come into the Borussia Dortmund first-team next season and be given a chance to compete for a place in the squad.