Europa League talking points

Risky rotation?

To change or not to change? Lucien Farve made two after Gladbach's Bundesliga thrashing of Schalke, and it looked as though it had worked. Patrick Herrmann and Branimir Hrgota both looked lively early on, the former even scoring. Soon though, lively became disappointing. The Swedish striker, who had hit five goals in Europa League qualifying, missed a good chance to double Gladbach's lead and Herrmann drifted out of the game. It's always easy to criticize a coach based on the changes he made, but after the weekend thumping of Schalke, wouldn't it have been better to let the same eleven play?

That's what Dieter Hecking did, but perhaps he was the one that should have made some changes as his side struggled to shake of the ineffectiveness that hampered them against Hoffenheim last weekend. Despite having more of the ball and more shots in the first half, Wolfsburg's attackers continued to make poor decisions at pivotal times. Kevin de Bruyne is running out of reasons why he hasn't yet re-discovered that sparkling form of his and for some, Robin Knoche perhaps the most obvious, the occasion proved too much.

Defensive doors

While Gladbach tackled well in one-on-one situations, Villarreal found ways through their backline as the game progressed, and in the second half with alarming regularity too. The backline didn't appear to be clear of how high to play - as best seen for Villarreal's equalizer - and relied too much on winning those one-on-one battles. Alvaro Dominguez and Tony Jantschke are strong in those situations, but they're simply too risky to be the basis of any defensive performance. Win them, you're the hero but lose them and you almost certainly concede.

Kramer key

If sides figure it out soon enough, Kramer might not even be in the Bundesliga much longer. The young midfielder, who famously played but came off after suffering concussion in the 2014 World Cup final, was at the heart of everything good that Gladbach did. When Gladbach weren't so good, it was Kramer looking to create and urging his side forward, whether with intent or mature caution. His poise and awareness continues to impress.

Wing-back woe

Both Sebastian Jung and Ricardo Rodriguez were left looking second-best against Everton. Kevin Mirallas constantly got the better of Jung, almost toying with him by the end of the first half. Rodriguez, playing in the country where a number of clubs are rumored to be interested in his services, might have wished for another crack at the whip. While things improved in the second half - Rodriguez's goal was a reminder that he's a set-piece specialist, but that's not his primary task - Wolfsburg's full-backs struggled to effectively threaten in the same way as their hosts. After all, Everton's second goal was assisted and scored by their two wing-backs

Comical composure

Gladbach's Hrogta and Wolfsburg's Luiz Gustavo missed glorious close-range chances at key times in their respective games. Hrgota missed at a time when two-nil might have ended the contest, while Wolfsburg failed to give themselves a way back into the game despite playing most of the football in the second half. Admittedly, Tim Howard was in fine form but there were just as many missed chances as there were good saves. Everton converted their three main chances, and hardly troubled Benaglio otherwise. Villarreal scored one of their three chances, most notably after Gladbach missed the majority of theirs.

Amusing anecdotes:

Unbelieve Uche

Gladbach's encounter included a remarkable substitute appearance by striker Ikechukwu Uche. The Nigerian came off the bench and scored instantly with his first touch, but injured himself in the process and was brought off immediately. The most effective substitute of all time? It's hard to beat.

Pitch phone

While Uche was taken off the field, the Villarreal physio dropped his phone. Gladbach midfielder Granit Xhaka found it moments later, while the ball was in play, and eventually it found its way back to an embarrassed staff member.

Blinded Benaglio

Having conceded/scored the opening goal, Wolfsburg goalkeeper Diego Benaglio dashed off the pitch to receive some treatment. It turned out, his contact lens had moved and he needed some help. Best he didn't try himself with those gloves on…