Andrei Voronin. Hertha's Championship maker?

Andrey Voronin is the new mister effective in the German Bundesliga. The 30 year old Ukrainian has been the symbol of Hertha's rise to the top of the Bundesliga table. This season he has scored 10 goals in 19 games, which are not spectacular numbers for a striker, but 7 of his 10 goals have come after the winter break. He scored 3 goals in his last match against Energie Cottbus, which to this point has always been the team that Hertha seemed not able to beat. His effectiveness is even more spectacular, against Cottbus he scored on every single shot. The same was true on match day 20 when his two goals were enough to defeat Bayern Munich.

Hertha is now on top of the table four points ahead of the rest of the pack, which includes Bayern, Hoffenheim, Hamburg and Wolfsburg. But unlike any of the other clubs Hertha is up there, because they play the most efficient football. Lucien Favre has been able to transform a Berlin squad that had been known for its unstable play to a team, which has been playing consistently every week. Since the winter break the team has performed wonderfully only loosing to Wolfsburg, and Voronin has been the main reason for that.

Now the question is will Hertha be able to hang on to Voronin. The player is only on loan from FC Liverpool. Voronin, however, has been quoted as saying that he would like to remain in Berlin. Berlin as well is interested in keeping the services of Voronin, but will most likely have to give up Marko Pantelic to do so. Pantelic has been the cornerstone of the Hertha defence over the last few years, but Favre has been very public about his dislike of the Serbian forward, and it seems likely that Pantelic will leave the club. Voronin, will not be a cheap acquisition and can only be sure about Voronin remaining with the club, if Hertha qualifies for the Champions League. So Hertha, and especially Voronin will be well advised to keep up the good form and win the Championship. The next three games will important and show the direction of the club, by defeating Leverkusen, Dortmund, and Stuttgart, Hertha will be a title competitor for sure.