Joshua Kimmich may hold the key for Bayern Munich against Liverpool
- Chuck Smith
- Feb 11, 2019
- 3 min read
Bayern Munich outside back Joshua Kimmich has certainly made a name for himself over the years. Once considered a central midfielder prospect, Kimmich has settled into Philipp Lahm's old sport at right back and has developed into one of the top players at that position in world.
Kimmich's offensive-minded play has suited Die Roten well over the years, but at times it has also left Bayern susceptible to counter-attacks. With Bayern's center back trio of Niklas Sule, Mats Hummels, and Jerome Boateng all battling bouts of inconsistency, any lapse in defensive responsibility by another player has the potential to result in a goal for the opposition.
When looking at Liverpool's group of attackers, it is easy to see why Niko Kovac may have some uneasy nights of sleep ahead of him.
Kimmich's offensive prowess is undeniable and his value to the teams attacking unit is immense. The problem for Bayern does not necessarily just reside with Kimmich's penchant for pushing up, however. Much like Kimmich, David Alaba is among the world's best at his position, but also is know for pushing the limits of his positioning. Alaba is an absolute weapon for Bayern but with both outside backs willing to push up so high, there is little left to support the central defenders.
In addition, Kovac's move to a double pivot has provided a bit more stability to the squad defensively, but Thiago Alcantara and Leon Goretzka - who have become Kovac's preferred pairing - are both excellent offensive weapons, who are also prone to taking gambles offensively.
As Thomas Muller is suspended for both legs of the series, James Rodriguez will man the 10. While James has great qualities offensively, he has not always been the best at tracking back to join in defending. Kovac will need his 27-year-old Colombian to be mindful of the threat posed by Liverpool.
The chances that a lapse in discipline will cost Bayern are very high against Liverpool. Knowing that, Kovac's tactics and instruction to his squad will be vital, but execution of those strategies will play an even bigger role.
It's not to say that Bayern will need to be conservative, but it will need to be cautious. Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, Xherdan Shaqiri, or whoever Jurgen Klopp rolls out for Liverpool will be tasked with testing Bayern's discipline time and time again. The hope for Klopp will be that at some point his electric squad can take advantage of Bayern's lack of defensive focus. Sure, Bayern will need to score to beat Liverpool, but it will also have to find a way to maintain its defensive quality for 90 minutes if it wants to survive.
One misstep or one unfortunate gamble to make a play offensively could be the difference.
As for Kimmich, this will be one of the great tests that the 24-year-old has encountered. His mentality and discipline will be challenged in a big way. Can he fight off the urge to venture so highly up the field all of the time? Can he pick and choose his spots to safely join the attack without leaving his defensive mates susceptible? It will be fascinating to watch play out.
Kimmich is truly one of the players who embraces the big moments for Bayern. His skill and leadership will be integral to any chance Bayern has to upset Liverpool. Inside, it seems, Kimmich wants to prove to the rest of the world exactly how good he is and while Liverpool does not present the ideal match-up for him to do that, perhaps a less flashy and more defensively-focused role can convey his importance just the same as venturing up the field to create offense.
The temptation will be there, but it could be up to Kimmich to decide how this Champions League tie ends.
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