The international break is upon us, as we really have nothing better to do, why not entertain ourselves with the prospect of Thomas Müller linking up with Europe’s reigning champions?
Source: fcbayern.com
The basis for this article is the news, broken Tuesday night, that Thomas Müller is looking for a new club after slipping down the pecking order in the Bavarian capital. Philippe Coutinho’s inevitable return to form has seen the development of particularly potent connection with Robert Lewandowski. This relationship seems to be a little deeper than an on the field connection, with the predatory striker selflessly passing up the opportunity to take home the match ball against Cologne; Having already scored two goals in typically clinical fashion, Lewandowski allowed the Brazilian the opportunity to break his Bayern duck from the penalty spot, and Coutinho didn’t need asking twice.*
*Well… He did, actually, having to convert the spot kick a second time due to encroachment, but you get the gist of quite how emphatically Coutinho converted.
Onto Müller, with the season well underway and Oktoberfest a mere foggy memory, the German, who’s reliable goalscoring influence has wained in recent seasons, has had ample time to reflect on his future. Having started just three games thus far this term, it is easy for any to see that Müller may well be looking elsewhere.
Still only 30-years-old and playing for the club which gave him his professional debut, the romance looks to have gone a touch stale. So why should we not reap the rewards? There are plenty of questions to answer as to where he would play, why he would join us etc. But, for now, let us marvel at the stats behind an under appreciated genius who could work his way onto Klopp’s shopping list for the January sales:
Müller’s two best consecutive seasons in terms of output were the 2014/15 and 15/16 seasons. Across the two, Müller directly contributed 33 goals (0.63 p90) and 15 assists (0.29 p90). But, that was a few years ago. His last two full seasons, Müller only contributed 14 goals (0.27), but with a staggering 22 assists (0.45). So, the goals aren’t as freely flowing as the once were. Has this changed the importance of Müller’s role in the team? No, not at all. If anything, there’s a marginal increase. This can be seen in his xGChain90, which is the total xG of every possession per 90 minutes. This has ticked over from 0.99 to 1.01 in the two periods. To put this into context, Firmino, who many regard as the key to the fast, fluid and aggressive way our forward line plays, can only boast 0.87. This figure is also well clear of Mané at 0.84 and marginally ahead of Salah’s sensational 0.97.
So what does this mean and why do we need him? The simple answer is we don’t. But, City don’t need Jesus and Aguero, Bernardo and Mahrez, Sane and Sterling. You don’t need them until you need them, just look at their current back line; not replacing Kompany has really come back to haunt them. Müller is one of an upper echelon of footballers, those gifted with a real brain for the game. He is a hugely intelligent footballer not defined by position, in that he can ply his trade wherever he is left on the pitch. In his own words, Müller describes his game as “ich bin ein raumdeuter”, which literally means “I am a space investigator” and that is truly what he does. No matter where he plays on the pitch, there will be space to exploit, particularly if the players around you are known for their selfless running to create these opportunities. So whether he is rotated in and out of our front line, brought into a midfield three or played as a 10 in a 4-2-3-1 his influence would only benefit the team. He is a sensational player with a true gift, a real maverick of the game who needs a new home.
The reports of him being unsettled are merely rumours, but it is easy to see why this might be the case. It may well be time for pastures new and while we can’t promise him the game time and wages Man United, for example, might be able to. It might just be a project that could tempt Müller, as we look to move on from an exceptional season, into an era of dominance.
Louie Hughes
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