Player Focus: Müller Consolidating His Place as One of Europe's Best
“When God created space, Müller was already there.” A joke, of course, but one told with a wry smile across the face. You see, the German is a player capable of finding space anywhere in the final third. Thomas Müller is a player whose biggest strength is being in the right place at the right time. The Germany international even has a role on the pitch designed specifically with him in mind - the “Raumdeuter”, or “space interpreter”. His intelligence on the pitch is unrivalled in the game and it’s herein where Müller succeeds.
Widely considered a ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ footballer, Müller doesn’t excel in any particular aspect of the game. Lionel Messi has his dribbling ability, Cristiano Ronaldo has sheer power, but it's feasible to suggest the 25-year-old Bayern star has no outstanding trait to rank him among the best, physically anyway. Rather, his best asset is in his mind and his ability to maximise the space afforded to him. Not the quickest player, Müller’s excellent reading of the game allows him to gain half a yard on the opposition as he looks to net by any means necessary.
“Thomas is a very unorthodox player and you can’t really predict his lines of running, but he has one aim and that is ‘how can I score?’” Germany manager Joachim Löw said of his compatriot. It’s this unpredictability that endears Müller to fans and peers alike. Bayern are the primary beneficiaries of the attacker’s unique approach to goalscoring, though his country also profit, with 8 goals in his last 5 appearances for Bayern and Germany. Müller has scored more goals (5) than any other player in Europe’s top 5 leagues this season. Pertinently, though, each of these 5 goals have been dubbed ‘clear-cut’, further accentuating his impressive movement off the ball.
Having netted 10 or more league goals in five of the previous six seasons, one would not bet against Müller breaking into double figures before the year is out, such is Bayern’s offensive ability coupled with the player's unwavering determination to hit the back of the net. One only has to watch his and Germany’s second goal against Scotland on Monday night to fully appreciate Müller’s knack of ghosting into goalscoring positions. Emre Can’s powerful shot was palmed away by David Marshall into the path of the unmarked Müller, who did just enough to head the rebound into the back of the net.
For Ilkay Gundogan’s winner, the Bayern star pulled away from his marker to break down the right before pulling back for the Dortmund midfielder to fire past Marshall. If anything, the two goals encapsulated Müller perfectly. His clever use of the space gifted to him has rendered the player one of the most highly-rated players in Europe, despite boasting the physical attributes of a long-distance runner. A world class footballer who doesn’t look like a footballer, if you will.
His performances thus far have seen him gain a WhoScored rating of 8.62, the best in the Bundesliga and the fourth highest in Europe’s top 5 leagues. The partnership he has quickly forged with summer arrival Douglas Costa has helped Müller start the campaign in stunning fashion, with the Brazilian assisting 2 of the German’s 5 league goals, the most profitable assist to goalscorer combination in Germany’s top tier at this early stage of the season.
Credit must also go to Bayern boss Pep Guardiola for adopting a system that not only brings out the best in his players, but seems tailor-made for Müller. A 3-4-3 diamond formation with Müller at the tip of the midfield four eases his defensive responsibilities. This also means that, unless opposition midfielders are specifically tasked with marking him out of the game, Müller is effectively handed a license to wreak havoc in the opposition penalty area. Even then, his excellent work off the ball means he is one of the most difficult players to contain. It’s no wonder Manchester United were prepared to spend in excess of €100m to take him to Old Trafford, while Bayern were more than adamant that he would not leave the Allianz Arena.
The arrival of Arturo Vidal means much of the dogged work in the middle of the park is shouldered by the Chilean, further alleviating the defensive work Müller needs to carry out for this Bayern side, in the process allowing him to do what he does best - score. The goals may be scrappy, but Müller is a player any team would want to put the ball in the back of the net. The simplicity with which he plays the game has quickly made him a fan favourite for club and country and the way Guardiola has set up his Bayern team means there is no reason why he cannot continue his excellent start to the season.
A Jack of all trades, maybe, but a master of none? Müller has proven once more that latter statement couldn’t be further from the truth.
Where does Müller rank among Europe's finest? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
