The eternal debate on Müller: expendable for Löw, irreplaceable for Flick

Sunday, October 18, 2020

Regarding moderate international matches in early October, national coach Joachim Löw was asked several times about a possible comeback by Thomas Müller. Currently, this is not a problem for the national coach. But Müller’s achievements continue to fuel discussions.

For Joachim Löw expendable, for Hansi Flick irreplaceable: in reality, the national coach and his long-time assistant coach agree on most football issues. The fact that Löw continues to rule out the return of Thomas Müller to the national team is now almost a stroke of luck for the Bayern manager. In the gigantic program before the start of the Champions League, Flick selected the rested former world champion as the key to Munich’s success.

When asked to praise striker Robert Lewandowski after 4-1 (3-0) against the promoted Arminia Bielefeld on Saturday night, Flick was quick to verbally correct the other double scorer in every interview. “I have to highlight it,” Flick said of Müller. “It is doing us very well.” Therefore, Flick likes to use the physical reserves that his former boss Löw leaves the 31-year-old player due to the long break in the weeks of international matches.

Although Müller was the only regular offensive player who had been on the field for an hour less than 48 hours earlier in the cup against Düren (3-0), he played in Bielefeld. And so, before the reigning champion’s first premier class game against Atlético de Madrid on Wednesday, he is a long runner, who took a few days off from Flick during the international break. “I should have eliminated him, but he was our most important man next to Lewy,” said Flick and never stopped raving: “It’s great how he sees the rooms. How the game moves. After red Card he knew how to defend the center in midfield. He was always playable and does a lot of things with skill. “

“Hopefully the MS takes place next year”

Such a player could certainly use the national team after three bumpy internationals in a week. And Müller, who in addition to his two goals, was also the first player to prepare for his 150th goal since data was recorded, apparently would still like to join the national team. “Hopefully the EM takes place next year,” he said with a smile at ZDF and initially evasive when asked about his hope of being nominated for the European Championship in the summer of 2021.

He still remembers “the time ago, it was a long time ago, when I was a national player,” Müller said: “There was a lot of talk about everything else. We will take it easy. But everyone can see that I am in good shape.” Loew too. The sympathetic duo Müller and Lewandowski, who also prepared goals for each other in Bielefeld, are very important to the winner of the Champions League because the Munich defense is currently a fragile structure. Even Arminia coach Uwe Neuhaus, who otherwise praised the opponent in the highest tones, said “that Bayern gave us great spaces in the back.”

More than eight goals conceded after four games, just three of 18 Bundesliga clubs conceded as of Saturday. “Of course we can defend better,” said Flick, who burned his jacket furiously after the goal of Japanese Ritsu Doan (59th) and the “stupid red card” to Corentin Tolisso (76th) after an emergency stop and a pass from return by disaster of Javi Martínez. threw. “It was too hot for me,” the 55-year-old replied when asked why, with a pained smile.

But more than in the difficult opening 4: 3 victory against Hertha BSC and in contrast to the 1: 4 in Hoffenheim, the offensive qualities outweighed the defensive deficiencies this time. Thanks to Lewandowski, who has now scored against the current 18 Bundesliga clubs and leads the scoring list with seven goals. And thanks to Müller. “Before the game, Jo Kimmich wrote in our chat that we should be voracious,” the latter said about a message from the national player who was missing in Bielefeld for the birth of his second child. The people of Munich in Bielefeld were voracious. Especially Müller himself, whose greed would probably be enough for two teams again.