Despite Kimmich’s appreciative comparison: one experiment by Vincent Kompany has, for the time being, had its day at Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich’s first competitive matches of the new season included, among other things, a positional experiment. Despite some useful signs, there is no longer any need for it for the time being.
When Jürgen Klopp learned that Nathaniel Brown would also be playing in an unfamiliar position in Bayern Munich's Bundesliga opener against VfB Stuttgart (5-1), the new Germany head coach responded in typically flippant fashion: "So we've finally got a left-back and then they play him as a No 10," the 59-year-old laughed on Sat.1.
Brown is supposed to help Germany move on from the full-back problems that have been smouldering for years, at least on the left under Klopp. Yet for his new club, the €50 million signing lined up in the unfamiliar No 10 role in his first two competitive appearances.
How did the personnel-driven experiment go? Mixed probably sums it up quite well. "For us, the spaces for the full-backs are sometimes similar to those of a No 10. He is unbelievably good between the spaces," Bayern coach Vincent Kompany explained after the Super Cup win at Borussia Dortmund (2-1). Brown, who had last played as a No 10 at youth level, initially found it difficult to get into the game, which was only to be expected in the circumstances. Then, just as he was beginning to find his rhythm, he finished superbly to put Munich in front.
How did Nathaniel Brown play as a No 10 for Bayern Munich?
"At the start it wasn't so good from me, in the first few minutes I didn't really get into it. But the goal then gave me confidence," Brown said after the final whistle as he looked back on his competitive debut for the German record champions. With Jamal Musiala, Serge Gnabry, Lennart Karl and new signing Ismael Saibari all unavailable, Kompany had no fewer than four established options for the No 10 role missing. Remarkably, he did not turn to Tom Bischof as expected and instead moved Brown from left-back into the creative hub.
"I don't know if that was the plan. Especially in the first games I did think I'd be used at left-back," the former Frankfurt player said, clearly surprised by it, and between the lines it was possible to read that he would rather operate as a left-back. Dutifully, he then added: "It doesn't matter to me, it was great fun."
Against BVB, Brown turned in a perfectly decent display in the No 10 role. "He is an unbelievably intelligent player. He moves well between the spaces and he scores goals," Kompany said. Midfield leader Joshua Kimmich then reached for a comparison with a former Bayern utility player. "In terms of profile, he can play the same positions as Raphael Guerreiro. He can play left-back, right-back, in this No 10 position, but he can also play out wide," Kimmich said enthusiastically about Brown's flexibility.
Why is Nathaniel Brown so valuable for the depth of Bayern Munich's squad?
By doing that, he even forgot the No 6 role, where Brown also offers a back-up option, just as he does on the attacking flanks. That makes the new arrival a real trump card for Bayern's depth and means he can theoretically slot in almost anywhere: "I just want to get my minutes, whether it's on the left, right or as a No 10. It doesn't really matter to me. Of course, my regular position is as a left defender, but I feel comfortable everywhere. In this team it's easier to play in unfamiliar positions too," Brown said after the league opener against Stuttgart.
Against VfB, Brown had significantly less influence on the game than he did in Dortmund and struggled throughout his time on the pitch, which lasted a good hour. The main reason he is unlikely to be seen as a No 10 again for the time being, though, is a different one: the personnel situation is simply easing.
Musiala was recently absent after his two collapses in the friendlies against Leipzig (3-1) and Heidenheim (4-2), which were traced back to a neurological dysfunction that causes so-called absence seizures. The dosage of the medication used to treat his illness has been increased again and his body has been given the necessary time to adjust. Musiala could possibly make his comeback at Schalke next weekend. The 23-year-old, as Kompany assured only recently, is in purely sporting terms in his best shape for a long time and, after his serious and lengthy injury, could now finally return to his old strength.
Alongside Jamal Musiala and Ismael Saibari: which stars are also returning for the No 10 position at Bayern Munich?
Now, instead of a shortage of personnel, Bayern's playmaker position is shaping up as a heavyweight battle for places packed with stars. New signing Saibari, who came on for Brown in the 61st minute against Stuttgart, is gradually getting up to speed after the muscle injury he suffered at the World Cup and showed impressively at the league opener how much he can offer FCB. The Moroccan's assists for Munich's fourth and fifth goals were both highly impressive.
Alongside Musiala and Saibari, youngster Karl will soon be pushing into the team as well. He had suffered a torn muscle fibre shortly before the World Cup and made his comeback against Stuttgart with a brief appearance. By his own account, he is now at "90 per cent". Then there is Gnabry, who has been out injured since April and whose return to action is also slowly but surely taking shape.
That means there should be less and less need for the Brown experiment as a No 10 in the coming weeks. Klopp will be pleased, after all Brown is meant to take on an important role at left-back in the rebuilding of the Germany team and, from Klopp's point of view, it would therefore make sense for Brown to play as a left-back for his club as well. Still, he has a high-profile rival there in Alphonso Davies, who hopes finally to have got his injury problems under control, made a fairly convincing return to the starting line-up against Stuttgart and is not as versatile as Brown.
For the time being, he may no longer be needed as a No 10, but a switch to right-back, the No 6 role or the attacking flanks remains an option at all times. To put it freely in Kimmich's words: with Brown, Bayern have signed not only a top left-back, but also a Guerreiro at an even higher level.
