By Paul Nicholson
February 3 – Pep Guardiola’s biographer Daniel Martinez reckons that the Bayern coach sees Philipp Lahm as his most important player. And if Bayern retain the Champions League and Germany win the World Cup then the aging defender turned midfield general would be nailed-on for the next FIFA player of the year.
Guardiola switched Lahm into midfield, a move that has highlighted the qualities of the player and the thinking behind the way Guardiola wants his side Bayern to play. If the move proves successful for Bayern – and it is working so – the knock-on effect for Germany could be to turn their outstanding captain into the difference that could win them the World Cup in Brazil.
In an interview with Munchen Merker newspaper Martinez said: “Philipp Lahm is an absolute phenomenon. You can understand the move because Guardiola isn’t happy with the opening. Jerome Boateng and Dante aren’t good passers, but Lahm is. He’s one of the best players the world has ever seen. And it’s not just that he’s so talented – it’s because he simply understands this game so well. He has just about the best control of the ball in the whole Bayern squad. He’s an absolutely no-risk man.”
Praise indeed from the man who knows Guardiola’s thinking better than anyone. While Guardiola may not see Lahm as the long term solution for central midfield for Bayern, for Germany it could be different. Sami Khedira is unlikely to make the Brazil trip and Ilkay Gündogan and Bastian Schweinsteiger are both struggling with injuries. It would not be a surprise to see Lahm in midfield in the World Cup too.
For Guardiola the key is controlling the midfield and retaining the ball, and even though the use of Lahm in midfield is taking a little time Guardiola has the league position and strength of squad to give time.
“It’s the midfielders who are essential for Guardiola. Whoever dominates the centre controls the ball and therefore the game. He tried out the three-man defence while he was still in Barcelona because that way he had one more player for the midfield,” said Martinez.
Meanwhile Guardiola will be looking to strengthen his squad in this position. “However much Rafinha has tried – Guardiola’s going to look for a solution that will enable him to take an average player like him out of the starting line-up and replace him with a magically gifted player. Alaba doesn’t need to worry – he’s really a midfielder anyway. And Löw too will realize that he’s got good centre backs but no good options for the wings. If he moves Lahm and one of the Bender brothers into the midfield he can keep the balance between the offense and the defence.”
For Germany the selection choice for the midfield roles could come down to Schweinsteiger vs Lahm. If German coach Joachim Low’s thinking ends up mirroring Guardiola’s then the there will be a new look to the national side’s formation come World Cup.
According to Martinez: “He’s going to have a problem (Schweinsteiger), because he isn’t a player who distributes the ball with perfect passes right from the word go. Further forward he’s in the way, he can’t ever fill the position that Lahm is playing in the same way that Lahm does. Guardiola has good arguments on his side at the moment: Lahm is an absolute phenomenon, and in the offensive the difference between him and Thiago is also clear to see – so as long as Bayern go on winning, Schweinsteiger’s going to have a problem.
“…In comparison to Lahm, Guardiola sees all the other players as simply normal.” Normal doesn’t win World Cups or FIFA player of the year awards.
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