Bayern Munich defender Joshua Kimmich heaps praise on David Alaba for his solid performances in central defense.
The international break came at the wrong time for Bayern Munich. After Niko Kovac‘s departure, the team had slowly gained momentum on the pitch by two solid performances against Olympiakos and Borussia Dortmund.
Hansi Flick is yet to instill his ideas, but he made sure that there was a fixed back four for these two games. This step from Flick helped Bayern to be defensively stable by conceding very few chances in both the games.
David Alaba and Javi Martinez played in central defense last week. Jerome Boateng missed out on a place due to a two-match suspension in the Bundesliga, and Flick wanted to play the same back four in both games. Benjamin Pavard is another player that can play in the center-back position. Bayern will have to rotate these four players in central defense due to long-term injuries to Lucas Hernandez and Niklas Sule.
The center-backs brilliantly handled Dortmund’s dangerous forwards. Joshua Kimmich had nothing but praise for Alaba after his performances in this role over the last two weeks. Speaking to Bundesliga.com, Kimmich regarded Alaba as one of the best central defenders in the world.
"“He’s outstanding for me as a left-back, but I think he’s one of the best in the world at center-back.”“I’ve told David that. His body language is amazing, he has great build-up play and keeps calm under pressure.”"
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Alaba previously played in this role under Pep Guardiola. The Spanish manager also used him in a back three on a few occasions. Hence, it was not a huge surprise to see Alaba playing well in this position over the last few weeks.
The Austrian full-back’s pace and positioning help him in winning duels with top forwards, while the passing aspect of his game has always been top-class. Alaba prefers to play in the full-back role, but he is likely to be deployed in central defense due to the form of various other players in the starting eleven.
Alphonso Davies has shone in the left-back role in the last four games. The Canadian winger has been solid defensively but still needs to work on his game in the final third. He has settled in this role with ease, making it difficult for the coach to make changes to the back four.
This back four also benefits Kimmich. Pavard moves into the right-back position, allowing Kimmich to play in his favoured central midfield role. His presence in midfield improves the balance of the team, and they look more solid in both the boxes. Alaba is a terrific left-back, but for the time being, he will have to continue to play in the center-back position.