Leon Goretzka becoming a vital cog of Bayern Munich

Leon Goretzka has slowly become an important player at Bayern Munich.

Bayern Munich has been flawless since football resumed in May. With six wins across all competitions, Die Roten remains on track to retain Bundesliga and DFB Pokal. The performances have varied in every game, showing the tactical adaptability of the current squad.

The midfield department has helped Flick to be flexible with his approach, depending upon the opponent. Having said that, the German manager doesn’t compromise on playing an attractive style of football. However, he knows when the team needs to pull the trigger and when the team needs to retreat for getting results in their favour.

Leon Goretzka has been in the center of midfield brilliance for Die Roten in the past four weeks. The German midfielder has been in tremendous form, executing multiple different roles in the center of the park. He has made it hard for Thiago Alcantara to return to the lineup despite the Spaniard himself being in great form.

Goretzka enjoyed a fruitful debut season last year. However, his second year in Bavaria started with injury problems, which eventually didn’t allow him to find a rhythm in his performances. The recent resurgence shows that those issues are behind him. Speaking to Kicker this week, Joachim Low, Germany manager, heaped praise on Goretzka for his recent performances.

"“His most recent development is particularly gratifying, Leon has earned a very good position at Bayern Munich.”“He is a player who you can rely on. As a person and as a player. He has a certain depth, is very professional, lives very well, is clear about his role, and with his attitude an example.”"

More from Bayern Strikes

• Bayern Munich: Tactical takeaways from 2-2 draw against Bayer Leverkusen
• Bayern Munich: Kingsley Coman set to be fit for Manchester United clash
• Bayern Munich unlikely to move for Trevoh Chalobah in January
• Bayern Munich: Key lessons from draw against Bayer Leverkusen
• Bayern Munich remains keen on hiring Max Eberl

The German midfielder has come back from a two-month break with much better fitness. Goretzka is every coach’s dream midfielder to work due to his versatility. He can operate as a destroyer or a robust number six, breaking up the play and initiate the attacks from a deep position. Along with being a physically strong midfielder, Goretzka is also technically a very well rounded midfielder.

Goretzka can also become the engine of the midfield by operating as a number eight. He never stops chasing ball, covering every blade of grass throughout the game. Moreover, he has the knack of scoring goals by arriving late in the box. In the past five league games, Goretzka has contributed to three goals. His late runs cause havoc in the box, and his well-rounded shooting technique makes it difficult for the goalkeeper to make saves.

The former Schalke midfielder can also operate as a number ten. With Thiago and Joshua Kimmich operating as a pivot, Goretzka has been occupying the number ten position. The German international is not the usual silky number ten, but he still comes up with goals and assists with a direct approach.

Goretzka has the best years of his career ahead of him, so he is going to play a big role for Die Roten in the future. With more competition in the center of the park, the German midfielder will become even better.  The German international may not get the plaudits every game, but his steady development makes him an important and influential player for Die Roten.