Bayern Munich: Julian Nagelsmann heaps praise on versatile Serge Gnabry
Bayern Munich continues to motor along in the Bundesliga as they went nine points clear at the top of the table on Tuesday, courtesy of a 5-0 win against VfB Stuttgart. The German Champions thoroughly dominated the proceedings and conceded very few chances away at Stuttgart.
Robert Lewandowski brought an end to a mini-goal drought by scoring a brace. The Polish striker surprisingly couldn’t find the back of the net against Barcelona and Mainz. He can break a few more important records if he manages to score against Wolfsburg on Friday.
Lewandowski scored two really good goals, but the star of the night was hands down Serge Gnabry. The German winger returned to the starting XI and impressed thoroughly during his 75-minute stay on the pitch against Stuttgart. Gnabry managed to score a hattrick and grabbed two assists to make it a complete performance for the winger.
Gnabry has been in and out of the team since his form has been patchy. However, Julian Nagelsmann is aware of the outstanding qualities that can hurt any opposition. While talking to Bundesliga.com on Tuesday, Nagelsmann praised Gnabry for his offensive and defensive contribution against Stuttgart.
"“He can play in different positions. It doesn’t matter whether he plays as a No.10 or No.8, he can play on both wings. That’s perfect for the whole squad because you only need one player for four positions.”“Serge can also finish with his right and left feet, as well as his head. He’s therefore very dangerous in front of the opposition’s goal, and today he defended well too.”"
The form of Leroy Sane and Kingsley Coman has made sure that Serge Gnabry had to wait for his chances in the past couple of months. He made a strong case for an extended run in the starting XI by demolishing Stuttgart in the final third.
As of now, Gnabry has nine Bundesliga goals to his name this season. The German winger should be targeting at least 20 goals in the league. With half of the season yet to come, Gnabry has enough games to achieve this target. The hattrick against Stuttgart can act as a springboard to have a productive season.
Serge Gnabry enjoyed a remarkable 2019/20 campaign. However, he suffered a dip in his numbers during the following season. Considering his numbers at the halfway stage this season, he is on course to have a much better campaign than last year. He has previously thrived under Julian Nagelsmann at Hoffenheim, so it will not be a big surprise to see him get back to his best this season.
Next. Top Performers in ruthless win over Stuttgart. dark
Meanwhile, Bayern will be looking to extend Gnabry’s contract before the end of this season. His current deal ends in 2023, but talks have been reportedly positive between both parties. Die Roten is expecting negotiations to continue in 2022, but a positive conclusion is likely to be expected by the end of the season.