How Thomas Muller got back on track and found his best form with Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich and Thomas Muller agreed on a two-year contract extension. His play this season earned him the deal and silenced critics along the way.

After months of rumors and speculation over his future, Thomas Muller agreed to a contract extension with Bayern Munich.

The new two-year contract extension runs his deal up until 2023. The agreement was like a sigh of relief for the 30-year-old.

“For me, the number one priority was to extend at FC Bayern – and the club felt the same way,” Muller told the club’s website. “I’ve been with FC Bayern for a good two-thirds of my life now, so you can’t say that the club and I are just along for the ride – we fight for each other.”

This is quite a turnaround for a player who was at a career crossroads just months ago. In October, Muller gradually became a bench option under then-manager Niko Kovac following a season where he was a regular in the starting lineup. Over the team’s opening 16 games of the 2019-20 campaign, Muller accounted for just eight starts coupled with a fair eight goal contributions. The German international fell out of favor with Kovac as new addition Philippe Coutinho slotted into the number 10 role in the team’s 4-2-3-1 setup.

In typical Muller fashion, he was honest and straightforward about the situation.

“Of course the new signings increased the competition in my best position but that’s not the problem,” Muller said in October. “A manager has to make difficult decisions ahead of every game. But in the recent five games there has been a trend that doesn’t make me happy.”

“If the coaching staff see me as a sub in the future, I will have to think about my situation. I’m too ambitious to not do that.”

All signs pointed towards it being a farewell season for Muller until Hansi Flick became the manager in November.

Under Flick, Muller has become a revitalized player and is now playing his best soccer since Pep Guardiola roamed the sidelines at the Allianz Arena. In 15 league games with Flick in charge, Muller has racked up a Bundesliga-high 12 assists and an expected assists per 90 rate of 0.76. In contrast, he recorded four assists and a 0.57 expected assists per 90 rate in 10 league games under Kovac this season.

Muller’s success under Flick stems from being more assertive in the final third and simply reading the game — two key components for any revered attacking player.

Muller has become more of a force in the final third than in previous seasons. He is shying away from racking up shots and is more inclined to creating goal-scoring opportunities for teammates. With Arjen Robben’s retirement, the team needed that creative force who would blossom as an unpredictable facilitator. And Muller has stepped up to the calling.

Through 25 Bundesliga games, he is tallying up career highs in key passes per 90 (3.42) and passes to the box per 90 (6.44), according to Wyscout. His impact is thanks to the constant active involvements in distributing passes high up the pitch and disorganizing the opponent’s defensive line. The unselfish mentality is simply part of his repertoire as an attacking footballer.

“Everyone knows I like to keep an eye on my fellow players and find them in goal scoring positions,” Muller said following the win over Cologne. “I try to do my best as part of our system of play and to create chances.”

As alluded to, one of the more innovative components of his game is how well he reads opponent’s defenses. The former Champions League winner is not one to use flashy on-ball skills to dribble past defenders or distribute tight-angle passes in between the lines. Instead, he is someone who thrives off of exploiting space on the pitch. Flick recognized this and has embedded it into the team’s tactical setup when in possession.

Muller is one who scatters around the final third and pounces onto open space like he just struck gold. There is never a dull moment when watching him play because of his constant movements. The relentless aim to weave into space is something that just can not be taught. His ability to be at the right place at the right time is not a mere coincidence or luck; this notion undermines his work rate to constantly be a magnet to open space. In the same way some strikers become known as poachers for waiting around the six-yard box for shot attempts, so does Muller in his instinct to progress into open space whenever certain areas on the pitch — half-space or center — free up.

His unconventional style as a position-less player perfectly complements Flick’s aggressive attacking approach and creates strong chemistry with Robert Lewandowski. With Lewandowski becoming the main focal point of an opponent’s defensive tactical plan, the over-reliance to mark him often leaves open space for Muller to drift into. But when Muller is pushing into the penalty box, it simply overwhelms the opponent’s defensive line.

Lewandowski attributes the team’s success to his chemistry with Muller.

“It’s easier with Thomas next to me,” Lewandowski said. “He helps me out a lot; we complement each other very well. Thomas is always heading towards the opposition goal, with a lot of movement.

“We always have one player more in the penalty area when he plays, I have more space and not always two or three opponents against me. Maybe we’ll play together more often.”

For a player who was tabbed as an outcast on the team early in the season, Muller has emerged as one of the most potent playmakers in Europe. Thus, it became a no-brainer for Bayern to end speculation of a potential fallout between the two and sign him for another two years.

His versatility as an attacking-minded player also certainly played a role in the extension agreement. Under Flick, Muller can play out as a central attacking midfielder, winger, secondary striker, center-forward and base midfielder. What club would want to move on from an integral player who can adapt under essentially any tactical setup?

Even if Bayern were to go out and spend an astronomical transfer fee for the likes of Kai Havertz or Leroy Sane, Muller would still have a chance to compete for a starting role because of his capability to play multiple positions.

Muller’s extension ensures that the club will not only keep a player who has become the heart of the Bavarian powerhouse but also maintains stability within the squad, which the board have become renowned for. Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge may now shift his focus on extending both David Alaba and Thiago.

For the moment, Bayern’s future remains in good hands with Muller amongst the ones leading the way.