"As things stand, he [Kimmich] will return to the number six position because he is simply one of two or three players who will always play for their club," Nagelsmann said.
I was still at Hoffenheim, but my transfer had already been announced, when I received a message from Joshua Kimmich. He got my number and simply texted me. He said that when he joined Bayern, he hadn't played a single Bundesliga game yet - and yet he still believed he could make the move. And that he believed I could do it too. He said he was happy and believed in me. At that moment, I got goosebumps, having been given so much trust in advance,
"We're opening up unnecessary holes again, even with Kimmich at midfield, who's running around everywhere again, taking every corner, wanting to take every free kick. He's running over to the right, running over to the left. I can't understand why they're completely rebuilding everything again," Basler said (as captured by Goal). Specifically, Basler thinks Leon Goretzka often suffers for some of Kimmich's mistakes.
Under Vincent Kompany's expansive possession-based style of football Kimmich will play to his strengths as a deep-lying orchestrator or an advanced playmaker higher up the pitch depending on the flow of the game. The fact that the Bavarian side loaned out it's only true midfield defensive specialist- João Palhinha to Tottenham, with an option to buy, is a clear reminder that Kompany's system is based on the high-line defense with pressing and counter-pressing to maximise possession and chance creation.
Especially in the national team, you depend on a framework and a team being built in the year and a half leading up to a tournament. And I'm currently observing that this is happening with us.
"Joshua Kimmich didn't surprise me because I already knew about him, but it's impressive to see him every day - his consistency, his attitude, his preparation..."
