Nagelsmann outlines expectations for Goretzka against Bochum: "A lazy six."
Julian Nagelsmann produced an interesting choice-of-words to describe what he expected out of Leon Goretzka in this weekend's forthcoming match against Bochum at his Friday presser.
| Leon Goretzka | Rufus46 CC-BY-SA 3.0 |
The FCB gaffer nevertheless fell back on different actors to stitch the midfield together last season. Nagelsmann no longer has Corentin Tolisso, Marc Roca, and Marcel Sabitzer at his disposal. It has been expected that Nagelsmann with deploy Leon Goretzka as a "solo six" against Bochum on Saturday. Bayern's head-coach effectively confirmed this tactic at his Friday presser.
"Leon will play for Josh," the Bayern trainer explained at the press conference, "as it was in the second half in Wolfsburg."
With Ryan Gravenberch also a confirmed out, it appears as if Nagelsmann doesn't have much of a choice. The FCB gaffer went so far as to outline his ecxpectations for Kimmich's regular partner for club and country. Goretza is to function - in Nagelsmann's own words - as a "lazy six". Some elaboration from Nagelsmann clarified that this wasn't meant in a bad way.
"Leon knows what he has to do, what his tasks are at the position," Nagelsmann noted, "He won't be working as a box-to-box player. He should support the defensive-chain while also closing gaps in front of it. Because that's also a zone into which Bochum chips a lot of balls. Leon is smart enough not to run all over the place there, but to hold the position."
