Joshua Kimmich Is Rising As A World Class Midfielder
Joshua Kimmich first rose to prominence as the heir to Philipp Lahm. Slotting in as the Bayern Munich right-back, Kimmich was quickly at home in Die Roten’s first team.
When Hansi Flick arrived in late 2019, it all changed for Kimmich as he swapped the right-back spot for central midfield.
Over half of Kimmich’s Bayern appearances have been in midfield, and that disparity continues to grow. He returned to a right-back role – or wing-back if we’re being precise – for Germany at Euro 2020 and proved he can still be an effective presence from wide.
There’s no doubt Kimmich is at his best in the CDM football position, however, as he’s earned a place in the conversation to be the best CDM in the world.
Right-back and defensive midfield are two positions that typically go under the radar.
Alongside the goal scoring exploits of Robert Lewandowski and the highlight play of Alphonso Davies, Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman and Leroy Sane, it’s easy to overlook what Kimmich does for the 31-time German champions.
Kimmich’s kit number isn’t going to make the back pages that often. He has scored just 36 goals in his club career in well over 300 appearances.
The impact of Kimmich is subtler than many of his flashier counterparts, but he’s one of Bayern and Germany’s most important players.
Joshua Kimmich Statistics
To the surprise of very few, Kimmich’s statistical profile stands out among the best at the CDM football position. Pretty much every Kimmich stat is elite, ranking in the 99th percentile in expected assists per 90 for midfielders over the last 365 days.
Kimmich’s effectiveness as a playmaker is further illustrated by his 4.86 shot creating actions per 90.
He’s a player who can truly dictate tempo, and he’s the heart of Bayern’s game in possession, registering over 90 pass attempts per game, which again sits among the most for players at his position.
The Germany international isn’t a sideways passing momentum killer, though. Both as a passer and ball carrier he has been aggressive, with 9.1 progressive passes per 90 and 6.15 progressive carries.
Combining ball progression both through passing and dribbling is a special skill set. This is particularly impressive when combined with Kimmich’s engine and defensive nous.
We’ve touched on Kimmich’s rare goal scoring exploits, but that’s an irrelevance given his impact on the rest of the game. Defensively, the stats are less obvious than in possession, and that can largely be put down to the amount of ball Bayern tend to have.
The Champions League – when Die Roten tend to face tougher opponents – perhaps gives a better idea, with Kimmich generally posting higher tackle and interception numbers.
For instance, he’s at 4.4 tackles and interceptions per game in the 2021-22 Champions League compared to just 2.9 in Bundesliga play.
There really aren’t any holes in Kimmich’s game. He was developing into one of the best right-backs on the planet before being shifted into midfield, a change that he has taken in his stride.
The Germany international is going from strength to strength, and having just celebrated his 27th birthday, he’s only just entering the usual peak years for a player in his role.
Is Kimmich The Best CDM In The World?
While we’ve sung Kimmich’s praises extensively, it’s a big call to name him as the best CDM in the world right now. The competition at the position is fierce, particularly from Chelsea, Liverpool and Real Madrid in N’Golo Kante, Fabinho and Casemiro.
None of those players are direct comparisons for Kimmich, of course. Kante plays the position in a slightly different manner, while Fabinho and Casemiro fall far short when it comes to final third contributions.
Fabinho is the defensive master of the quartet, leading the way across the defensive categories.
Some of this, though, can be attributed to his duties in Jurgen Klopp’s side. Casemiro strikes a balance between the defence-first nature of Fabinho and the creative mastery of Joshua Kimmich.
When looking at their overall statistical output, it’s hard to put anyone above Kante. He’s a Champions League, Premier League and World Cup winner.
He’s repeatedly delivered on the biggest stages, putting in match-winning performances against the best teams in the world for club and country. Do Chelsea win the 2020-21 Champions League if Kante is swapped for Kimmich, Casemiro or Fabinho?
Some will point to the ease with which Bayern dominate the Bundesliga as a way to talk down Kimmich’s candidacy to be considered the best CDM in the world.
Maybe there is some value in that. Bayern have a greater margin for error across a league campaign, and Kimmich generally has less to do in defence.
Regardless of his standing among the top players in the world, Kimmich is in the conversation, which is impressive in itself.
For a player who started his senior career at right-back, there’s no doubt that Kimmich is one of the best defensive midfielders on the planet, and with Kante in the tail end of his prime, he could soon be recognised as the best of the best.
