Noussair Mazraiou is a Moroccan international who has recently signed a 4 years
contract with Bayern Munich as a free agent from Ajax Amsterdam. The right back
became the first choice right back at Ajax Amsterdam after the departure of
Sergino Dest from Ajax.
Bayern Munich after the departure if Hansi Flick and the appointment of Julian
Nagelsmann struggled to find a fixed system to stick to taking the available
players into consideration especially with the defensive setup. During Hansi
Flick days Bayern was mostly playing the 4-2-3-1 system with Benjamin Pavard
and Alphonso Davies playing both the right and the left backs respectively and
David Alaba and Jerome Boateng playing at the center back. With very limited
backups, Flick usually switches to the 3-back system when one of the full backs
gets injured or goes on suspension. Lucas Hernandez and Niklas Sule are both
center backs but Hernandez was usually forced to play at the left back in the
absence of Alphonso Davies. But in the absence of Benjamin Pavard, Flick was
forced to switch to the 3-back system as Bouna Sarr didn't prove himself enough
to be the preferred right back for Flick.
When Julian Nagelsmann arrived from RB Leipzig as a replacement for Hansi
Flick, he tried to stick to the old system Flick was using as introducing his
own new system will be risky. Both David Alaba and Jerome Boateng who were the
first choice center backs left the team which forced the signing of Upamecano
from RB Leipzig to replace one of the departed center backs and to partner
Niklas Sule who had shown his quality to be a starter at the central defence.
As the season goes on, Upamecano lost form after series of blunders which
costed Bayern. Nagelsmann was forced to drop Upamecano and fix Niklas Sule with
Lucas Hernandez. When Benjamin Pavard is unavailable, Nagelsmann also switches
to the 3-back system which caused instability in the defensive system of Bayern
Munich.
When Alphonso Davies had a long term injury in the middle of the season, Omar
Richard who was signed as a backup for Alphonso Davies was initially fixed at
the left back for a couple of games but after Nagelsmann didn't have enough
satisfaction with the player's output, he switched to the 3-back system with
Niklas Sule, Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez at the back. Most of the
players complained about the system and the outcome results on the pitch was
not as compared to their normal playing system. This caused Bayern to lose some
games on a shocking manner and concede some goals as a result of poor defensive
shape. Most pundits criticized the sporting director Hasan Salihimizic for his
reluctance to sign a natural right back as Benjamin Pavard also preferred to
play at central defence.
Noussair Mazraiou was on the radar of FC Barcelona as a main target before
Bayern Munich joined the race. The player whose contract ended after the season
agreed a verbal agreement with Bayern Munich around April has officially
completed his medicals and signed a four year contract with the Bavarians as
their first signing for the new season to come. The arrival of Noussair
Mazraiou makes him the first natural right back signing after Philip Lahm.
Bayern Munich can now stick to a fixed 4-back system and shift Benjamin Pavard
to partner either Upamecano or Lucas Hernandez at the central defence.
Noussair Mazraiou qualities as a right back fits the Bayern Munich system as
the player has high quality pressing abilities, good accurate passing abilities
toppled with greater strength and high pace to match quality wingers. Troubled
Bayern Munich fans who has always worried about the right back position can now
worry no more with the arrival of Noussair. We all hope his integration into
the squad will be easier to get him kicking for the Bavarians.
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