Don't understand why many are turning pessimistic on Kroos. He is what he is: a very player who is very strong technically but lacks pace. The lack of pace means he probably won't turn into a superstar-type player. It's really that simple. This means his ideal position is as center-midfielder, and that's about it. Best case scenario, he turns into another Schweinstieger, a little better technically, but less strong in the tackle or in defence. The best move Bayern managment made was loaning him out to get playing time with Bayer Leverkuse. Wasn't this Klinsmann's idea?
He actually has 4 less appearances for Bayern than he did Bayer, and the season isn't over. At first he wasn't getting a lot of playing time as far as I remember. LvG always used him in his starting lineup whenever fit. However, a foot injury, especially for 2 months - he found it hard to bring him in from scratch for a full 90 minutes.
at bayer leverkusen he got a meaningful run of games extending over a season. At bayern he hasn't been played properly in a position yet.
He didn't feature for Leverkusen at the beginning I thought - might be wrong on that. He has played many times in the holding midfielder role though. However, I don't see him, with his kind of pace -playing as he did in Bayer. Besides, where would he feature? Muller, Ribery and Robben are all fixed, as is Gomez. Either way, he has been really good as a holding midfielder with an attacking dimension to him in the mould of Xavi or something. He has exceptional passing ability and distribution, it is the best place he could work in.
He played a full season and a few games in the few months before that for bayer leverkusen. He never played as a holding midfielder before arriving at bayern this time. In all his other teams he's been a #10, but that doesn't exist in modern football apparently. In leverkusen he was ahead of where bayern have played him, playing in the middle and on the left. Closer to his #10 role. At bayern they've pulled him back more. He's really an old fashioned #10. All things considered he'd be better off playing at a different club now.
Thanks for correcting that then. I don't a real #10 exists in the fast pace of todays game for a number of reasons but thats off topic. Either way, he featured heavily as a holding midfielder and did fine, with the exception of a number of games where the whole bayern squad collapsed. But generally doesn't misplace any passes. I think most people are bummed that an attacking player can be converted into a more defensively minded one. I really want to see Kroos develop because he entertains like few can, and maybe one day he can play alongside Schweini at the National Team too.
He's been shafted a bit at bayern because they've fit him into several positions, and that's fine and he's done ok, but given that he is widely rated as an exceptional attacking talent, it's a waste. At leverkusen he was allowed to develop as one. Right now he needs a place where he can play with the pressure off andwith more stability, compared to bayern.
It's more a way to get him into the starting formation if all of Robben, Ribery, Müller and Gomez are fit.
Kroos has signed a new contract until 2015 "I'm glad that FC Bayern will continue to count on me. I feel good here, Bayern has excellent prospects, and I’m sure that in the coming years we can win the titles that Bayern fans hope for." http://www.fcbayern.telekom.de/de/aktuell/news/2011/28875.php
And how is that good for his development and finding and developing his game? Well, it's his career I guess.
Kroos has some understanding of what is to come of course, dare I say he'd be foolish if he signed a new deal without appreciating the consequences. If Bayern give him their word (or rather, the coach's) that he will continue to feature heavily throughout the season - then he has no reason not to. Since he is being reunited with a former coach he thrived under - I am certain he can continue to entertain us next season.
Actually I take that back, maybe it is not a good idea at all. Seeing Oezil this weekend improve even against Barca, his positional awareness, passing and control - he's only been able to improve by leaps and bounds because he has always been in the starting 11 in werder in the bundesliga. This is simply not possible for Kroos if he doesn't start. I am not at all optimistic about his future, being he is in a team which demands so much results and offers players so little freedom.
It's a bit worrying, yes. But I think it might be wise to wait one more season, to see how well Kroos does with Jupp at the helm. Maybe that's a coach who knows how to get the best out of this particular player and how to develope him further, as was showcased - or at least hinted at - during their time together at Leverkusen. 2011/12 might be Kroos' breakout season and with the Euro following directly after it ends, he might be a star ~15 months from now. If, however, he still doesn't thrive under Heynckes by largely remaining a bench player or only putting in average/solid performances throughout the course of the next season and then fails to make the starting line up of the NT, he will have to fix his career. Probably not at Bayern, but who knows what the club situation will look like next year. In any case, Kroos will not be a lost cause because he'll still be young even by then. Maybe he's not a player like Özil who made the big step at 20/21 or like Götze, who's already playing a brilliant season at age 18, but rather one like Ballack or Schweinsteiger, who made a huge leap at around 24/25. Or like Andy Möller, who never got past the talent status, despite winning every possible title in football (and being a starter and, often, key figure in almost all of the wins).
Heynckes entrusted Kroos at Bayer and we all saw Kroos really showcased his playmaking skills. However, this was at Bayer, we have Muller, Ribery, Gomez and Robben. I am not sure how he'll fare in the holding midfielder position, he is a terrific passer and even Hitzfield praised him for his passing, but he doesn't know how to break play, at least not yet. I would love to see him work it with Schweinsteiger, but he himself wants to play in a more attacking position. If Bayern don't get another holding midfielder, he will probably have a great season - but I doubt it.
If people stop comparing Kroos to Özil we might be less disappointed. There is obviously a big gap between the two now and it's more productive to focus on Kroos's individual trajectory rather than hold him up to the standard of arguably the best German talent in over a decade.
Kroos was actually far better in developing at first. However, he is younger, and has received far less playing time than Oezil has done. Besides Bayern, no club has depended on Kroos as was the case with Oezil.