Joshua Kimmich is one of the finest holding midfielders on the planet. An Amakhosi star could do worse than emulating him. Image: FIFA
This Kaizer Chiefs midfielder is the PSL’s answer to Joshua Kimmich
Kaizer Chiefs have a serious player on their hands. Here’s why he’s so similar to Bayern Munich and Germany stalwart Joshua Kimmich.
Joshua Kimmich is one of the finest holding midfielders on the planet. An Amakhosi star could do worse than emulating him. Image: FIFA
Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Njabulo Blom is a superb operator in the centre of the park.
He hasn’t always been deployed there though. Let’s take a quick look at his evolution as a player and an interesting European case study.
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Kaizer Chiefs star Blom similar to Joshua Kimmich
Why are we likening Blom to Bayern Munich and Germany dynamo Joshua Kimmich, you ask? Although there are many differences between Blom and Kimmich, there are also a few key similarities that are very interesting.
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Blom shows traits of a Bayern stalwart
Both Blom and Kimmich are exceptional off the ball, expertly covering ground laterally and snuffing out danger posed by wide attackers or marauding full-backs. These combative ballers clearly relish a battle on the ground, a true extension of their personalities. They also prefer moving the ball over shorter distances with crisp, quick passes.
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When you have a holding midfielder that can win the ball back or intercept it and then recycle it quickly and accurately, you’re a happy manager. Arthur Zwane and Julian Nagelsmann are both so lucky in that regard.
Njabulo Blom’s evolution
Blom’s footballing education started at right-back. He has since been converted into a holding midfielder, and those early defensive fundamentals have been critical in the advancement of his in-game intelligence.
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Kimmich also spent a good chunk of his teenage years and early 20s as a specialist right-back. Now, Kimmich anchors midfield for Bayern and Germany, and he’s one of the best exponents of that role on the planet. Blom would do well to watch videos of Kimmich in action, he is five years Blom’s senior, after all.
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Where Kimmich is vastly superior to Blom is in his range of creative passing and playmaking ability. Kimmich has notched double figures for assists in three of his last four Bundesliga seasons. That is a ridiculous track record for a defensive midfielder.
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If Blom can fine-tune the creative side of his game, he’s going to be a complete midfield schemer. It wouldn’t be a great shock to see him testing his skills out in Europe before long.
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Meanwhile, you can keep up on some daily World Cup trivia via football stats nerd foodball_za.
