Learn Playing Soccer with Thomas Mueller

San Diego soccer players could learn from the best last weekend, when SDFC played the Vancouver Whitecaps. A great way of soccer practice is soccer analysis. By watching soccer, you will learn to understand the flow of the game and learn how to solve various situations. How do the stars solve a 1v1? How do the stars react after conceiving a goal? It was the first match-up between San Diego FC and Vancouver since their last year’s playoff encounter. The guests from Canada came to San Diego as Number 1 ranked in the West. A big contribution for Vancouver’s run this season: Thomas Mueller.

Watching a player like him live is always an amazing opportunity to learn first-hand. Thomas Mueller played 17 years for FC Bayern Munich and capped 131 games for Germany. Mueller is world champion, two times Champions League winner, and won the German Championship thirteen(13!) times. This is a player to learn from.

Thomas Mueller, the Raumdeuter: Movement without the ball

Thomas Mueller dominated an era of international football when the battle of tactics between possession oriented 4-2-3-1 and the uprise of Juergen Klopp’s intense pressing soccer -- which will later lead to 3-5-2 and Gegenpressing --, apexed in the Champions League Finale 2013 between FC Bayern and Dortmund, and Germany winning the World Cup twelfth months later. Somewhere in all of this, Thomas Mueller always found some space. Literally. The player who created his own interpretation of his position. The Raumdeuter, an attacking midfielder roaming between the lines, sometimes drifting wide, always searching for free space. In his role as Number 10, Mueller often evades to the half sides. This gives him the options to play short with the near winger, with the Number 9, or with the player penetrating the space Mueller just left. In this position, Mueller can play deep through the gaps or into his mate’s foot for a one-two. And sometimes, Mueller even appears as Number 9.

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Soccer movement without the ball: Mueller is wide, keeps the formation narrow and presses, marks the CM, immediately transitions and attacks in first line.

Thomas Mueller, the Leader: Communication

Extraordinary players show responsibility and leadership on the field. Extraordinary players communicate on the field. Communication with your teammates will make each of them better and make everybody’s life easier. Communication can be warning your teammate about an opponent in their back or motivating your team member after losing a ball. Any player can communicate. Authentic, true, and motivating talks with teammates give a player a higher social standing within the team, more responsibility and leadership. In the game versus San Diego, Müller was constantly making offers wanting the ball. Mueller was coaching his teammates, explaining runs, or showing better options. Communicating with your teammates on the field helps sharing information, strengthening the social bond, and help motivating teammates. On top of this, Thomas Müller is a teamplayer. With his enduring pressing runs, his unique long stride, Mueller is probably one of the hardest working attacking players in elite soccer. He always wants the ball in order to make the team score.

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Communication: Leaders take responsibility. Giving the signal to start the attack, ensuring his team-mates to believe in their tactics, and taking responsibility to cross the ball and assist the goal himself.

Thomas Mueller, the Visionary: Anticipation

Thomas Mueller is the Raumdeuter because he anticipates space earlier than other players. All of a sudden, he appears in unusual areas, receiving the ball and scoring with unorthodox first touch finishes. This ability is called anticipation. Mueller is neither the fastest nor the technical finest player, but he is highly focused on the position of the ball and scanning the area around him. With years of experience, players can foresee how the game will develop the next few seconds and already – anticipatory – initiate their actions. This can give a player the decisive milliseconds of advantage.

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Anticipation: Reading the game, Mueller positions himself where the ball is most likely going to be next. Mueller goes wide while his defender orients forward for another second. Looking over his shoulder twice, Mueller makes sure his man-marker is on distance. Playing with his first touch, Mueller does not give his opponent any chance to win the ball.