In his third year in the German Bundesliga, RB Leipzig and Austrian midfielder Konrad Laimer has established himself as a regular starter for the club and as one of the most influential midfielders in the whole division.
Timo Werner may be considered the most influential player for his goalscoring exploits or Dayot Upamecano, for his literal brick wall presence in defence, and while Leipzig’s remarkable success this season has largely been attributed to Nagelsmann’s system and the performances of the two aforementioned starlets at both ends of the pitch, Konrad Laimer’s consistency in the middle of the park has largely gone unnoticed.
It’s time to shed some light on a truly decorated performer.
He maybe an unknown quantity to a few of you, but in last months Champions League victory over Tottenham Hotspur, the Austrian put in a showstopping performance, also putting his name on the map. Here’s a bit of his backstory:
Who is Konrad Laimer?
Born in Salzburg, Laimer is a youth product of the much acclaimed RB Salzburg academy but made his senior debut at FC Leifering in 2014 before becoming a prominent and ever-present part of Salzburg’s league winning side in 2016/17 – contributing to seven goals from midfield winning the Austrian Bundesliga’s Player of the Season.
Like many before him, he was rewarded for his efforts with a switch to East Germany, arriving at the Red Bull Arena for a fee of £6.3million. One that is presently looking a bargain. On first look, Laimer was brought in to be a long-term replacement for the departing Naby Keita who joined Liverpool – with Laimer’s shrewd and aggressive characteristics making him the ideal fit to fill the Guinean’s shoes.
However, opportunities were hard to come by for the Austrian due to the fierce competition in midfield – Keita, Diego Demme, Kevin Kampl and veteran Stefan Ilsanker were all fighting for places in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s midfield pivot with Demme and Keita establishing themselves as the trusted pair.
That didn’t stop Laimer’s hunger to impress, he ensured he made his mark appearing in 22 games, albeit mostly at right-back. A position unfamiliar to him, but one which he performed admirably in.
Under Ralf Rangnick the following season, the Austrian was granted further opportunities in his preferred midfield role. He started 20 of Leipzig’s 34 Bundesliga outings that year – often lining up in a ‘shuttler’ role in Rangnick’s high-energy 4-1-2-1-2 diamond setup – as they finished third in the table, improving significantly on their sixth place finish the previous campaign.
Despite he’s increased game time, its fair to say that Laimer was just another cog in Rangnick’s well-oiled machine. Under Nagelsmann, however, the Austrian has proven to be indispensable, a key component in a side now aiming to knock Bayern Munich off the top.
What’s his style of play? Why is he so key for Nagelsmann?
At the beginning of the campaign, the coach nicknamed ‘baby Mourinho’ experimented a variety of systems for his players. However, the defeat to Freiburg in October led to a shift to a 4-2-2-2 formation, its now their typical and trusted shape. One which has allowed key players like Laimer to thrive. Though it hasn’t stopped Nagelsmann’s flexibility. Against Tottenham in the Champions League, he lined up in a 3-4-3 shape. Domestically, a handful of games have seen Leipzig line up in a 3-1-4-2.
Formation in league game against Wolfsburg, (3-1-4-2):
Formation in 3-0 Champions League win over Tottenham, (3-4-3):
In fact, the last time Leipzig in a 4-2-2-2 shape was in the 3-1 win against Augsburg before Christmas. Since then, Nagelsmann has continued to experiment with much success. 4-2-3-1, 4-3-1-2, 3-4-2-1 and a 4-3-3 have all been used sparingly since then. What’s been a regular feature despite the constant changes in system is the astuteness, solidarity and professionalism shown in Konrad Laimer. The midfielder has been a ever-present force.
The Austrian has lined up as a defensive midfielder 13 times this season, whereas in a customary centre-midfield, he’s lined up there 18 times. His role in the midfield rarely changes though. When Leipzig build from the back, he’s almost fulfilling the role of a ‘quarter-back’ one who dictates possession from deep, picking up pockets of space between his position and his back-line and spraying passes in between the lines.
When the team advances into the final third, the industrious midfielder makes himself available for a ‘safe’ passage of play, also providing such great protection if they are in danger of a counter-attack. He’s also not afraid to burst into the penalty area and add to Leipzig’s numbers in the box. Against Tottenham, it was his fantastic energy and movement on the right hand side – a position he used to play earlier in his Leipzig career, as a right-back – that led to Leipzig’s first goal.
For a defensive midfielder, his goal output is pretty decent, and there is the added fact that Leipzig do score a lot of goals, so he’s bound to contribute to their prowess in front of goal. 2 goals and 6 assists in 29 league outings. But that’s only a small measure of his massive influence in an industrious and exciting Leipzig side.
Per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga, the 22-year-old Austrian completes 4.05 passes into final third, averages a pass success rate of 81.5%, and completes almost 50 passes per game. He’s the dictator in possession and destructive force without the ball, a role he totally excels in averaging 3.4 tackles per game, winning 3.13, 1.75 interceptions, committing 2.2 fouls. Laimer has won a total 110 tackles in the Bundesliga this season, more than any other player in the competition, he’s also quite adept in the air despite his short frame, winning 28 duels. He’s also an effective dribbler too, averaging 1.5 successful dribbles per90 {WhoScored, FootballSlices}. He’s an effective ball-carrier, one is very efficient in transitioning from defence to attack in an instant, a regular trait of Leipzig’s attacking qualities.
It’s stats such as these that make him one of the most well-rounded and complete defensive midfielders in Europe.
Will he fit in the Barclays Premier League?
Certainly, Laimer can almost walk into any of the top sides in English football. It’s worthy to note that sides such as Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are all in the market for an effective defensive midfielder.
Konrad Laimer fits the criteria of your typical DM perfectly. He loves defending, loves a tackle and he won’t shy away from committing a few cynical tackles here and there. These are all traits highly praised in the English game. Very few defensive midfielders are thriving in the league so far. Only Wilfried Ndidi, Fred, Fabinho, Douglas Luiz and Oliver Norwood of Sheffield United have performed on a consistent basis from deep this season.
Konrad Laimer will almost certainly stand out as one of the most effective and decorated in his position if he was to move to the Premier League. However, he only recently signed a new deal at Leipzig, and with the club currently on a upward curve to success, it will be difficult to see him jumping ship at this time. It may take a huge outlay to prize him away from Leipzig, but for now…
The future certainly is bright for the Austrian international.
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