Player Focus: Should Lewandowski Instantly Displace Mandzukic?

At the beginning of the year, the worst kept secret in football was announced as Bayern Munich confirmed that striker Robert Lewandowski would join them at the end of the season. The news will have come as a blow to Borussia Dortmund, who 6 months earlier had lost Mario Götze to their rivals for a fee of €37m.

With Pep Guardiola succeeding Jupp Heynckes over the summer, it was undeniable that the strongest team in Europe was going to improve and the arrival of Lewandowski would all but confirm Bayern as the best on the continent. However, one player who will undoubtedly suffer following the signing of Pole is Mario Mandzukic.

The Croat signed for the Bundesliga champions in 2012 and impressed under Heynckes, netting 18 in the league and Champions League in his debut campaign. He’s since continued this form under Guardiola, with the frontman having now scored 33 times in 59 appearances in the Bundesliga and Europe.

Mandzukic’s performances for the German outfit have led to questions as to whether they need to sign Lewandowski at all. Rumours were abound over the summer that he would join Bayern and while the reports would have unsettled any player, Mandzukic ensured his form didn’t dip, scoring 13 goals and registering 3 assists in the league this term.

His average WhoScored rating has risen from 7.47 to 7.58, indicating that Guardiola is bringing the best in of the 27-year-old. Having adopted a 4-1-4-1 formation following his appointment, the wealth of creative options available to the Bayern boss means it is little shock that a player of Mandzukic’s calibre is thriving up front.

The 4 WhoScored strengths he has developed - ‘aerial duels’, ‘headed attempts’, ‘holding onto the ball’ and ‘finishing’ - are the ideal blend of qualities that any player operating as the lone frontman must have and it’s fair to say he is utilising these attributes. His approach will also profit those behind him, with Götze, Toni Kroos and Franck Ribéry all goalscoring threats from midfield that flourish with a player of Mandzukic’s ilk leading the line.

However, one critique that weighs against him is his lack of versatility in attack. While the player is capable of finishing chances and holding up the ball to bring others into play, Mandzukic’s style doesn’t necessarily match the requirements of Guardiola. The 43-year-old prefers his team to press the opposition high up the pitch and while Mandzukic can perform this, Lewandowski does so to a much higher standard.

The 25-year-old has won possession in the attacking third the most times in the Bundesliga this season (28) and this is a huge asset to Dortmund. This factor of his game would have attracted Guardiola to the striker as he aims to bring in the right man to defend from the front, with that seemingly not Mandzukic, who has won the ball in attacking positions significantly less (7).

Furthermore, while the current Bayern striker has exhibited his scoring ability, Lewandowski is even better in this regard, with his 14 goals topped by no player in Germany’s top tier this term. With 6 assists to Mandzukic’s 3, the current Dortmund ace has not only netted more than his future teammate, but is able to provide more regularly, this coming despite Bayern (61) having scored 10 more goals than Dortmund (51) in the Bundesliga this term.

Many are of the opinion that Lewandowski is the final piece needed for Guardiola’s jigsaw. While there is no doubt that Mandzukic is a very good player, it’s fair to say he isn’t quite the match for the Spaniard’s project at the Allianz Arena. Signing one of the best strikers in the world will improve the all round quality of Bayern, making them an even more penetrative attacking unit in the process.

Lewandowski’s arrival will also allow him and Götze to renew the attacking partnership that saw Dortmund secure back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012. However, in selling both of their previous prized assets, it’s unlikely Jurgen Klopp’s side will challenge for the championship at all for the foreseeable future and the power of Bayern means it’s hard to see any team offering a genuine threat to their place at the summit of Germany’s top tier.

Despite Mandzukic’s notable displays this term, the fact is Lewandowski is an upgrade on the Croat. While it’s unfair to cast him from the starting XI, the Poland international is better suited to the system under Guardiola and will ensure Bayern maintain their stranglehold on the Bundesliga and continue to exert their dominance in Europe too.

Do you think Lewandowski should instantly displace Mandzukic next season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below