Nathaniel Brown has been given two chances to start under Jürgen Klopp. However, he has offered little to suggest he can compete with Alphonso Davies.
Nathaniel Brown was among the Bayern pros who had high hopes for the first international break under Jürgen Klopp. The 23-year-old was in the starting lineup for both the 1-1 draw against the Netherlands and the 0-1 loss to Greece.
This also gave Brown the opportunity to regain some confidence after seeing limited playing time recently with FC Bayern. He only partially succeeded in doing so.
Against the Netherlands, the left back showed what he’s capable of, especially on offense. In his best play, he outran Virgil van Dijk and set up Karim Adeyemi for a huge scoring chance. Defensively, however, Brown struggled. He was at a physical disadvantage, particularly against Denzel Dumfries, and he also lost sight of the scorer on Cody Gakpo’s late 1-1 equalizer.
In his second start against Greece, the Bayern Munich player then remained largely inconspicuous. Although Brown repeatedly pushed far forward, he rarely created any danger there. His best moment came after the break, when he broke through to the end line and delivered a sharp cross into the penalty area. His day on the field ended in the 84th minute.
Davies has reestablished himself at Bayern
Brown thus failed to fully capitalize on his big opportunity during the international break. This is certainly relevant for the competition for playing time at Bayern Munich. Alphonso Davies had already regained the upper hand with strong performances.
In the 7-0 win over Union Berlin, the 25-year-old was one of Munich’s standout players and was involved in two goals. Davies set up Jamal Musiala’s opening goal after a dynamic run. The Canadian also played a key role in Ismael Saibari’s goal that made it 5-0.
After his protracted injury problems, Davies appears to have returned to a high level of physical fitness. His speed, his runs into space, and his attacking drive are once again key elements in Vincent Kompany’s system.
Things had looked different during preseason. Brown was among the standouts and seemed to have the best chance of getting plenty of playing time. In the meantime, however, Davies has shifted the hierarchy on the left side of the defense back in his favor.
The two DFB matches haven’t changed that for now. Brown showed glimpses of his qualities, particularly against the Netherlands. However, he didn’t generate the sustained momentum needed to put additional pressure on Davies after the international break.
This by no means means the competition is over. Brown remains a high-quality and versatile option, especially with numerous matches awaiting Bayern in the coming months. The current trend is nonetheless clear: When Kompany fields his best starting lineup, Davies currently has the edge on the left side.