Stefan Effenberg calls for Bayern Munich to give Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting more minutes

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is on fire for Bayern Munich. With his goal in Bayern’s 2-0 win at TSG Hoffenheim, he’s taken his stretch to three consecutive matches with a goal, and during that stretch, he’s tallied four goals and two assists. For so much of the season, Julian Nagelsmann has gotten used to deploying systems that don’t utilize a natural striker with the depth in attack they have between Sadio Mane, Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman, Jamal Musiala, Thomas Muller and Mathys Tel, but Choupo-Moting has been working wonders in the striker’s role as of late.

In a recent column for t-online, Stefan Effenberg sang Choupo-Moting’s praises, and called for Nagelsmann to give him a sustained run in the side with how consistently he’s been performing and scoring goals. “If you need it, it’s there and works at the push of a button,” he said of Choupo-Moting always being an option for Nagelsmann when he’s fully fit (Tz). Of course, he missed the beginning of the season with a groin strain, but has been fit since the beginning of September. With his eagerness in the attacking third, Effenberg can see Choupo is “just crazy about playing football.”

For what it’s worth, too, Choupo-Moting had never complained about predominantly serving as Robert Lewandowski’s backup before he left this past summer for Barcelona. Obviously, playing second fiddle to a world class striker of Lewandowski’s caliber is going to mean significantly less minutes for you, but it’s a role that Choupo played well, and was always still able to make an impact when he was used. That hasn’t changed at all this season, even though there’s no Lewandowski-esque striker in the squad anymore.

Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Despite being used to reduced minutes, Effenberg feels that Nagelsmann should give Choupo-Moting a sustained run in the side. He feels that more minutes will only help contribute to the forward’s form continuing to surge. “Bayern has seen that he deserves playing time and needs it,” he said, adding that the player is an “absolutely positive character.”