MOSCOW -- Thomas Muller has fielded all sorts of questions at his two previous World Cups, but Wednesday lunchtime brought a novel line of inquiry.
"Would you be frustrated if you were put on the bench against Sweden [on Saturday]," asked a reporter at a news conference in Sochi. The FC Bayern forward's answer was relaxed and unspectacular -- "Of course I would be, I'd expect every player to feel the same" -- but the fact the potential quandary had been put to him in the first place was indicative of the turbulent, uncertain times the holders are experiencing in Russia. Muller's starting berth being in doubt, even if only in the mind of a media representative, would have been inconceivable before the start of the tournament. A case of lese-majeste (treason).
Joachim Low, a man not prone to make rash decisions, is sure to stick with the 10-time goal scorer from 2010 and 2014 in the unexpected crunch game two days from now. Most people at home in Germany will be happy about that. In contrast with the ugly tabloid campaign Mesut Ozil is facing, one stoked by former internationals who really should know better than to criticise the Arsenal playmaker's body language and silence during the national anthem, there have been no public calls for his axing in the wake of the Mexico defeat.
But the German journalist's question didn't come out of the blue either. In a team of underperformers, Muller's erratic and aimless conduct on the right side of Germany's attacking quartet was notably poor at the Luzhniki. The Bavarian morphed into the anti-Raumdeuter ("space interpreter"), popping up precisely where there weren't any openings again and again.
"I didn't get into any finishing positions," he said on Wednesday. That was a generous self-assessment. In truth, Muller hadn't got into any positions at all. His failure to make any meaningful impact was painfully reminiscent of Euro 2016 when Muller, playing as a centre-forward, didn't once hit the back of the net.
Following a difficult and largely barren season on the right side of midfield under Carlo Ancelotti in 2016-17, recording eight goals and 17 assists in all competitions, he came close to his best again with Jupp Heynckes in charge as an inside-right attacking midfielder in a 4-1-4-1 system. In the national team, he's back out wide, however, struggling to get behind deep defences.
Where have his lightness of touch and esprit gone, another reporter asked him. "Lightness is not something you can train, it's the description of [moves] that have worked out," he said.
Making things work out for Germany have generally become more difficult for him, however, as the team's identity has evolved. In 2010, he only nominally played on the right in a counter-attacking set-up that allowed him to make deep runs and change positions at will. By 2014, Germany had become a possession-based team, but their 4-3-3 system with deep, roving centre-forwards like Mario Gotze and Miroslav Klose, left plenty of room for Muller to ghost into dangerous areas. Right now, the much slower approach leaves fewer avenues through on goal for a player who can't beat his man with pace.
In this team, Muller can't find space. It has to be created, in conjunction with his teammates, through clever runs and combinations and much crisper, sharper passing than they mustered in the Russian capital. "The right mix between patience and incision: that's the holy grail," Muller said.
The positive attitude Muller projected, after admitting that the criticism had been well-deserved, felt genuine. "We won't win the next two games by tearing ourselves apart," he said in reference to reports about a heated team meeting. "You can believe me: No one wants be more successful than this squad and the coaching staff." Muller also denied a Sport-Bild story about a rift in the camp, with a Bayern bloc (including former Munich midfielder Toni Kroos) and the so-called "bling-bling" group of Jerome Boateng, Ozil, Sami Khedira and Julian Draxler eating at different tables.
Said Muller: "There's nothing in that all. It was an issue at Euro 2012, when there were two camps of Bayern and Dortmund players, but not right now." He even joked that he was just as "flexible" when it came to choosing his table companions as he was on the pitch, though no one will be laughing if Germany will be sent packing on Saturday.
"We all wish that we'll be staying a bit longer," Muller said to the journalists in an effort to get them on the national team's side. It was an interesting move, but an understandable one. Muller, the irrepressible maverick of 2010 and 2014, needs the widest support possible if 2018 is not to come to a premature close.