:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72984570/1870532191.0.jpg)
Another three vital points to maintain steam before the cold break.
Chasing down a relentless Bayer Leverkusen team, Bayern Munich got the job done, even though it wasn’t always easy. These are the observations from today’s game:
A game of two halves
There is no mistake; against Niko Kovač, it is always going to be a tactical game. While hampered back and front through injuries, Thomas Tuchel’s men managed to play a wonderful first half while giving almost no chances up, except for a thunderous strike from Maximilian Arnold just before the halftime break. That and the tactical changes from our former trainer, made Bayern Munich’s life a lot more difficult in the second half, with a lot more pressure from the front and intensity going into the duels.
Nevertheless, the team kept a cool head and worked together to sail through without giving out clear goal scoring chances or making any major mistakes. They ended the game with an xG of 2.49 to 0.34 which, from a tactical point of view, couldn’t have been done better.
A blessing in disguise
Entering the season after a tumultuous transfer window, Bayern Munich had the smallest roster of the big contenders in Europe. Add to that five first-team players missing two games before the winter break while trying to hunt down a high-flying Leverkusen team, and disaster could be spelled. But as the Germans like to say, “Es gibt Glück im Unglück” (there is fortune in misfortune), and that seems to perfectly apply to Bayern right now. For every missing first-team player, there is one other player willing to step up and perform just as well, if not better.
Thomas Müller got to show what he is about; Aleksandar Pavlović kept looking like a first-teamer; Konrad Laimer locked the right side down; and Raphaël Guerreiro made sure to keep the midfield tight. What on paper seemed like a catastrophic line-up, two games in, has put itself in contention to be our best and most cohesive starting eleven. Who would have thought?
Experience is worth its weight in gold
In a football world where everything seems to be about finding the next Ballon d’Or winner, it is easy to forget how good the experienced players can be. While there are exceptions to that rule, like a certain Jamal Musiala, who seems to be playing like a veteran every time he graces the field,
Looking at Müller and Harry Kane in this game, one could be forgiven for thinking that there is something else these kinds of players see. Two assists from Müller and a wonderful shot from Kane later, Bayern managed to win another three points and keep Leverkusen at arm’s length.
After this performance, it’s easy to see why Bayern extended Müller’s contract before January came, and the fans can be happy to witness more of this until 2025.
There seems to be more to the rumors
A crazy amount of rumors have been circling the club about the desired No. 6 and the role of Joshua Kimmich down the road. What at first seemed to be an unexplainable whim of the coach is starting to become a lot more realistic after the last couple of games. Bayern have managed to be a lot more compact and play as a unit, while Kimmich has been missing. A lot of credit goes to Pavlović, who has been excellent filling in.
Nevertheless, it begs the question: if the team plays a lot more cohesively in his absence, is Kimmich the problem with our team play and the reason for our defensive problems? While undoubtedly one of the most talented midfielders in the world, is he maybe lacking the necessary discipline to be a top-level defensive midfielder? With the winter transfer window, there is a feeling the fans will have an answer soon enough.
What did you think of today’s match? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Looking for more thoughts and analysis on Bayern Munich’s big 2-1 win over Wolfsburg? We’ve got you covered with our Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show on Spotify or below:
Read more
