Bayern Munich maintained its lead atop the Bundesliga table following a 3-0 win over 16th-placed Werder Bremen, thanks to an early brace from Harry Kane and a third from Leon Goretzka in the second half. Here are some observations from the game.
The scoreline may be misleading, but this was not a particularly impressive showing from the Rekordmeister. Bayern faced issues in maintaining possession and controlling the midfield — largely due to a rather poor performance from Joshua Kimmich that has become somewhat characteristic of the German following his ankle injury in November last year. Bayern allowed Bremen far too much space while on the counter and did little to press and win back the ball. The style of play seemed uninspired and sloppy, with far too many mistakes that could have cost Bayern against a better opponent. Kimmich seemed to lose almost every duel he was a part of, and the midfield completely failed to constrict the home team, allowing Bremen to make it into Bayern’s box quite often and fairly easily. While the team did well going forward, the constant dispossession made the game a relatively unpleasant watch, given what fans have come to expect of a Bayern under Vincent Kompany.
Despite Bayern’s repeated attempts to help Bremen create chances, they too were completely ineffective. Bremen played a very poor game in the first half (following the initial few minutes), failing to take advantage of Bayern’s lack of resistance in the midfield. It is no surprise that they are fighting relegation at present. Following the break, they seemed far hungrier, having added an extra forward despite being 2-0 down to help them exploit the spaces Bayern offered in many desperate attempts to score. Bremen also felt more structured in the second half, but were still quite susceptible to the slightest of Bayern’s press and failed to combine with much success in the face of goal.
A lot of Bayern’s tardiness can be put down to the lineup. Far from Bayern’s best with key missing players, the team lacked the fluidity on the ball and the structured play. Kompany’s late substitutions certainly helped fix this issue, suggesting that more work needs to be done building chemistry with the non-regulars. All in all, Kompany did not put his best foot forward (and fairly so, in a game that Bayern was almost certain to win from the get-go) — which meant fans were treated to a slow, lackluster Bayern performance for most of the game. Nonetheless, the team got the job done.
Some positives from the players
Having established the faults in Bayern’s game, there were quite a few positives too. Lennart Karl put in a fantastic shift in the first half, winning a penalty and masking the absence of Michael Olise. Karl’s game was a pleasant and much-needed surprise following his rather lackluster showings as of late.
Given the midfield’s repeated failures, the defence was forced to bail Bayern out far too often, yet they did just that and more. Kim Min-jae seemed to be an impenetrable wall. This was one of Kim’s best performances at Bayern, constantly recovering or clearing the ball at the final moment. Jonathan Tah, who recieved the captain’s armband towards the end of the game, also deserves fair praise for his shift. Josip Stanišić started off strong, but quickly fell into his ways and began misplacing a fair few passes and losing possession. Konrad Laimer’s never-ending press was a breath of fresh air amongst a team that rarely put pressure on Bremen. Jonas Urbig, who came on for Neuer (following a presumed calf injury), also had a decent showing with a solid save.
Alphonso Davies and Jamal Musiala both showed their class, making an immediate impact as they came on in the middle of the second half. Their involvement in Goretzka’s goal shows exactly why they are the best at what they do, combining quickly and so effectively to move the ball around in dangerous positions. They rejuvenated the team and brought with them a ferocity that seemed lost for vast parts of the game.
Oh, and it was cool to see Tom Bischof in midfield for once. Glad Kompany still sees a future from him.
Harry Kane is the best striker in the world
Kane is firmly on track to come very close to Robert Lewandowski’s seemingly untouchable 41-goal record. Another fantastic penalty goal from the forward gave Bayern the lead, which he doubled with a screamer from outside the box. Kane constantly has fans in awe, and his first-half performance was no different. Aside from his scoring exploits, he played a great long pass to Luis Díaz that should have ended in a goal to further add to his playmaking catalogue. He did it again to put Serge Gnabry through on goal in the second half, and unfortunately, this, too, didn’t make it to the back of the net.
Pardon me if I’ve been sounding like a broken record. But Kane is quite easily the best striker in the world.
Serge Gnabry’s contract extension was a blunder
Serge Gnabry had an abysmal showing today. He could not put a foot right, hesitated to shoot far too often, and wasted many of Bayern’s strongest chances. This comes as no surprise to those familiar with him. Gnabry has long been inconsistent and incompetent. There were very clear voices against the extension within the fanbase, and yet the club went ahead with it regardless, and now they will have to bear the consequences. Gnabry’s early-season purple patch has come to an end for yet another season, leaving fans to watch a player who moves far too slowly and feels prosaic on the ball. Consistently poor decision-making and shooting ability that has taken a dip (until next season, when it will inevitably return to accompany a brief run of games heavy with goal involvements before he gets injured, plays much worse, and the cycle continues).
It is a wonder if the Bayern management watches him play. Because such performances fail to justify the hefty wages he comes with.
That’s all for today’s observations. Do you agree? Disagree? And did you catch the subtle J. Cole reference? Tell us everything in the comments below. See you next time!
