Bayern Munich look worn out and clumsy. After a busy transfer window, signing big names like Matthijs de Ligt, Ryan Gravenberch, Sadio Mane and Noussair Mazraoui, the Bavarian giants are yet to get into their usual groove in Bundesliga. But, the Champions of Germany look defeated. There is a crisis going on at the club and their performances so far this season have looked underwhelming.
The players are not performing up to their potential. Whether it is playing together as a unit or performing well individually, Bayern have been disappointing. They are without a single win in the past four matches. From Julian Nagelsmann’s tactics, their defending and the team running out of luck, here are the top five reasons behind their underperformance.
1. Julian Nagelsmann’s tactics at Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich’s coach is a great talent. Initially, the starting lineups looked very sharp on paper, however, the team simply doesn’t look good enough to carry a lead into halftime. Something seems off, and definitely looks like they need changing.
With Sadio Mané looking completely isolated up front and Leroy Sané simply not being at his usual best on the right-wing, Julian Nagelsmann has to do something. The substitutions happen too late in the game for anything impactful to take place. There needs to be a change and it needs to be quick.
#Bayern in Bundesliga 22/23:
⚔️ 7 games
✅ 3 wins
⛔️ 3 draws
❌ 1 defeat
⚽️ 19 goals scored
🚫 6 goals conceded
• Hasn't won in 4 matches.
• It's the worst start to the tournament (after 7 rounds) since the 10/11 season. pic.twitter.com/FHxiy9lGVj— FC Bayern English & National Manchaft (@FCBayernGER) September 17, 2022
2. Bayern’s defence needs to improve
Bayern need to hold some accountability and be responsible for their actions. Bayern Munich’s defence has been unaware, their finishing has been inconsistent, and their passing has been inaccurate. Joshua Kimmich is finding it difficult to cut it in the middle of the park. New signing, De Ligt, takes too much time with unnecessary dribbles at the back. Sane and Musiala try too hard to perform skill moves and end up losing possession.
They should simply not expect to walk over their opposition all the time. They should stop taking every opponent for granted and work harder.
3. Mane not the replacement for Lewandowski
Sadio Mane hasn’t been able to cut out as a No. 9. He seems isolated upfront with not much support, with poor first touches, terrible finishing and getting bullied quite easily by opposition defenders.
He needs to start performing consistently. Mané doesn’t seem like the player he was at Liverpool lately, and one can only hope that this is just a temporary dip in performances.
Bayern really miss Robert Lewandowski who used to simply put any chance to bed, offered legitimate threat off set pieces and bullied defenders on a roll.
With him gone, other players should simply step up and accept more responsibilities and roles. Bayern’s attackers should stop passing too much. xG doesn’t mean anything if they are unable to score goals. This team simply can’t finish, and the attackers need to keep it simple. Julian Nagelsmann should be strict enough to bench players who aren’t performing upto their level.
Sadio is forgotten by his teammates on the field, he calls constantly but without receiving the ball. In Liverpool we were looking for him unlike Bayern where we often give him the ball#BayernBarca #sadiomane pic.twitter.com/4leouYZGKv
— Pape Amadou Badara Diaw (@DiawFaramadiaw) September 13, 2022
4. Bayern seem out of luck
There have been multiple instances when things simply haven’t gone Bayern’s way. One of the ways to counter this is for the players to be more vocal and assertive. The players lack confidence and fighting spirit which comes in the way. The manager needs to bring positivity back to this team.
5. Teams have figured out a blueprint against Bayern
A pattern has emerged from Bayern’s games this season. Any team which plays against them sits back and defends resolutely, they keep the ball and do nothing risky with it which leads to a goalless first half. In the second half, they just press Bayern with high intensity, which somehow forces a goal before the 60’ mark, and then sit back for the rest of the game. A win, or at worst, a draw.
The manager needs to figure out new ways to make this team play to its best ability. This involves both physical and mental strengthening of the players. This will take time and lots of new ways. However, we are talking about the great Bayern Munich, so we should never count them out so soon. We can only hope they will come back stronger than before and start bagging goals for fun very soon.
