So. Many. Injuries.
Bayern Munich still has a season to play even if it is fast running out of players with which to play it.
Jamal Musiala has become the latest injury casualty and look, we really must stop doing this. But it happened and so for hopefully the last time this season, let us ask…how will Bayern set up in this latest absence?
The options
Fortunately, Bayern is fairly well-stocked in attack. Despite Musiala’s absence there is still Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman, Leroy Sané, Michael Olise, and Thomas Müller for the three spots behind Harry Kane, Bayern’s lone striker at the moment (knock on wood). Even Raphaël Guerreiro took a turn at Musiala’s No. 10 spot — though that was two whole left-back injuries ago.
Moreover, Musiala more than any other player carried the load for Bayern. He was the magic man. It will look much different without him.
Thomas…
It has to be him, right? Thomas Müller’s ugly exit, which both the Bayern legend and the club are trying to salvage into a fitting farewell tour, could use a starting run as the Bavarians charge down Champions League Dahoam.
But at 35, Müller is not quite the 90-minute presence he once was, and a setup featuring both Müller and Kane up front is going to sacrifice pressing energy that head coach Vincent Kompany would probably be wise not to stomach.
Max wingers?
As any Bayern fan knows, good things happen when you play all the wingers at once.
All kidding aside — is there a better option now than shifting one of Michael Olise or Leroy Sané inside? Both are highly active, technical playmakers and Sané especially can run a counter — bursting forward to complement a deep-dropping Harry Kane, for example.
This would allow Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman to play on the wing (not necessarily at the same time) and both players are relatively comfortable with winger duties up and down the pitch, in and out of possession. Alternatively, Gnabry could man the No. 10 role or effectively serve as a second forward to Kane, while Sané, Coman, and Olise rotate on either wing.
Provided everyone can stay healthy, but there also aren’t a lot of games left.
How does Bayern’s defensive absences affect this?
A lot.
Guerreiro, Leon Goretzka, a 4-3-3…there are different options to compensate for Bayern’s sudden lack of its best No. 10. But central midfielders, left-backs, and right-backs are all at a premium — even Konrad Laimer cannot exactly move out of his spot at present, as Josip Stanišić and Guerreiro could be the 1-2 punch at left-back for the remainder of the season.
Not to mention that another key cog in Kompany’s setup, midfielder Aleksandar Pavlović, will take time to work his way back from a bout of mono.
Still, you can imagine Kompany trotting out a three central midfielder look at some point, like with Palhinha operating as a destroyer behind Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich in more adventurous roles.
It’s again a question of depth, matchups, and how ready Bayern is to shift into new looks and the automatism adjustments that may be required in them on a moment’s notice.
Whatever happens, one thing seems clear: Bayern probably cannot take another big injury.
But what do you think? How should Bayern replace Jamal Musiala?
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