The celebrations will have to wait another week…
Bayern Munich took another step towards the imminent Bundesliga title by recording a 3-0 win against Mainz 05 thanks to goals from Leroy Sané, a rapid shot from Michael Olise, and a mind-boggling header from Eric Dier. Here are some observations from the game.
A note on decision making
In the first half, Bayern were often making too many passes around the box that yielded promise but never became much. The ability to get the ball into dangerous positions and the inability to do anything of worth with it have been issues that have long plagued this team, but they seemed unusually apparent in the first half. It almost seemed like a game from Julian Nagelsmann’s season with Sadio Mané, where Bayern lacked a direct goalscorer and the team had to recalibrate its attacking options and mechanisms.
Bayern lost out on plenty of potential scoring opportunities because of a lack of decision-making and effective penetration of the box in the first half. Joshua Kimmich often made side passes when there were better options, and that slowed down the play: an incessant problem in his game.
Bayern changed their approach at halftime, opting for more direct attacks, but that didn’t yield anything of worth either. In the second half, a larger issue was the success rate of Bayern’s forwards in 1v1s or simply even on the break. Multiple golden opportunities were missed throughout the game due to questionable decision-making, and it simply has to be better if any of the forwards plan on extending their contracts. Serge Gnabry, for example, had a deeply forgettable game after starting as an attacking midfielder. Bayern needs to be more clinical and direct in bigger games.
Fluid football: simple, easy, and calm
Bayern played calmly and got the job done exactly as intended. The backline saw some interesting transitions throughout the game, but both fullbacks did exactly what was expected of them and helped advance the attack on both flanks. Konrad Laimer, in particular, had a game worthy of deep praise. He was uncompromising defensively while also being all over the pitch. The Austrian advanced the ball extremely well, picking up two assists while overlapping wonderfully with Michael Olise.
It was a team that played with great composure on the ball, and that is a very promising indicator of its mentality. Aleksandar Pavlović in particular did this well, transitioning into chance creation effortlessly while bossing the midfield. This is the sort of reaction and calm playstyle you expect after a tough loss in the Champions League. It shows that the team absolutely has what it takes to succeed in the long run.
Urbig is the future
There have been a lot of murmurs around Jonas Urbig’s ability and whether he belongs at FC Bayern or not. Today’s game saw him follow up his first Bundesliga clean sheet for Bayern with his second, and proved unequivocally that he has what it takes. He made some fantastic saves while maintaining impeccable distribution and a commanding presence in goal. Bayern have hit the jackpot.
On the other hand, it raises questions about Manuel Neuer’s expensive extension and also makes fans wonder whether Urbig will get enough starting time next season.
Leroy Sané: Is the extension the right decision?
Bayern Munich’s reported extension of Leroy Sané comes as he records his personal best Bundesliga goal tally (10) in what has been a shaky season for the winger. The game effectively encapsulated his career at Bayern, showcasing his very best and his very worst. Sané scored, was an extremely threatening presence, and used his speed and agility well. On the other hand, he also missed a ton of scorable chances, most notably the one that hit the post when it looked certain to be a goal.
But that raises the question: is it the right choice to extend him? He has his clearly good traits, but does that justify a renewal, especially considering the inconsistency he has shown across his tenure here? Only time shall tell.
The elusive Bundesliga
Bayer Leverkusen’s win against Augsburg denied Bayern the privilege of their win over Mainz being title-clinching, but Bayern simply need to win one of their next three game to be crowned Rekordmeister again. And by the looks of it, it will be against RB Leipzig next week. Prep the Paulaner: Bayern are on the brink of reclaiming the Meisterschale. Till next time!
Looking for more thoughts and analysis of Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga triumph over Mainz 05 ? Check out our Postgame Show — from Bavarian Podcast Works and available on Patreon, Spotify, or below:
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