At the start of the season, Yann Sommer (right) drove Julian Nagelsmann’s team to despair. Now he is Manuel Neuer’s replacement. Image: www.imago-images.de / MIS
Bundesliga
Before the Bundesliga restart against RB Leipzig, Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann made it clear what is important for him in the coming months. “My job is to organize the second half of the season in such a way that I’ll be firmly in the saddle in the summer.”
That is actually only guaranteed for the 35-year-old if the Munich team not only wins the German championship after a two-year dry spell, but also wins the DFB Cup again and successfully contests the Champions League round of 16 against Paris Saint-Germain.
But on the way to these goals, there are a few stumbling blocks for Nagelsmann and his team that could be dangerous for development.
The goalie problem
Ever since Manuel Neuer made his tibia and fibula fracture public on December 10 last year, the question at Bayern Munich has been all about who will replace the captain.
The negotiations with the preferred candidate Yann Sommer have long been complicated. On Wednesday afternoon, however, the transfer was reported as fixed.
It is still questionable whether the newcomer or Sven Ulreich will be in goal on Friday evening in Leipzig. Unlike six other positions that the coach has already assigned in his head – Nagelsmann revealed at the press conference before the game.
Dazn expert contradicts Nagelsmann
Judging by the Bayern coach’s statement that it would only take “15 minutes” for Sommer to get used to his new back line, the Swiss should probably celebrate his starting eleven debut. “It’s definitely not rocket science that you have to study for six months first.”
Ex-professional and Dazn expert Sebastian Kneißl sees things differently. To Watson he says:
“You always have to get to know each other. The players wouldn’t know when Yann Sommer comes out of the goal or what commands he gives. For the individual area I wouldn’t worry about Sommer. He delivers immediately. But it would work for a new goalkeeper “It’s about learning when to push out the defense or when a defender should call along with a striker. These commands have to be learned quickly by a new goalkeeper.”
He would rely much more on Sven Ulreich in the first few games so that Sommer and his new teammates can get to know each other.
It is not a problem for the Bayern coach that Ulreich remains number 2. He is aware of his role. “When we need him, it’s important to be there – he gets money for that.”
The defensive
With just 13 goals conceded and seven clean sheets after 15 games, the Munich team have the best defense in the league. But again this season, Bayern lacks the necessary order in defense.
It won’t get any easier for the rest of the season with the long-term absences of Manuel Neuer and Lucas Hérnandez. In addition, Noussair Mazroui is still missing for a few weeks after his pericarditis. With de Ligt, Upamecano, Pavard, Davies, Stanisic and newcomer Blind, Nagelsmann only has six players for the four defensive positions. Especially in blind, the record champions have to hope that the Dutchman will quickly get used to the new environment and league.
The only test match against RB Salzburg last weekend showed how vulnerable the Munich defense still is. In the 4: 4 spectacle against the Austrians, the record champions showed strong approaches in offense and major problems in defense. Four goals conceded and numerous good counterattack chances for the guests provided Nagelsmann with a clear conclusion: “We got two goals, just like in the first half of the season.”
What happens to Thomas Muller?
Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sané, Kingsley Coman, Thomas Müller, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Mathys Tel: the potential for the three offensive positions is huge. Apart from the long-term injured Sadio Mané, all the stars are fit. The big offensive puzzle now begins for the Bayern coach.
Nagelsmann is certain that Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting will be on the pitch from the start on Friday evening in Leipzig. “Choupo is on a very good run. I don’t see a huge reason not to let him start.”
Thomas Müller could only threaten the substitute bench against Leipzig on Friday. Image: dpa / Peter Kneffel
Sané shone with a goal in the friendly against Salzburg, but Coman and Tel also attracted attention with a goal and an assist each. Nagelsmann even certified Tel’s “outstanding performance”. Gnabry scored five times in the last four games before the World Cup break.
And then there’s Thomas Müller, who was missing with a hip problem before the Bundesliga break, but according to Nagelsmann played a “good preparation” and is “an extremely important player”. On the offensive, however, he is no longer the undisputed regular player. Because Jamal Musiala is also currently set in his favorite position behind the strikers and Choupo-Moting scores in the center of the attack.
“Don’t worry, he will continue to play a major role,” Nagelsmann tried to take some of the pace out of the debate.
For the Bayern coach, it will be a great art to keep all offensive stars happy in the long term so that they can also provide important impetus from the bench.
The aftermath of the World Cup
FC Bayern had the second most players at the World Cup in Qatar. Only Noussair Mazraoui, who finished fourth with Morocco, came back with a real sense of achievement.
The majority of the Munich World Cup drivers were eliminated with the DFB team in the preliminary round or lost to Argentina in a memorable final with France. Gaining confidence was so difficult.
Julian Nagelsmann already emphasized at the beginning of the year that he did not want to explicitly address the World Cup performance with the DFB stars. Players like Joshua Kimmich have checked off the preliminary round for themselves. The World Cup debacle was “not something you can simply forget or tick off,” he said. “Nevertheless, the motivation to be back here is huge,” he said at the training camp in Qatar.
And so the Munich team could perhaps even benefit from the performance of the national team.
FC Bayern returned from the training camp in Doha on Thursday. Munich will soon meet RB Leipzig in their first Bundesliga game after the break. They have already completed a friendly against RB Salzburg this year. However, this is all happening without one of their key players.
