Bundesliga
Bayern Munich: Are the Giants Falling Asleep?
Something doesn’t seem right in Bavaria. The fiercest warriors in the land lay bruised and battered. Metaphorically speaking of course. They’re down but are they out? Of course the warriors in question are the players of FC Bayern Munich. A club with an illustrious past and an impressive present to say the least. Considering the stature of this great club, one would think the future is also very bright. However at this very moment in time all is not so well. Much to everyone’s surprise they are fifth on the table. For them this is unacceptable. They lost to Dortmund in ‘Der Klassiker’ on the weekend. And to make this worse they are a riveting seven points behind the above mentioned league leaders.
Not much is going right for the German giants. And there are more than a few reasons for it.
Constant Changes in Management
The record 28 times league winners are in disarray. Such has been the case for quite a while now. Bayern have been far from their best since the departure of Pep Guardiola from the managerial position in 2016. Since then they have changed three managers to date. Carlo Ancelotti took over in July 2016 after Guardiola’s departure. He coached the team for a little over a year. He was sacked however, because his tenure was far from satisfactory. Willy Sagnol looked after the team for approximately a week before Jupp Heynckes was brought back for one more season in charge of the team. Heynckes was the manager for 2 years before Pep’s arrival. During which Bayern were fabulous. They even won the treble under the German.
Heynckes however did not extend his contract again and Bayern appointed Croatian Niko Kovac as the new boss. During this time they did manage to keep a hold on the Bundesliga trophy. Although the other competitions were a different story. Surprisingly, Bayern haven’t even won the domestic cup since the 2015/16 season. The constant changes in management suggest unwanted turbulence and indicate a clear lack of stability. This huge club is very ambitious and undoubtedly wants to challenge for every trophy possible in every season. But there have been plenty of other hindrances of late when it comes to achieving these lofty goals.
Aging Superstars
Bayern Munich’s current squad has an average age of 27.4. This is not too bad but for a club like Bayern, the age has to be lower. The current starting lineup has a relatively young defense in Joshua Kimmich, Niklas Süle and David Alaba. But their two best and most experienced center backs in Mats Hummels (29) and Jerome Boateng (30) are both not as fit as they were. Although the biggest age issues lie in the midfield and attack.
The star striker Robert Lewandowski is also 30 years old now and the backup striker Sandro Wagner is also 30. Thomas Müller, another one of Bayern’s crown jewels is also nearing 30.
‘Robbery’: Gradually Fading
Two of Bayern’s most well known players and two of their biggest stars are Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery. The duo has been popularly labelled as Robbery through the years. They have been pivotal in Bayern’s successes but they just haven’t been the same as of late. They are on a steady decline and one has to suspect age as being the key factor. The duo was lethal in their prime. Scoring and assisting goals for fun. Their pace and trickery was nothing short of frightening for opposition defenses.
With age and the evolution of football as a whole, ‘Robbery’ have had to face a lot of new challenges. Sadly they haven’t adapted to all of them as well as they would have wanted. The modern game is very fast paced. Age old stereotypes are being broken. Particularly with defenders. Young center backs are coming up rapidly. They are no longer simply tall and strong. They are also fast, mobile and agile. Always relishing a 1v1 or a footrace. Gone are the days when Bayern’s wide midfield duo could just zip past their markers. This is only worsened by the fact that their age means they are not as fast as they used to be.
One cannot doubt their footballing intellect. They have the right ideas on the pitch but sadly their body cannot process these ideas and execute them fast enough. Hence, their actions become counterproductive to the flow of the team’s attack more often than not.
Academy Players Not Being Utilized Enough
This is another massive problem for Bayern. In their current roster, only five players are from Bayern’s youth academy. Müller, Hummels, Alaba, Wagner and keeper Christian Früchtl are the only players to have come through the academy. And of those only three are regular starters. Bayern have to emphasize more on the youth system. Giving chances to the youngsters from the academy will not only ensure a bright future for the current squad but also for the academy.
There are a few internal factors responsible for this as well. The likes of Robben, Ribery, Müller etc. have made huge names for themselves at the club. And unfortunately their legacy is preceding their form and performances in the present. Their status has made them guaranteed starters regardless of their contributions which is unfair to others who try to earn a spot in the team through merit.
Another issue is that they do not have a plethora of options on the bench. This lack of squad depth poses a problem.
Underwhelming Transfer Activity
Bayern are known for having a really competent board of directors. Their methods of conducting transfer activity are nothing short of commendable. The paperwork, the negotiations, the contracts are all handled impeccably well. That being said Bayern seem also dormant in the transfer windows recently. Other than the signing of Serge Gnabry from Arsenal there haven’t been any major arrivals that have featured regularly in the first team. They also lost Arturo Vidal and Juan Bernat to Barcelona and PSG respectively. This has hampered their squad depth further.
All this has led to a severe dip in form and morale both on and off the pitch. This may just be a temporary slump or this might be hinting towards something bigger. Either way there is cause for concern in the Bavarians’ camp. They need to buck up and show the world of football what they’re really all about.
Photo credit to FCBayern via Twitter
