Bayern Munich have gathered just one point from their past two Bundesliga matches, and poor finishing is to blame according to Niko Kovac and Manuel Neuer.
After a red-hot start to the season under new manager Niko Kovac, Bayern Munich have cooled significantly. The Bavarians dropped points midweek against Augsburg, conceding a late equalizer to draw 1-1. They were even more disappointing yesterday, however, losing 2-0 to Hertha Berlin at the Olympiastadion.
There were hardly any redeemable factors in either of Bayern’s performances, but the match against Berlin yesterday proved particularly disappointing. Die Roten looked lifeless for much of the match, even though Niko Kovac fielded a particularly strong starting XI.
Speaking in his post-match press conference (via ESPN), Kovac remained cool when asked about his squad’s disappointing display. Though he didn’t perceive Bayern’s overall performance to be as dreadful as many would suggest, he did concede that there’s one problem in particular plaguing his side.
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"“We played good combinations. But right now we just don’t score any goals. That’s a problem.”"
Bayern captain Manuel Neuer pointed out the same problem when asked about his side’s lackluster displays (via Onefootball).
"“”The issue of missing opportunities remains a big one – this was the case again [against Hertha].”"
Both coach and captain lamented Bayern’s wastefulness in front of goal, but is the problem really as clear as that? Not necessarily, but it is definitely a majority factor.
Yesterday, Bayern took 24 total shots compared to their opponent’s 6. However, both parties managed to put four of those on target. Nevertheless, the Bavarians would obviously have been expected to emerge victors if the stats are all that matters. According to understat.com, Bayern had an xG (expected goals) of 2.41, almost a whole goal higher than Hertha’s 1.49.
Bayern’s performance against Augsburg wasn’t quite so damning from a statistical perspective, but the Bavarians still out-shot their opponents 15 to 11 and had a slightly higher xG (1.43 to 1.33).
No matter how you look at it, netting just 1 of 39 attempts is inexcusable for a team of Bayern’s caliber. While it might not be the only contributing factor to their past two disappointing displays, it certainly plays a significant role.
However, this can also be viewed as a sign for optimism, as Niko Kovac was quick to point out.
"“We just lack the goals, but we are working on it.“It will get better. I can guarantee this. Things will turn around, and everything will be different.”"
The Croatian seems awfully confident in his side’s ability to get back on track, but they’ll need to do so quick. With two important fixtures coming up — first against Ajax in the Champions League on Tuesday, then against Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga on Saturday — Bayern will need to find their form quick or risk falling behind in multiple competitions.
How Niko Kovac responds will be a good indicator of how quickly he can settle at Bayern Munich. Though he’s absolutely not to blame for either of his team’s past two showings, it’s his responsibility as club manager to get his men back on track when things go awry.