Bayern Strikes
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Four Takeaways as Bayern Munich narrowly escape Wolfsburg

By Joshua Bishop

21 December 2019, Bavaria, Munich: Football: Bundesliga, Bayern Munich - VfL Wolfsburg, 17th matchday in the Allianz Arena. Munich's players cheer with Serge Gnabry (3rd from left) about his goal for 2-0. Photo: Angelika Warmuth/dpa - IMPORTANT NOTE: In accordance with the regulations of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga and the DFB Deutscher Fußball-Bund, it is prohibited to exploit or have exploited in the stadium and/or from the game taken photographs in the form of sequence images and/or video-like photo series. (Photo by Angelika Warmuth/picture alliance via Getty Images)
21 December 2019, Bavaria, Munich: Football: Bundesliga, Bayern Munich - VfL Wolfsburg, 17th matchday in the Allianz Arena. Munich's players cheer with Serge Gnabry (3rd from left) about his goal for 2-0. Photo: Angelika Warmuth/dpa - IMPORTANT NOTE: In accordance with the regulations of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga and the DFB Deutscher Fußball-Bund, it is prohibited to exploit or have exploited in the stadium and/or from the game taken photographs in the form of sequence images and/or video-like photo series. (Photo by Angelika Warmuth/picture alliance via Getty Images) /
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21 December 2019, Bavaria, Munich: Football: Bundesliga, Bayern Munich – VfL Wolfsburg, 17th matchday in the Allianz Arena. Philippe Coutinho of FC Bayern Munich reacts after a missed goal opportunity. Photo: Matthias Balk/DPA – IMPORTANT NOTE: In accordance with the regulations of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga and the DFB Deutscher Fußball-Bund, it is prohibited to exploit or have exploited in the stadium and/or from the game taken photographs in the form of sequence images and/or video-like photo series. (Photo by Matthias Balk/picture alliance via Getty Images)
21 December 2019, Bavaria, Munich: Football: Bundesliga, Bayern Munich – VfL Wolfsburg, 17th matchday in the Allianz Arena. Philippe Coutinho of FC Bayern Munich reacts after a missed goal opportunity. Photo: Matthias Balk/DPA – IMPORTANT NOTE: In accordance with the regulations of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga and the DFB Deutscher Fußball-Bund, it is prohibited to exploit or have exploited in the stadium and/or from the game taken photographs in the form of sequence images and/or video-like photo series. (Photo by Matthias Balk/picture alliance via Getty Images) /

A stagnating attack

This opinion comes down to the fact that Die Roten are decimated on the injury front. Bayern had to use both Thomas Muller and Philippe Coutinho as center midfielders/attacking midfielders, and both players had trouble using their skills to their advantage.

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It was also telling how poor they played since the defense was focused on stopping Robert Lewandowski and still, neither player could offer much. Serge Gnabry was the only attacking player that was causing problems to Wolfsburg’s defense. Since Bayern didn’t have experience on the bench, a switch didn’t happen until late in the match.

Joshua Zirkzee came on for Coutinho and from that moment, the offense opened up. Muller was able to find more space in the final third with Zirkzee making runs into the box, resulting in the first goal. It’s interesting to think about what would have happened, had that change occurred earlier.