Top takeaways from Bayern Munich’s win against Borussia Monchengladbach.
Bayern Munich continued their astonishing run of form with a narrow victory on Saturday against Borussia Monchengladbach. The victory at Allianz Arena made sure that Die Roten need only one more win to retain the Bundesliga title.
It was not a straightforward victory for Rekordmeister, which has been the case in numerous games during Ruckrunde. The hosts opened the scoring through Joshua Zirkzee as Yan Sommer made a terrible mistake while playing out from the back. Despite without their two key attacking players, Gladbach showed great perseverance to equalize through an own goal from Benjamin Pavard at the end of the first half.
The second half was more like a chess game as Gladbach looked happy to take a point from this game. They sat deep in a compact formation, allowing no space for Bayern forwards to exploit. However, fortunes favour the brave as Rekordmeister’s persistence to get the winner was paid off at the end of the game when Leon Goretzka poked the ball into the net after a great cutback from Benjamin Pavard.
It was not a straightforward win for Die Roten, but this team knows how to dig deep and get results when they are struggling on the pitch. After all, that’s what champions are made of. Here are the main takeaways from Bayern’s important victory against Monchengladbach.
Joshua Zirkzee continues to step up for Bayern Munich
Robert Lewandowski missed the game on Saturday due to the accumulation of yellow cards in the Bundesliga. Flick turned to Joshua Zirkzee as he has become the go-to option to replace Lewandowski in the lineup. Filling in for the Polish strikers is a big feat, and Zirkzee never shows signs of bogging down under pressure.
On Saturday, Zirkzee once again showed why he could go on to become an important player for Die Roten. He held the ball up brilliantly and brought other forwards into play. His nimble footwork allowed him to be effective in tight spaces. Chances were very few to come by, but Zirkzee never stopped working hard during his time on the pitch.
When Sommer misplaced the pass and landed it straight at the feet of Zirkzee on the edge of the box, the teenager showed great composure to take the shot instantly. Make no mistake, it was a difficult finish, despite having the empty net in front of you. Zirkzee was not fazed one bit when the ball came towards him, showing the killer instinct to punish Sommer.
The Dutch striker has come up with big moments throughout the campaign. Goals against Wolfsburg and Freiburg in December started a long unbeaten run for Die Roten. Flick is not scared to throw Zirkzee in the deep end due to his immaculate finishing. So much more is to come from the teenage striker as he continues to take rapid strides in the first team.
Leon Goretzka is the MVP in midfield for Bayern Munich
Since Thomas Muller was expected to miss this game due to suspension, Leon Goretzka was expected to start in number ten role. However, Thiago Alcantara‘s injury made sure that Flick had to stick with Goretzka as number eight and give a chance to Mickael Cuisance.
Goretzka might be chuffed to play as eight despite playing as number ten for most of the time at Die Roten. The German midfielder continued rich vein of form on Saturday, scoring another big goal for Bayern. His late run in the box during the final few minutes of the game lead to the winner, helping Rekordmeister take a massive stride towards title.
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The former Schalke midfielder is not as silky as Thiago in this role, but he still manages to be an effective player in this role. Most importantly, his work ethic helps in covering up for his weaknesses. He presses aggressively when the team loses the ball. On various occasions, he drops deep to defend when the team is looking to see out the game.
Goretzka is becoming an effective midfield player for Flick. His goals and assists from this position make him the MVP in midfield for Die Roten. There are still areas where he can better, especially with his passing as he misplaces passes often than he should do while playing as number eight.
Bayern Munich should remain patient with Mickael Cuisance
After a long wait, Mickael Cuisance finally got the opportunity to start for Bayern in a Bundesliga game. However, the French midfielder struggled to make an impact. He was trying hard, but things were just not working for him. He was eventually substituted for Kingsley Coman at the hour mark.
Cuisance will be disappointed by Saturday’s performance, but he shouldn’t be disheartened by it. Most players struggle to find rhythm while starting a game after a long time, let alone a 20-year-old midfielder for a big club such as Bayern. He just needs to remain patient, and the club needs to do the same.
Flick has been a breath of fresh air in terms of developing young players. Alphonso Davies has thrived under him, while Zirkzee has enjoyed great success this term. Cuisance should be encouraged with these developments and continue working hard to get more playing time in the first team.
Hasan Salihamidzic has been quite vocal about the qualities of Cuisance and his impressive attitude in training. The club couldn’t manage Renato Sanches properly, teaching them a lesson about how to handle young midfielders. Despite a below-average performance on Saturday, Cuisance’s ability on the ball was visible in the game, which itself warrants more patience from the club regarding his development.
Thomas Muller is crucial for the attacking setup at Bayern Munich
Lewandowski is the prolific goalscorer and talisman for Die Roten, but Thomas Muller is the heartbeat of the attacking set up at the club. The German forward’s importance to the team was highlighted during his absence against Monchengladbach.
Muller’s contribution this season has been reduced to goals and assists. Those numbers are incredible, but his attributes are much more beyond these numbers. His movement is a vital aspect that makes Die Roten’s attack functional. He is relentless throughout 90 minutes, stretching defenses with his clever positioning and runs.
Bayern’s attack looked very well handicapped on Saturday when Muller was absent. The players were waiting for the ball to land at their feet rather than doing off the ball work to stretch Gladbach’s defense. This static approach allowed Gladbach to defend easily, helping them to concede very less big chances.
Muller will be back for the mid-week game against Werder Bremen. His absence further amplified the need to start the process of finding a replacement for him since he will turn 31 next season. Moreover, tactically there is something to work for Flick to make the team’s attacking play more flexible, not relying on one particular player to execute the plans in the final third.