Bayern Munich has many things to take away from the resounding victory against Schalke.
It just feels like the last campaign never ended as Bayern Munich turned up at Allianz Arena to deliver an exhilarating display against Schalke on Friday. They sent a warning to their title rivals by scoring eight goals against a hapless Schalke side.
Leroy Sane enjoyed a fine debut for Die Roten. The German winger showed exactly why the Bundesliga champions were eager to spend big money on him. He grabbed a debut goal while Serge Gnabry continued his good form with a hattrick. Both young forwards proved that they have the potential to become successors of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery.
Robert Lewandowski continued scoring, and Thomas Muller continued to be the creative workhorse for the European Champions. The same desire and hunger were shown on the pitch, albeit it is just the first game of the season. However, things are going in a positive direction to enjoy another successful campaign for Die Roten.
Most importantly, Rekordmeister showed ruthlessness since it played a crucial role in their treble win. There were many positive to focus during the win against Schalke on Friday. Let us focus on the most important takeaways from the win against Schalke.
Lucas Hernandez starts the big season on a good note
Alphonso Davies was training individually last week, so it was not a surprise to see him on the bench against Schalke. The Canada international has been sensational, but he needs to be managed carefully to avoid injuries and continue his development. Flick decided to start with Lucas Hernandez in the left-back position.
It is a big season for the club-record signing. Hernandez has struggled to get regular playing time during his debut season. Injuries and the form of other players have kept him out of the starting XI. There has been speculation surrounding his future, but the club and player have dismissed it.
Hernandez did not harm his chances to start next week by delivering a good performance against Schalke. He was making marauding runs on the left flank and providing the width when Sane was cutting inside. The Frenchman is a tenacious defender, who enjoys engaging in duels. Against Schalke, he didn’t allow players to get the better of him on the left side.
Lucas Hernández won an impressive 22 duels against Schalke, more than any other player on the pitch [Bundesliga] pic.twitter.com/wZgDDmy6D4
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) September 18, 2020
The former Atletico Madrid defender needs to remain patient for his chances. Flick is going to rotate heavily due to fixtures pile up, so Hernandez will get an ample amount of playing time to make sure that he is in the French squad for next summer’s Euros. He is eager to show his best, the qualities that forced Die Roten to break the bank. The Frenchman has started strongly. We are likely to see more such performances this season.
Joshua Kimmich is not Thiago, but he doesn’t need to be
There was a new number six on the pitch against Schalke. Thiago Alcantara completed the move to Liverpool on Friday, so Kimmich will be donning the number six kit for Die Roten. The German midfielder will have the role of filling the void left by Thiago.
Kimmich is not similar to Thiago. The former is not as prolific in manipulating the ball through dribbling compared to the latter. Moreover, Thiago unlocks defenses with some of the most ridiculous passes. That doesn’t mean Kimmich is not a good number holding midfielder. He has more than enough good qualities to succeed in a deeper role. The 25-year-old midfielder was at his best against Schalke.
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The German midfielder has a magnificent passing range, and he can play pinpoint vertical passes to open up a defense (like the one he did for Sane’s goal). Kimmich is also very good positionally. He might not be the type of holding midfielder that will engage in duels to stop teams on the break every occasion. His good positioning allows him to be ahead of the game and sniff the danger quickly.
Thiago will be a big miss for Die Roten. Kimmich is not like for like replacement, but he doesn’t have to be one. His qualities also suit Flick’s intense pressing game. Moreover, there is enough evidence from the last campaign regarding Kimmich’s ability to dictate play against the best teams in Europe.
Jamal Musiala will get many opportunities to shine this season
Bayern fans are excited about young players in the current squad. After seeing the progress of Davies and Joshua Zirkzee, they are hoping to see more young players getting a chance under Flick this season.
In the first game of the season, Flick showed that he is ready to use five substitutes rule to give chances to young players. Chris Richards and Jamal Musiala got more than 15 minutes to make an impact against Schalke, which is a promising sign.
Richards was tidy at the back, but Musiala stole the show. The 17-year-old forward became the youngest ever player to score for Die Roten. Initially, he showed promise in the final third by making good runs off the ball. His touches were also tidy. His goal came through a good team move that was finished by him emphatically.
Oliver Batista-Meier and Sarpreet Singh have gone on loan this season, opening up opportunities for Musiala in the first team. Since the German Champions are yet to sign another wide player, Musiala can end up getting 600-700 minutes across all competitions. That looks very little playing time, but it is a big deal for a 17-year-old forward. Along with winning all possible trophies this season, seeing talents such as Musiala flourish will be the icing on the cake for Bavarians.