Three takeaways from Bayern Munich’s draw at Allianz Arena against Werder Bremen.
The return to competitive football after the international break was not a sweet one for Bayern Munich. The defending champions dropped points for the second time in the league this season as Werder Bremen held them for a 1-1 draw at Allianz Arena on Saturday.
The German Champions started brightly, but Werder Bremen responded brilliantly by creating big chances on the break. The bravery of visitors was finally rewarded as they completed a well-crafted move with a tidy finish from Maximilian Eggestein just before the half-time whistle.
Hansi Flick’s men improved significantly at the start of the second half. The search for an equalizer lasted for around 15 minutes as Kingsley Coman headed at the back post. There was enough time for Die Roten to get the winner, but Bremen showed great character to defend well and create more than enough chances at the other end to win the game.
Rekordmeister will be disappointed with this result as it abruptly stops the winning run. However, they remain top of the table, but the lead is just one point after Borussia Dortmund’s win on Saturday. It was an underwhelming performance from the German Champions as players looked rusty after the international break. Here are some key takeaways from a chaotic 1-1 draw at Allianz Arena this weekend.
Bayern’s high defensive line targeted again
Hoffenheim showed some sort of template to score goals across Bayern Munich earlier this season. The efficiency in the attack from Hoffenheim helped them to clinch a 4-1 win against the defending champions. Werder Bremen followed a similar attacking pattern to earn a draw at Allianz Arena on Saturday.
Releasing the ball quickly after winning around their box helped Bremen to exploit the high defensive line maintained by Die Roten. Having two forwards closer to Bayern’s center-backs when Bremen regained the possession helped them to break quickly and consistently create chances throughout the game.
Having just one central midfielder also made Bayern’s defense more vulnerable. After Javi Martinez moved in central defense, his lack of pace was exploited by the visitors. The full-backs took up positions higher up the pitch, so there was a lot of space for Bremen to stitch attacks.
Two Bundesliga teams have exploited this clear weakness in Die Roten’s setup, making them vulnerable against sides that take go long and direct. Flick will have to come up with a solution to this weakness to avoid giving teams a specific blueprint to the opposition to work on. A tweak in the last line of defense could help Bayern to plug holes at the back.
Bayern needs better plan B instead of aimless crossing
Werder Bremen didn’t allow Bayern to progress the play with vertical passes. The visitors suffocated Die Roten forwards by being tight towards them and giving them very little room to play those dangerous passes. As a courtesy of this approach from Bremen, the hosts were moving the ball sideways.
The German Champions also started spamming crosses in the box when they were finding it difficult to break down Bremen. After an injury to Lucas Hernandez early in the game, David Alaba moved into the left-back position. The Austrian defender attempted 11 crosses in the box, but only two of these crosses were accurate. On the other flank, Benjamin Pavard attempted six crosses with not a single cross meeting a Bayern player.
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In the front three, Douglas Costa was whipping dangerous and fast crosses. However, these crosses were hardly met by other forwards. The Brazilian ended up with eight crosses in 60 mins with a 25% accuracy. All these poor crosses made Bremen’s job easy while defending in the low block. (Stats courtesy: Whoscored)
Flick decided to utilize this crossing by having two strikers upfront. He introduced Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting at the hour mark. After his introduction, Robert Lewandowski dropped a deeper, which didn’t give the advantage to Die Roten when full-backs were crossing. They were becoming predictable in the attack, allowing Bremen to win the ball easily and initiate attacks. Flick needs a much better plan B when things are not going Bayern’s way.
Kingsley Coman becoming the clutch player for Bayern
The goal against Paris Saint-Germain has completely changed Kingsley Coman. He was a very good player before that game, but he looks much more confident in the final third after that winning goal in the Champions League final.
Coman came to Bayern’s rescue on Saturday with another header at the back post. The Frenchman is timing the runs better, and his productivity in the final third is improving. In the past, his final pass or shot would often let him and his team down.
Along with the confidence from the CL final, the competition in the first team is also helping Coman. The current squad has four natural wingers, while Jamal Musiala has also made a positive impact. Healthy competition has helped the French international to elevate his game to the next level.
Most importantly, Coman now has the knack of scoring clutch goals. Robert Lewandowski was the only forward in the squad that used to come up with big goals, but Coman is also making handy contributions in the last few months. With injury problems behind him, Coman is looking sharper and more dangerous in the final third. He is finally paying off the faith the club has shown over the years. Long may it continue.