Bayern Munich's start to the 26/27 season definitely hasn't been what many were expecting. Bayern currently sits third in the Bundesliga, two points off first-place Freiburg, and haven't been the consistently dominant team we've become used to seeing in the years under Vincent Kompany.
The team has already dropped points in matches against Schalke and Augsburg, as well as a stunning 3-3 draw with Viking in the Champions League. Bayern are looking like they're lacking some fluidity and unity, but one of the most obvious areas they have been struggling is creativity, and that can be pinpointed to one clear absence:Jamal Musiala.
Musiala returned to Munich just days into the recent three-week international break with an injury, and despite having three weeks to work on his recovery, he still hasn't made it back to match fitness, which has proven to be a major blow to Vincent Kompany and his men, with the two games following the international break being two draws where the team has struggled to break down the opponent, games where Musiala's creativity is very much needed.
Jamal Musiala is proving to be the glue holding Bayern Munich together
While Musiala's start to the season, when looking at the stat sheet, may not be as productive as someone like Michael Olise for Bayern, with the German grabbing two goals and one assist through four games, which are still strong numbers, what he has been doing with the ball at his feet, dribbling through defenders and creating chances, has been where he's impressed the most so far this season, and it is proving difficult for Vincent Kompany to replace.
Just look at the last match Musiala played for Bayern: their 7-0 thumping of Union Berlin, where he grabbed a goal and an assist and was almost unplayable that game. He was the centerpiece of creativity that game, and we haven't seen a performance like that from any of his replacements since his injury, and that has been visible on the pitch.
Kompany has tried two different players at number 10 since Musiala's injury, those players being Ismael Saibari against Augsburg, and Lennart Karl against Viking, and the creativity has been almost nonexistent, with Bayern struggling to play their way through their opponents, which has cost them crucial points.
After struggling last season, Musiala was proving through the early stages of the new season that he was still the crucial player we all knew him to be, and for Bayern, they need him back ASAP, with a grueling stretch of games coming up. Before the end of the month, Bayern face all of RB Leipzig, Arsenal, Freiburg, and Borussia Dortmund, and they can't afford to keep dropping points. We all knew Musiala was one of Bayern's most important players, but this season, it seems he is more important than anyone could have imagined.
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