Thursday July 29, 2021
Anger, problems and question marks
FC Bayern is wrong in the new season
By Tobias Nordmann
FC Bayern has played three test matches so far. The result is sobering: two defeats, one draw. However, the new coach Julian Nagelsmann has not yet been able to offer his best formation. An explanation, of course. But also a bitter insight.
Panic is not appropriate. It is not that often that FC Bayern does not win three games in a row. But it is still easy to explain why Julian Nagelsmann is still without a win as the new coach of the Munich team. All comparisons with Sören Lerby are still forbidden. He was also only 33 years old when he took over the record championship, but was kicked out again after five months. That won’t happen to Nagelsmann. It should remain for (at least) five years, according to the current working paper. It should be five years in which the new man has to achieve a lot. National titles, that’s for sure. International successes, there should be a few of them. Of course, according to the mandate, it should also make talent great.
The longing for new Thomas Müller and David Alabas is great. Even if the love for the Austrian who emigrated to Madrid has grown a little cold. The talks about a new contract had failed too loudly. This is not the issue for Nagelsmann, although he does feel the consequences of the loss. Because without Alaba and without Jérôme Boateng, who apart from ex-coach Hansi Flick no one wanted to keep, the new hopeful at the side has to come up with a few clever things to reorganize the defense and the hierarchy in the team. Time is running out for that. The conditions are bad. Because many players who are important to the club are only just arriving at the training center. The EM is to blame. And the special leave afterwards.
This explains why FC Bayern has not yet won in preparation. It is not a particularly aggressive claim to say that the results against 1. FC Köln (2: 3), against Ajax Amsterdam (2: 2) and on Wednesday evening (0: 2) would have probably been different if all the top staff were on duty been. Panic is not appropriate. In preparation, the results do not always have to be right, even if they are good for self-confidence. In preparation, a trainer can and must try himself out. Also in terms of personnel, of course. For Nagelsmann, however, this is going to be bitter. He tests his ideas with a variable system and more stable counter-pressing with many footballers who probably do not play or only rarely play under competitive conditions. The reserve was relegated last season and is now playing in the regional league. A long way for the talents to join the professional team. With Armindo Sieb, Torben Rhein and Christopher Scott, three midfielders have indicated that they are good for this path.
The defense limps enormously
And the talents have to deliver in times of need. The more charming reading would be: There are still a few places available in Julian Nagelsmann’s squad. They are definitely prominent places. Seats that are suitable for the respective line-up on match days. Also because Bayern is plagued by injury problems at the start of this season. Alphonso Davies, the left-back, is out. For him, new signing Omar Richards will have to play. He comes from the second English division. Quite a risk. Lucas Hernández, the alleged new defense chief, is also out. It is not possible to play with Dayot Upamecano, who, like Nagelsmann, came from RB Leipzig. As an alternative, Niklas Süle remains, who is in a difficult position at FC Bayern, who has never been able to meet expectations in the long term, also because of injuries.
Also bitter is the prolonged failure of the Spaniard Marc Roca, who should actually be an important alternative to Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka in midfield. Goretzka, another problem. His contract expires in the summer. He wants more money to stay. A lot more money, apparently. So much more money than FC Bayern would like to pay. Winger Kingsley Coman also plays this game. The scenario of a free transfer – previously absolutely unthinkable on Säbener Strasse – is unfortunately realistic from a Munich perspective. The Alaba case showed that. Nobody would have thought that the boy would just go away because they couldn’t come to an agreement. It’s a trap that the people of Munich set themselves with their alleged monster contracts for Leroy Sané and Lucas Hernández.
What nobody needs: another corona case. But world champion Corentin Tolisso got it. It is unclear how long the Frenchman, who is repeatedly treated as an exit in the media, will be out. Unclear, yes, there is a lot in Munich. Actually, there shouldn’t be much going on in the squad. At least not on the access side. Sports director Hasan Salihamidžić said that. Will it really stay with this announcement? Maybe not. According to “Kicker”, the resistance to newcomers could be given up if a candidate is found who could help immediately. There is a need for at least two positions. In the central midfield. And in the position of full-back. There is no lack of corresponding (of course not confirmed) rumors. The wildest expression: Munich is said to have asked FC Barcelona whether they would like to give up one of their three right-backs.
An inconspicuous one pushes a little
Perhaps the distress in the position will be alleviated from your own stock. Because the so far completely inconspicuous Bouna Sarr, who was part of the Salihamidžić’schen lightning shopping frenzy last summer, indicates for the first time in these days that he may be a good option after all. Especially since it is still not clear in what condition Benjamin Pavard will return to the team. In the past season, the Frenchman was not always the man who guaranteed maximum stability and offensive force. There is currently no longer much discussion about Sarr as an exit. This goes hand in hand with significantly fewer rumors about potential buyers.
On the other hand, there is discussion about two other youngsters who cannot get on their feet at all in Munich. On the one hand there is the actually highly gifted midfielder Michael Cuisance, whose self-confidence rarely matches his performance. And then there is Joshua Zirkzee. He had made a name for himself as the first contact remover for FC Bayern in the previous season. But the hope that he could become the strong second man behind Robert Lewandowski vanished as quickly as Zirkzee was served in the Bundesliga. The loan to Parma recently did not favor his development either.
In preparation, he caused trouble with a blackout – which some fans interpreted as a fit of arrogance – in the game against Amsterdam. Instead of simply pushing the ball over the line, he delayed completion. Ajax defender Perr Schuurs rushed up from behind and grabbed the ball away from him. Zirkzee received a lot of verbal beatings for this. The young Dutchman even signed out of his Instagram account. Salihamidžić found clear words for the escalating reactions: “It has nothing to do with football. It crossed a line.” Incidentally, this also applies to the way a few fans deal with Nagelsmann. Because the new coach was also badly attacked in the friendly against Amsterdam. There were stupid “Nagelsmann, you pig, back to TSV” calls to be heard in the stadium. The coach had once grown up at the big city rival in 1860 – but was always a Bayern fan. The 33-year-old moderated the abuse confidently. The impression that FC Bayern has so far been mistaken for the new season rather than bursting with strength and trust, he couldn’t wipe away. Panic is not (yet) appropriate.
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