Wolfsburg vs Bayern Munich

Hello and warm welcome to the latest edition of our newsletter! In this issue, the following topics take center stage:

1. ⚽Wolfsburg vs Bayern Munich

2. 👉3 New Exercises!

⚽Wolfsburg vs Bayern Munich

FC Bayern Munich Stages a Comeback to Win 3-2 Against Wolfsburg: Early Insights Under Coach Kompany

FC Bayern Munich, under their new head coach Kompany, managed to turn the game around and secured a 3-2 victory in their opening match against VfL Wolfsburg. But what can we learn from this first game under his leadership?

Tactical Approach and Style of Play

Kompany opted for a 4-2-3-1 system that often transitioned into a 3-2-2-3 formation when in possession, similar to the style of his mentor, Guardiola. As expected, Bayern dominated possession in the first half and focused on building up play from the back. However, Wolfsburg, led by coach Hasenhüttl, played with great aggression and energy in their challenges. Their well-timed pressing caused significant difficulties for Kim Min-jae and Upamecano.

It seemed that Bayern's players had not yet fully absorbed Kompany's ideas. There was a lack of fluidity and proper timing in their play. The center-backs and Manuel Neuer often struggled to find easy passing options, which likely wasn’t in line with the coach’s intentions. However, it’s important to remember that this was the first game of the season, and not everything can be perfect from the start.

Deficiencies in Build-Up Play

Kim Min-jae particularly struggled with the pace of the game, frequently making poor decisions under pressure. His passes were often inaccurate, which put his teammates under even more pressure. The two holding midfielders, Kimmich and Pavlovic, were closely marked by Wolfsburg, making them difficult to find with passes. As a result, Upamecano, Min-jae, and even Neuer ended up with the ball at their feet more often than Kompany likely intended.

Tactical Details

The roles of the full-backs were also intriguing: as they pushed forward, Olise and Gnabry often stayed wide, while the full-backs moved into the half-spaces. This seems to be a deliberate decision by Kompany to leverage the dribbling strengths of both players and create more one-on-one situations for them, similar to how Spain used Yamal and Williams during the European Championship.

Second Half: A Rollercoaster of Emotions

Bayern went into halftime with a 1-0 lead, but the second half started poorly as Wolfsburg quickly equalized with a penalty. It seemed like a repeat of last season, where Bayern often followed strong first-half performances with inexplicably weak second halves. Wolfsburg even took a 2-1 lead, and a Bayern victory suddenly seemed out of reach.

Kompany made a substitution in the 65th minute, bringing on Thomas Müller for Boey. Kimmich moved to Boey's position, while Musiala dropped deeper to form a double pivot with Pavlovic. This adjustment aimed to provide more control in midfield. Although Musiala excels in more advanced roles, he is also strong on the ball in deeper positions and adept at escaping pressing situations.

In the 75th minute, Coman replaced Michael Olise, who had performed well, especially in the first half. In the 81st minute, Kompany made his final substitution, bringing on Eric Dier for Kim Min-jae. This change altered the tactics once again, with Kimmich moving back to the double pivot role, forming a box midfield with Musiala and Müller. Unlike last season, Bayern demonstrated strong mental resilience in this game, scoring the decisive 3-2 winner in the 82nd minute.

Conclusion: First Impressions Under Kompany

Under Coach Kompany, it is clear that the team aims to play a refined style of football. Despite numerous errors in build-up play, Bayern stuck to this philosophy, consistently trying to build up from the back. This underscores that it is a central element of Kompany's approach. However, weaknesses were also evident: there were often missing passing options or a lack of composure to make the right decisions. It remains to be seen whether Kompany will start with the double pivot of Kimmich and Pavlovic in the next game or give Palhinha a chance, as the two holding midfielders did not have the desired impact in this match. It is certainly too early for a final verdict, and we are eager to see how the team develops under Kompany’s leadership.

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