Almost exactly a year and 50 games since Thomas Tuchel took charge of Bayern Munich, he came up against his very first opponent as a Bayern coach Borussia Dortmund. Unlike his first game, Bayern fell to Dortmund for the first time since 2019 in the DFL Supercup, which speaks enough about Tuchels tenure in itself.
Goals by Karim Adeyemi and Julian Reyerson were enough for Dortmund to complete a 2-0 victory and record their first Bundesliga win away against Bayern in a decade. Here are some takeaways from what was an extremely painful game to watch:
Bayern was tactically outclassed and had no desire to win
Edin Terzics Dortmund team came into the game with a clear idea blocking Bayerns passing lanes incredibly well throughout the game, pouncing systematically every time a Bayern player had the ball and made a pass, forcing mistakes and targeting our weaknesses. When Terzics approach to the game is so much more functional and better than Bayerns, it speaks volumes about where the problem lies.
But Bayerns tactics (or lack thereof) were not the only issue, A fifth-placed Dortmund team played like they had something to prove and were fighting for their season, while the Bayern players played like their season was already over. Players were jogging and hardly pressed, especially in the second half.
Joshua Kimmich at right-back is world-class
Bayerns strategy of build-up through the flanks was smart because the midfield was quite clearly incompetent (more on this in a bit), but it would never have been possible without Kimmich dropping one of his best performances this season. Kimmichs constant balls into the box from almost any angle on the right flank saw him create the most chances on the pitch, a performance that one can liken to his games in the 2020 UCL run.
Fans must have missed watching Kimmich create threats and recover from positions that seem impossible this often in a single game, and he was the only reason Bayern came so close to scoring so many times.
And it’s baffling why Kimmich doesn’t see this. It becomes clearer by the day that his best position lies as a right-back, and not in defensive midfield this game only further proved it. If Kimmich keeps playing as an RB and dropping performances like these, he definitely deserves to stay.
Disasterclasses and why Aleksandar Pavlovi was sorely missed
Pavlovis absence saw Bayern opt for Konrad Laimer and Leon Goretzka in midfield, both of whom were uninspiring and frankly speaking, Laimer was really terrible at times. A presence similar to that of Pavlovi would have changed the game as Bayern wouldnt be so easily targeted in the center and would lose the ball less often, while still making forward passes. Pavlovi may be young, but he is quite important to this Bayern team already,
Especially for Dortmunds first goal, the fashion in which the midfield was so easily run over highlights the glaring hole in the midfield a real defensive midfielder who can win back the ball in these areas before the opponent ever gets to the defense.
Players like Leroy Sané, Jamal Musiala, and Harry Kane all failed to make an impact, and simply could not find a way to finish the chances. Even Thomas Müller had an unusually poor game but was also substituted too early when he could have made more of an impact.
Bayern are not beating Arsenal
With all due respect, when a team led by Terzic can split Bayern open in such a fashion, a tactically superior Mikel Arteta with a stronger squad will do much, much better.
At the moment, the tactics are not working, the team plays like they are playing together for the first time, and there is no cohesion nor a desire to win. Everything that can go wrong is going wrong, and while its tough to accept, this team isnt coming close to beating Arsenal FC in the Champions League if things continue like this.
So, what did you think of the game? Tell us in the comments below!
Looking for more game analysis or do you just want to enjoy our suffering? Check out our postgame podcast where we review Bayern Munichs 2-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund in detail! Listen to it below or on Spotify.
As always, we appreciate all the support!