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Bayern is in crisis: Time for a re-tune

Jack King new author
Roar Rookie
18th October, 2016
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Bayern's Thomas Mueller, left, and Bayern's Philipp Lahm. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)
Jack King new author
Roar Rookie
18th October, 2016
0

Two consecutive draws and a defeat. The invincible Bayern Munich machine is starting to sputter and spew out foul-smelling gases, gases that were being overlooked and seen as part of its day-to-day functionality – until now, that is.

The pits in Bayern’s play at the beginning of the season were considered as side talk and given no priority – perhaps because the machine didn’t have to do too much to prove that it’s capable.

And just like the difference in the performance of a lousy student in class worksheets compared to tests, the machine proved incapable in exam week.

Bayern, who were fortunate enough not to be dethroned of their first place in the Bundesliga after some disappointing at best and dreadful at worst performances against Koln and Frankfurt, are facing PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League.

In Round 1, during their epic journey to Cardiff, Bayern were yet again unable to put an end to their curse against Spanish teams, even with Carlo Ancelotti at the helm.

However, with the mat mopped, and its blood swept, Bayern are ready to go to Round 2; the round in which the student can ignore his past results and start focusing on his next exam. This is when he can rise from the dead to prove himself to the class, showing that his past achievements were no fluke, but the outcome of a great deal of sweat, tears and time.

Over the last three games, the players have become more and more frustrated with their own performances. Goalkeeping hasn’t been up to scratch, defence has been leaky, midfielders inefficient, and strikers, well, are starting off on the sidelines. This leads to the belief that the loss against Atletico did some serious damage to morale. You no longer see the great passes or the overpowering dominance.

Franck Ribery missed both games Bayern drew in the league, and you could feel the need of an unselfish person sliding his way through the opponents’ teams to assist or finish. The man that was responsible for seven of Bayern’s last 18 goals is now injured, so a drop in quality is expected, but their latest fixture, versus Frankfurt, saw them hit rock bottom.

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However, nothing matters to players more than the Champions League, so now is the perfect time to improve morale.

It isn’t a time to panic – Ancelotti is an expert at football, and at the Champions League especially. The real worry should start if Bayern don’t secure a clear-cut win over a team that drew with FC Rostov this year, having fallen 5-0 (in aggregate) to Bayern last year.

This is when the team’s chances of advancing diminish, and the time to consider alternative fuels for the Bayern machine.

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