Bayern Munich locked horns with an Eintracht Frankfurt side yet to taste defeat under newly appointed head coach, Albert Riera. Bayern got their victory and Riera experienced defeat’s sour flavor.
Here are the biggest takeaways from Bayern’s narrow victory.
Bayern Munich needs to start killing games
Let’s get the worst out the way first. By the 76th minute, Bayern were three goals to the good and in full control of the game. Come the 86th minute, they were scrambling, struggling to hold into their one goal lead going into the final minutes of the game. While Bayern did enough to secure the win, the manner of which did not have to be as frantic as it was.
One can’t expect players to finish every chance that comes their way, but one can expect their side not to be wasteful. Bayern had numerous opportunities to turn the screw on a shaky Frankfurt defense—especially in the first half. However, poor decision making and finishing left them with just enough to see the game out.
There’s nothing wrong with winning games by a one goal margin. In fact, Bayern also deserve a bit of praise for hanging onto their lead. But based on Frankfurt’s performance, this game should not have ended in a one goal deficit. Bayern could have made the final quarter of the game far more comfortable for themselves.
A question brought about from Bayern Munich’s record breaking season
Bayern have been enjoying another record breaking season. Die Rekordmeister started the season winning 16 consecutive matches across all competitions, trumping AC Milan’s previous record of 13, subsequently earning them the title of best start to a season in European history. The Munich-based side also flexed their domestic dominance, equaling the highest ever points tally of 50, set by Pep Guardiola’s 2013/14 Bayern, with a goal difference of 61—24 more than 2013/14. The craziest part? There are still more records to be broken.
Bayern Munich are on pace to beat their own 101 Bundesliga goal record set in the 1971/72 season. Vincent Kompany’s side, currently on 85 goals, just need 17 more goals in 11 more games to break the long-standing record—a record that will surely fall considering Bayern’s three point seven goal per game average. Harry Kane is also on pace with Robert Lewandowski’s legendary 41 goal Bundesliga campaign after netting his 28th goal of the season, while Michael Olise, who has already provided 16 assists in the league, needs just seven more to break Thomas Müller’s record of 21.
In the midst of Bayern’s record breaking season, one has to ask: Do broken records constitute a successful season, or is it just fluff without silverware?
Broken records and titles would be the ideal combination, however, I’m not sure how significant broken records are without trophies. Inversely, silverware still holds its value without broken records.
Speaking of records…
Harry Kane = Insane
No one expected anyone to break Gerd Müller’s record 40 goal Bundesliga campaign, then came Robert Lewandowski. After 49 years the Pole managed a mind-boggling 41 goals in one season. Now ‘Lewan-goal-ski’s’ record could crumble just five years after being set. An unbelievable thought. However, Harry Kane lives in the realm of the unbelievable.
After securing a brace against Frankfurt, Kane’s Bundesliga goal tally now stands at 28 — precisely on par with Lewandowski’s scoring pace in his record breaking 41 goal season. Keep in mind, this is all while being more involved in build-up and defense. Sure, Kane and Lewandowski are two very different players, but Kane’s impact runs deeper than just goals, and he’s still performing on par with Bayern’s most prolific striker ever—across one season at least.
Will Kane break Lewandowski’s record? Considering the hat-trick he needs to score against an in form Borussia Dortmund next week to stay on pace, probably not. However, record broken or not, don’t let that take away from Kane’s jaw-dropping season.
Bayern needs to slam the door in Borussia Dortmund’s face
Since Bayern’s mini slip-up, reducing an 11-point lead to a six-point lead, Dortmund has been vocal about their chances at their first Bundesliga title in 14 years. Nico Schlotterbeck revealed his side’s intention “to be champions” while Serhou Guirassy echoed a similar message after their 4-0 victory against Mainz last week. Considering Bayern’s bitter rivals have also only lost one game all season, the challenge should not be taken lightly—and so it hasn’t.
Had Bayern lost against Frankfurt and Dortmund secured victory against RB Leipzig, Bayern’s six point buffer would have been slashed to a mere three points—landing Dortmund in striking zone ahead of next week’s Klassiker. However, Bayern made sure to hold their ground, springing the UNO reverse card on their rivals ahead of a tricky match-up against Leipzig. Should Dortmund lose, they could see the six-point deficit slip to nine. And should they go on to lose in Der Klassiker next week then they can kiss any hopes of a sixth Bundesliga title goodbye.
Bayern made their title intentions clear tonight, let’s see if Dortmund do the same.
Bonus Observations
- It’s no surprise Bayern scored a few goals in this game. Frankurt’s defense has been absolutely dreadful this season. I’d love to say it was a shock when I heard they have the second worst defense in the league behind Heidenheim, but truthfully it wasn’t.
- The form of Bayern’s attacking trio of Harry Kane, Michael Olise and Luis Díaz has taken a ton of pressure off Jamal Musiala.
- Let’s hope Alphonso Davies’ injury isn’t bad!
- It was another tough day in the office for Joshua Kimmich. He’s either struggling for form or needs a rest. It’s tough to tell these days.
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
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