Four Observations from Bayern Munich’s smooth 4-0 win over Werder Bremen

Bayern Munich faced a historical opponent in Werder Bremen, as they played their home Wiesn match. They have been the better side on most occasions, particularly at home against Werder. Tonight was no exception – the results speak for themselves as Bayern bag a 4-0 win in the Allianz and continue their Bundesliga campaign having won every single game so far. Here are the observations from the game.

Bayern genuinely lucked out on Kane…

While this has been spoken enough of already, it needs to be said again – Bayern Munich got incredibly lucky in not only signing Harry Kane, but also finding him on a constant upward trajectory despite his age. The England captain has been worth every penny spent on him, and one could go on and on, talk about how he contributes to every second, and every square inch of the pitch. Despite having played for barely two years, he has already made records, having finally secured his 100th goal in his 104 appearances so far. It also helps the fact that now in Luis Diaz, he has someone with the relentlessness and creativity to feed him from the left too. The sky is the limit — at the rate he’s going, even legendary records hardly stand a chance.

Konrad Laimer does not get enough appreciation for what he does 

All you ever have to do to survive in German football is play at least three positions, and make a solid impression in at least two of them. No one does that better than Konrad Laimer. While much has been spoken on how extraordinary he is at right-back and his incredible overlap with Michael Olise, little is said of his time at left-back. The truth is, he does not look comfortable enough in that position, and yet, continues to be the starter – a testament to his prowess. His goal towards the end of the game was phenomenal – a left-footed shot from close range, assisted by Tom Bischof. Yet again in an unfamiliar position, but the Austrian continues to deliver.

The strongest case for Tom Bischof

Tom Bischof’s performance tonight was adequate to secure a starting position for the weeks to come. He finally received a start over Aleksander Pavlovic and truly proved himself. The technical skill of the youngster is absolutely phenomenal, and he could perhaps give passing lessons to Leon Goretzka. Despite an overall sloppy game from Bayern with errors from his partner in midfield, Bischof managed to regain control of the center and is perhaps the reason the game was won. If there is anything Kompany can take out of this game, it would be to try to start Bischof over Goretzka or Pavlovic now on and see how it goes from there.

Defense matters

Dayot Upamecano reduces Manuel Neuer’s job by half on his worst days and to barely anything on his best days. Tonight was one such night, when Upamecano was fully involved in cleanup duty along with Bischof. He is an extraordinarily disciplined defender, and despite having not much trouble owing to the numbered counter attacks to handle, he had enough on his plate with his own team’s errors in losing possession. Tah, though, not as good as his partner, had a goal worth rewatching multiple times. After having received a beautiful cross into the box from Olise, Tah converted with a backheel, directing the ball into the net. While it did take a touch off Luis Diaz, it was Tah’s brilliance that led to the goal. 

Concluding thoughts

In the coming games, the major concerns for the team to address will include:

1. Finding a way for Luis Diaz to convert his chances
2. Avoid errors in midfield and avoid losing possession

Bayern Munich was the home side in the Bundesliga on Friday when Werder Bremen came to town.

The Bavarians decimated the visitors 4-0 in a game that was never really close. Bayern Munich was relentless and dominant in every aspect of the match. It is not as if Werder Bremen did not try, but the players just could not match up with the machine that was Bayern Munich.

Let’s get into all of the details — here is what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show:

• A look at the starting XI — Tom Bischof and Leon Goretzka got the nod in the central midfield because Joshua Kimmich was sick.
• A rundown of the scoring and substitutions.
• Some final thoughts and takeaways on the match.

Also, be sure to stay tuned to Bavarian Podcast Works for all of your up to date coverage on Bayern Munich and Germany. Check us out on Patreon and follow us on Twitter @BavarianFBWorks, @BavarianPodcast @TheBarrelBlog, @BFWCyler, @2012nonexistent, @TommyAdams71 and more.