ANALYSIS
By Clark Whitney | German Football Editor
Following Wednesday's 1-0 Champions League loss to Basel, Bayern Munich are in full crisis-mode. The Bavarian giants may have had only two consecutive disappointing results, but their form since January has left much to be desired.
As it stands, Bayern are four points behind an in-form Dortmund in the Bundesliga; in the DFB Pokal semi-finals they face a Monchengladbach team that have beaten them twice this season; and they have a hill to climb if they are to advance to the Champions League quarter-finals.ndeed, the record German champions are in serious danger of going a second straight season without trophies. But all is not lost just yet: there are many more games left to be played, and a lot can happen in the next three months. Below, Goal.com investigates the current state of Bayern, pointing out what changes can lead them to success in May.
In the aftermath of the Basel loss, reports emerged of unrest in the Bayern camp. Sporting director Christian Nerlinger called the team together in the dressing room for a discussion. Exactly what happened behind closed doors may forever remain a mystery, but according to
Sky Deutschland, the players blamed one another, their anger erupting loudly enough for reporters to hear outside.
There are lessons to be learned from Wednesday’s game, but pointing fingers can do no good, especially with the transfer window closed for the next four months. What happened in Basel ended with the final whistle. It is now up to coach Jupp Heynckes to modify his tactics and training plans, and to manage the egos within his squad. At the very core of all of Bayern's problems is a mental block: this will never be overcome as long as the players feud with one another.
Of all teams from Europe’s top four leagues, only Monchengladbach and Juventus have better defensive records than Bayern. And yet, watching the them Wednesday, it was as though Louis van Gaal was still in charge.The Bundesliga giants were in complete disarray against Basel, and could have been 2-0 down in the opening minutes. It was an anomaly, as Bayern had conceded just two in the previous six games, but the fact that it came in such an important fixture speaks volumes for the team's calibre.
Bayern showed similarly appalling defensive form against Monchengladbach in a 3-1 loss in January, in what was the Bavarians' biggest domestic game of the calendar year thus far. A trend has emerged in recent weeks: against lesser teams, Bayern can get by, but when faced with motivated, confident opposition, they crumble.
With Schalke their opponents this Sunday, and big matches against Dortmund, Gladbach and Basel still to come, Heynckes needs to find a winning combination at the back and soon.
| Get Gomez, Robben & Muller scoring |
| IN NUMBERS | Bayern in 2012 |
240... minutes without a goal
3... goals by Gomez
3... goals by Ribery, Robben & Muller
0... goals by Kroos |
Apart from his debut season in Munich, Franck Ribery has always been more of a provider than a scorer. He is more than capable of going for goal on his own, but his greatest skill is in breaking down a defence before playing a clever pass. But especially as of late, Ribery has been forced to play a direct role. In fact, in six appearances since the winter break, he has given only one assist. The reason for Ribery’s changed role is quite simple: at the moment, there is no other reliable source of goals in the team. Bayern have been shut out for 240 minutes; Mario Gomez has only found the net three times in seven appearances after the winter break, with Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller contributing just once each.
Not only has Ribery had trouble adapting, but so has Toni Kroos. Though capable of finding the net from distance, Kroos is no scorer. He is a passer. With Gomez, Muller, and Robben off form, though, Bayern resemble their previous incarnation, pre-Gomez and after Luca Toni’s decline.
It’s easy enough to say that a player must score, but the actual act of finding the net is more elusive, of course. In the past there has always been someone to deliver the all-important finish: the only questions that remain are who will be the man to step up and lead the team, and how long it will take. Fans can only hope this is answered before Bastian Schweinsteiger’s return, which is still weeks away.
FOTO:Getty Images
