Lately, Bayern Munich's performances have been a real surprise. As a die-hard Bayern fan, watching the team's successive defeats in the Bundesliga and Champions League is like a rollercoaster ride. In particular, the 3-0 beating by Bayer Leverkusen and the 0-1 defeat against Lazio in the Champions League were just to add insult to injury.
Bayer Leverkusen's strong press and Lazio's surprise victory were two games that completely exposed the problems Bayern are currently facing. The team did not seem to have recovered from the heavy defeat at Bayer Leverkusen, and the game against Lazio was already in a slump. It makes me think,What is Bayern's problem?
First of all, the turbulent management and tactical problems are obvious. Tuchel's 4231 formation didn't work as well as it should, and even the likes of Kane, Sane and Muller failed to break the deadlock. Although we seemed to have the upper hand on the field, the embarrassing statistic of 0 shots on target in that game was a direct reflection of the inefficiency of the attacking end.
Looking at the defense of that game, Yu Parmecano's red card and penalty gift were even worse. Although Kim's performance is still a bright one, it is obviously difficult to turn things around by relying on the struggle of the back line alone. Bayern's predicament is not only technical, but also psychological.
Defeats to Bayer Leverkusen and Lazio marked a record of four major humiliations, which was undoubtedly a huge blow to the team. In particular, the successive defeats under Tuchel have been a stark gap to the results of his predecessor Julian Nagelsmann. The frustration of the fans, the slump of the team, are forcing Bayern to change.
Tuchel's post-match optimism is commendable, but the lack of a view of how well his opponents played is inevitably a sign of escapism. The problem for Bayern is not whether the opponent is playing well, but whether they are not playing at the level they should have.
As fans, we will always support Bayern Munich, but that doesn't mean we're blind to the current state of affairs. The team will need to regain confidence and find a solution to the problem in the games ahead. Tuchel and his players will need to make changes to regain the Bayern that spooked their opponents.
The current Bayern is not only as simple as losing a few games, but more importantly, it seems to have lost its former domineering and self-confidence. But the world of football is always full of possibilities, and every defeat is a stepping stone to the next victory. Hopefully, Bayern can climb out of this slump as soon as possible and return to the winning track with more tenacity and bravery. We, as fans, will continue to support our beloved team and wait for that day to come.