What went wrong with us this season? After having a crappy defense for a long period, we finally looked liked we had come over that stage, only for it too efect us now and again. We are almost certainly out of the Bundesliga race after our 1-1 draw with Hertha yesterday, and we lost in the DFB Cup to a lower division side. We perhaps also should've won the first-leg of the CL second round tie with Real. Let's hope next season is an improvement.
What didn't go wrong this season? might be a better question. Bayern used to have a lot of players scoring, now Makaay is supposed to provide all the goals. While he's doing a great job, BM have become too predictable with this strategy. Hitzfeld, too, is too predictable. Is he a bad coach? Absolutely not. But he does seem to be the wrong coach for a team that has a wealth of offensive players. The players, too, must take some blame as they are not giving 100% against "lesser" opponents. Ultimately, however, this is the coach's responsibility, showing, perhaps that Hitzfeld isn't quite the authority figure the team requires. Check out the results in all the games this season against teams in the relegation zone. Looks like BM showed up thinking the game was already won. The players' fault, but the coach's responsibility. That 4 out of a required 12 points. Not a single win. Bor. M'gladbach - Bayern München 0:0 (0:0) Bayern München - 1. FC Köln 2:2 (1:1) Eintracht Frankfurt - Bayern München 1:1 (1:1) Hertha BSC - Bayern München 1:1 (1:1) Shocking!!! All the games where opponents scored a lot--not exactly worldclass opposition. Also points to a lack of professional attitude by the players...and the world's crappiest defense. Hannover 96 3:3 (1:3) VfL Wolfsburg 2:3 (0:1) Bayer Leverkusen 3:3 (1:2) Hansa Rostock 3:3 (2:0) Ridiculous!!!
I think the 2003/04 version of Bayern was poorly designed. Problem number one is the lack of leadership among the outfield players which diplayed itself in a lack of focus. A goalkeeper can only do so much during the course of a match and one that has personal problems off the field is even less effective. Problem number two was the defense. It was evident after the first CL match (against Celtic) that our centerbacks were being overpowered, especially in the air, and this mismatch haunted us all year long. Finally, the attack lacked a creative spark which made it inconsistent all year long. Ballack is a finisher, not a playmaker. Bayern's strikers are also finishers, not playmakers.
Syncope-you are completly right. All the points you made;we need to improve on them a lot for next season.
I think the problem with Bayern is Bayern's over reliance on Makaay! Yes, he is a good finisher, but compare Bayern to a team like Milan, where goals can come from Pirlo, Inzaghi, Seedorf, Kaka and Shevy! Bayern has lost that ruthless killer instict. That ability to finish off their oponent when they get that rare opportunity! For some reason, they have become too predictable. Their performance in the champions league was AVERAGE, drawing and losing against Lyon in the first round! If today's Bayern at it's best can only pull a 1-1 draw with Real in Munich, then there's some something fundamentally wrong with this team! This team needs fresh ideas, and a fresh sense of direction and incentives. This can only be achieved if the coach is replaced and a player steps up and takes a leadership role in the team!
Well, we should have beaten Real, without a doubt. We had plenty of chances, and if you remember Kahn made that mistake... Perhaps more firepower is what we need. But in several other matches we've drawn against so called lesser teams 3-3. To be honest, we need to improve everywhere for next season.
Of course, when you are playing at home, you SHOULD get more chances. Recall how Madrid gave Bayern problems back in Spain, inspite of the absence of R. Carlos and Ronaldo. My philosophy is that the Champions League is always a reflection of the entire team Chemistry, and how the team has been performing in their league. If the team is not playing well, someone will definitely f-up in one of those big games. Maybe we need to change our coach, since we have an amazing roaster, but we're not getting the results we expect!
is the formation being based around makkay? in the elber days i remember more players seemed to score now everyone seems to be playing to feed the ball to the dutchman and if he is not on his day then there is trouble
Bayern have basically formed their tactics around Makaay; but he is only as good as the passes he is given... Bayern really lack the quality passes (Ballack is no playmaker) he needs to fufill his potential and till that is solved I don't see Bayern being the team that it was a few seasons ago. Makaay is Dutch but even with the rivalry I have to admit so far, he is too good for the Bundesliga and even for a team like Bayern with our current crop of stars and sometimes mediocre play. Players like Pizarro need to go... we don't need half-hearted players in the squad. If he leaves who will replace the third striker? Zickler will retire soon with his constant injuries. Transfer target Hashemian proven at Bochum doesn't have what it takes to succeed in Europe, even with the bargain price. There needs to be some creativity whether it be Deisler or up and coming youths like Trochowski; or even someone that is bought (Tevez). The defense needs to be improved as well, why is it that Kuffour and Kovac play their best against Real Madrid in the Champions League? Bayern need defenders that will perform their best every week; irregardless whether the world is watching or not. ... so basically that involves every position to be improved.
Good points. What I am hearing in a nutshell is that we have too much individuality on this squad, and not enough professionalism. To explain, lets look at Makaay: here is a bonified professional - clinical finisher who knows his role and performs each week, stays out of the limelight, and lets his play do the talking - credits teammates at all costs for his fortunes and takes responsibility in his own failure. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought he was German! This is the stereotypical resume of the German Bundesliga/Munich players of old. We don't have enough of that really. I am not sure if I agree with you on the point that Makaay is too worthy to play at Bayern, but I do see the point you are making. He very well could be the inspiration behind revitalizing this team with players that are capable of player the ball to him. Is he too good for the Bundeliga? Perhaps... the league has not been in top form the last couple seasons. It will be interesting to see what transpires in the next several months with this team - from the final season match to the new additions and deletions on the roster for the up-coming season in 2004-05.
this year our most importent player BALLACK was not good, we build the team around ballack and if he dont play good so all the team dont play well.
I agree with most of the things that have been said in this discussion. Ballack has not fullfilled his potential this season at all and too much responsibility was put on Makaay. Makaay is the only player that did satisfy this season, and perhapns Schweinsteiger but he doesn't start very often. Defensively they need to sharpen up and definetly get Lahm back, he has been great with Stuttgart. I don't think Santa Cruz and Pizarro cut it anymore and Zickler is well out of the race. They need to fresh strikers. They have plenty of talent in the midfield in Deisler, Hargreaves, Ze, Ballack, Schweinie, they might have to re-format the midfield though. THey need to create a Bayern that can play without Makaay and still score the crucial goals and create chances. I think that mainly depends on the re-formating of the team and also a few new aquisitions in defense and attack.
initially, i don't like the idea of buying deco, i don't think he has enough pace to beat players on man on man. but he does have great vision and tenacity and in tandem with deisler, they can form a very powerful combination. But if deco does come there will be no place for ballack on the team with schweisteiger taking his place. But I still think the man bayern should go after is Koller, the man can single-handed hold the line by himself and allowing bayern to play more central, their biggest problem this year. Frankly it is sad to see the only way, one of the greatest teams in the world can advance the ball into the opponent's penalty area is by going down the flank.
I'm just an outside observer, but what about the injuries to Scholl and Salihamidzic? Along with Effenberg a couple years back (and Matthäus further back), I thought you had the best, deepest midfield in the world, and those two were key performers.
Scholl appears done by injury. I'd be surprised to see him pull the shirt on ever again. Linke must go. It is time to hang it up. Kovac seems to have completely lost it. We do need a top class center back. I know that Real is shopping for one, but there should be a few available. Chivu from Roma would fit in well and Roma has financial difficulty right now. Maybe even Hofland from PSV, though PSV may not be keen to sell since it looks like Kezman and van Bommel for sure will be leaving and I'm sure they don't want to gut their squad. Ballack is very disappointing this year, and I have major doubts as to whether Schweinsteiger will quickly develop into a top player. I would love to see Rosicky in our shirt, but is that a move he would make? I don't know what has happened to Pizarro this year. I have heard that Schalke may bid for him this summer. Santa Cruz isn't worth keeping. How about Cavenaghi from River Plate? Or Ibrahimovic from Ajax? He is leaving; I heard that he is interested in a move to Italy. I don't know what the transfer budget will be this summer, but it looks like Bayern, along with everyone else, will wait to see who Chelski and Real don't buy, and pick from the remains. Should be an interesting summer in the transfer market.
Don't forget Barcelona, they're transfer hungry no matter how bad they do in the season. I think Bayern should shop outside of Europe and bring different styles in, that might just work.