Bayern 1- 1 Leverkusen: How the Bavarians dominated a one-sided draw  | OneFootball

Today we saw Kompanyball being put to the test by a Leverkusen side that averaged the least possession probably since Xabi Alonso took over. Bayern dominated most of the match in every single aspect, while Alonso’s side spent most of the match defending their own half, something seldom seen in recent times.

This article written by Pepe Salazar

The 1:1 result is fair because in the end football is about scoring, but anyone that watched the game knows this match was completely dominated by Bayern: most shots, chances, possession, and most of the game was played around Leverkusen’s box. We can’t really call out Bayern for not creating chances, or even for not scoring more, and we also have to recognize that while Leverkusen had one of their worst games in over a season, their defense put out a very good match. Bayern was rarely allowed inside the box, which is why we saw so many long shots, including Pavlovic’s banger.

How Bayern dominated: A 180º from last season

Purposeful, quick paced possession

Bayern averaged nearly 70% possession, but this doesn’t mean the team was just holding on to the ball for its own sake. Short, quick passes, where Bayern players rarely held on to the ball for more than 2 or 3 seconds, meant Leverkusen was unable to press, or even to get the ball back, as both man marking and zonal marking were futile against Bayern’s quick tempo in possession.

Efficient pressing structures

Bayern pressed smartly by using pressing traps. When certain passes were played, especially to Grimaldo, Frimpong, or Xhaka, Bayern immediately started a man to man pressing and marking, causing errors in the build up. Leverkusen was left no choice but playing long balls that Kim and Upamecano won for most of the match, nulifying Boniface and Wirtz. Bayern averaged nearly 10 seconds in ball recovery, while Leverkusen, besides spending long spells without possession, averaged nearly 25.

Domination in the build up and possession phases, through shifting player positions and tactical structures

Leverkusen tried man to man pressing on a few occasions, to no avail, because Bayern’s shifting build up structures with lots of position switching made it very difficult to mark a single player. When Leverkusen tried zone marking near Bayern’s box, Kane and Musiala were happy to drop deep creating numerical overloads in the midfield.

Kimmich played almost like a libero in the build up and possession phases, roaming around in front of the CBs in an almost “quarterback” manner reminiscent of Sergio Busquets. His performance was boosted by Pavlovic and Guerreiro’s willingness to switch positions as he roamed around, and their commitment when Bayern had to defend.

All of these movements in the build up forced Leverkusen to give up pressing altogether, and spend most of the match in a mid-block during Bayern’s build up phase, and a low-block during Bayern’s possession phase.

4. Playing as a unit: This could be attributed to players’ attitudes, but it’s evident that ball recovery is mandatory for everyone. Whenever Bayern lost the ball, if Upamecano or Kim moved high to press or got into an aerial duel, their teammates were already tracking back just in case.

Gnabry and Olise were of great assistance in the flanks, Kane and Musiala were also involved in pressing and defending. There wasn’t a single Bayern player that was “excused” from pressing, defending, and tracking back, something this team hasn’t had probably since Flick’s last season.

An unlucky draw, but we saw who the best team is.

Leverkusen scored from a corner, a shot by Andrich that had a 0.04 xG, which was their only chance in the first half. They were unable to create chances from open play, their wingbacks were nulified, Wirtz and Boniface were gassed from running behind the ball and being unable to keep it for more than 10s at a time. Xabi Alonso was forced to substitute players from the 55th minute, something we rarely see him do. Even when Bayern was 0-1 down, there was no question which was the better team.

Bayern scored from a 0.03 xG shot by Pavlovic, who scored one of the best goals of the season so far, but also created enough chances to have scored a second goal, particularly with Gnabry at the beginning of the second half, where he hit the bar twice, and a chance by Olise where Hradecky was very quick to intervene.

Kompanyball passes the test

Most of us are excited to see Bayern score so many goals in such few matches, but some of us were also a bit skeptical on what would happen when these tactics faced bigger opponents. We saw a few red flags against Wolfsburg, and even against Zagreb when both teams managed to score two goals very quickly from low xG chances, a moment that bitterly reminded us of the imprecision that plagued Bayern’s defense last season.

So, how can Bayern defend without dropping deep like a small club, and without sacrificing their aggressive attacking style? Today we saw, Bayern doesn’t have to drop back to be defensive; the way this team balances out their attacking output with the defensive risks it implies, is by pressing, keeping possession, and playing as a unit. This way, the team can actually defend without having to use tactics like dropping back or playing a five man back line.

Today we saw Bayern’s toughest match, a bittersweet draw that should have been a Bavarian victory, but besides the results, the overall sensations are positive. The team’s identity is clearly defined, the board made the right calls, the commitment by manager and players is unquestionable. Even the bench looks solid, and the ability the players have to switch roles and positions seamlessly is a proof that Kompany is doing things right.

This team is a force to reckon with and made Leverkusen look like a small club that got lucky. There is no doubt that Bayern is turning things around this season and that we could be on the verge of finally having what seems to be a reliable long term project that matches the club’s identity and what us fans want to see.