Bayern 5 -1 RB Leipzig: The way to play  | OneFootball

Bayern beat Leipzig fair and square, no controversy. The script was written before the game; Leipzig would try to take advantage of counter-attacking situations, while Bayern would dominate possession and most metrics. Expectations aside, the only question remaining was which side would turn said script into victory.

This article written by Pepe Salazar

Today’s performance proved the tactical overhaul taking place this season is the right way to go, and while this team isn’t perfect (which team is?), it’s very hard to argue against the type of performance we saw, even if this was a 2-1 instead of a 5-1. While Leipzig seemed like a one-trick pony, unable to react or do anything other than counter-attacking, Bayern kept going with a versatility and commitment that would make any manager and any fan proud of their team.

Position, possession, chance creation … and Konny scored a beautiful goal.

Bayern could have scored three more goals, and even then, both fullbacks scored today. It’s hard to say who was the man of the match because this was definitely a team performance, with little to no individual errors, but I feel we should mention (and appreciate) Laimer’s presence in this team.

In Kompany’s system fullbacks have the most demanding job of all; to play as wingers, inside forwards, midfielders and then also track back in the defensive phase. Being a fullback under Kompany implies being everywhere on the pitch, but most importantly, being exactly in a certain place in a certain time in a squad where position shifting is constant; the definition of positional awareness.

Laimer is doing all of this while not even being a nominal right back. He scored by making a run into the right half-space, while Olise overlapped and Kimmich stayed behind in a more central role. His finishing was impeccable, but what made this goal even more special was the way his positioning and commitment to follow through put him exactly in the right place within the system.

This was not a coincidence but rather a wonderful goal where individual execution met tactics and planning as most of the goals were today. Laimer scoring in such a spectacular way was simply a wonderful surprise and shifted the game’s momentum entirely towards Bayern’s side. It also must have been a huge blow to Leipzig’s defenders? Who to mark in that channel? Olise, Konny, Kimmich?

Tactical adjustments and individual performances

Tactics are nothing without individuals. Give an elite tactician a lazy squad and they will lose. Give a lazy tactican an elite squad and they may be overrun by any hardworking squad. Give an elite tactician a hard-working squad and most of the times positive things will happen.

All of Bayern’s forwards were very efficient in their pressing and their off the ball movements. Kane didn’t score but he was all over the pitch, Musiala was always there when the build up got complicated, often moving to the flank to allow Sané to run into the left half-space. Olise always tracked back, which helped both Laimer and Kimmich on the right flank.

Goretzka, while doing a very minimalistic job, rarely made a mistake and was able to recognize when he should stay close to Kim and Upa, when to get close to Phonzie, when to move forward. Kimmich now has more support from his teammates, and now that he has a more free role, he seems to be more confident going forward and carrying the ball, scoring one of the best goals in his career.

In essence, the whole squad was willing to do their job, and then a bit more. Vincent Kompany is doing tactically what is expected of a manager in charge of such a big club, but more importantly, his man management skills are helping his players improve and show a better attitude.

This skill, more than any tactical approach, is key for this team to move forward and develop squad depth that goes beyond personnel. A team where most players can cover several roles and positions will be ready for injuries and absences, and will be able to adapt to any opponent without sacrificing their own identity and philosophy. If things get a bit dark, as they sometimes do, let’s hope our manager gets the support he deserves.

After all these years, a reliable long-term project.

This is the Bayern we’ve been eager to see for years, where technically gifted players are also willing to do more than expected, where everyone attacks and everyone defends, where rotations don’t necessarily imply the team will be worse, and where dominating possession doesn’t mean playing boring, predictable football. These are not kamikaze burnout tactics, this is a balanced approach that is still very aggressive, attack-oriented, and entertaining for us fans.

Of course, we can’t expect every match to be a 5-1, and in this positional-possession based approach, the trade off is that the odd long ball may be very harmful, but the gamble is the correct one and the trade-offs are much less important than the benefits. Bayern is winning by being the better team, becoming a better squad, being more attractive for up and coming players, and giving us fans very enjoyable football. In the long term this philosophy will continue to prove that what we saw today, and now for almost half the season, is the right way for Bayern to play.