How Kompany Turned Bayern Into A Formidable Force

On Saturday day Atalanta suffered nan first nonaccomplishment of their Serie A campaign, succumbing to Udinese successful a alternatively lacklustre affair. A fewer hours later, Bayern Munich hit Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 successful decisive fashion.

These 2 events whitethorn look unrelated, but they meant that Bayern person go nan only unbeaten squad crossed nan apical 5 leagues successful Europe. They person made a 100% commencement successful nan Bundesliga - 9 wins successful 9 games, pinch only 4 goals conceded.

One mightiness opportunity that nan Bundesliga doesn't airs a situation to Bayern but looking backmost astatine nan erstwhile 3 seasons, we must realise that they were challenged rather a spot by Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen, to nan constituent that they edged to nan title successful nan last minutes of nan 2022-23 play and lost it a twelvemonth later to Leverkusen.

There is simply a logic that Bayern's coaching agency seemingly had a revolving doorway for a while. Two weeks ago, Vincent Kompany, nan existent manager, extended his statement until 2029, making him nan first Bayern leader since Louis van Gaal successful 2010 to motion an early statement extension.

Longevity and continuity had been lacking successful regards to their managerial station earlier Kompany's arrival. And nan Belgian surely appeared to beryllium an improbable campaigner to bring a emotion of euphoria back.

While they still managed to triumph championships nether Julian Nagelsmann, Thomas Tuchel and others, nan absence from nan Champions League last stung Bayern's higher-ups and fans who person nan aspiration that their squad beryllium among nan champion successful nan world.

With Kompany astatine nan helm, nan serial German champions whitethorn negociate to return to nan biggest shape of nine shot successful nan foreseeable future.

What was scary astir Bayern's triumph complete Leverkusen was Kompany's chosen line-up. Instead of picking his champion players, he focused connected load guidance for Harry Kane and others, employing a number of chair players including 17-year-old Lennart Karl, an attacking midfielder pinch an unthinkable near foot.

Kane, Michael Olise and Luis Diaz watched from nan sideline arsenic their team-mates dismantled Leverkusen's defence. Bayern led 3-0 astatine half-time and past really took their ft disconnected nan gas.

Granted, Leverkusen, who sacked head Erik 10 Hag only a fewer weeks into nan season, still request to rebuild their squad aft nan departures of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Granit Xhaka. And yet, no-one expected specified a grade of power successful nan game.

With their triumph complete Leverkusen Bayern person already managed to hit their 3 astir potent challengers - RB Leipzig and Dortmund being nan others.

The spread to second-placed Leipzig, who person gone connected rather nan tally aft losing 6-0 to Bayern connected nan first matchday, is only 5 points, but Kompany's broadside still mightiness attraction a small much connected nan tasks up successful nan Champions League.

Kompany was capable to remainder immoderate of his cardinal players astatine nan weekend, particularly adjuvant fixed nan mini squad he has, and tin recreation to Paris St-Germain connected Tuesday pinch nan dream of bringing down nan French giants. After beating Chelsea 3-1 successful mid-September, it will beryllium different awesome trial for Kompany and his team.

Manchester City awesome Kompany played 3 seasons nether Pep Guardiola towards nan extremity of his career. And 1 tin really spot a batch of Guardiola successful nan measurement nan erstwhile centre-back and his assistants attack shot possession and really they group up attacking plays. Positional play and nan rotation wrong nan statement are cardinal to letting nan shot move almost effortlessly.

Last season, Kompany already attempted to present positional patterns, successful that his players were asked to inhabit definite zones aliases lanes, but this year, players rotate from area to area much frequently, which makes it harder for defences to screen without leaving immoderate gaps towards and into nan punishment area.

Now, this is not wholly unheard of erstwhile it comes to Bayern's violative approach. Guardiola himself implemented akin patterns aft his presence successful 2013, but nan Catalan grounded to lead them to nan Champions League last contempt making existent progress. During Guardiola's three-year spell he brought successful midfielder Joshua Kimmich, 1 of nan astir promising German players astatine nan time.

Kimmich is still pinch Bayern and mightiness person an mentation arsenic to why nan squad look moreover much fearsome than backmost then.

"When I joined 10 years ago, we were equipped pinch unthinkable individual quality. We had 23, 24, 25 world-class players," he said connected Saturday.

"But erstwhile I now spot really we arsenic a squad usability and are happy together and for 1 another, erstwhile I spot really we bring these principles to nan field, really 1 runs for nan other, past this is very special. That has not been nan lawsuit truthful often. It was different 10 years ago. Then, we had much ego wrong nan team."

Kane, successful particular, represents a shape of humility sloppy of success.

The England skipper is nan Bundesliga's apical scorer and has already racked up 22 goals successful 15 games crossed nine competitions this season, but he is not 1 to show immoderate arrogance.

Along pinch Diaz, Kane has attempted 30 shots successful nan Bundesliga this season, nan joint-highest full successful nan division.

During nan summer, reports astir soul turmoil astatine Bayern emerged, pinch Max Eberl, nan man successful complaint of nan club's transportation business, astatine nan centre of attention. It seemed for illustration nan accustomed Bayern drama, but erstwhile nan play started and nan squad began to execute astatine specified a precocious level led by a level-headed manager, each nan sound disappeared.

Bayern mightiness driblet their first points successful nan Champions League very soon, perchance moreover connected Tuesday.

But Kompany leads his players successful nan correct guidance pinch nan correct attitude. And support successful mind, Jamal Musiala, Bayern's generational playmaker, and left-back Alphonso Davies will return astatine immoderate constituent during nan play and make this squad moreover stronger.