Three observations from Bayern Munich’s friendly victory over Leipzig, 3-1

The first appearance of the 4-3-3 plan was a failure

Fans were speculating that Vincent Kompany would take the lineup in a different direction this season. Today, we got a glimpse of what that might look like.

Bayern Munich started the match with three specialist midfielders in the starting lineup. Aleksander Pavlovic and Joshua Kimmich formed the base of the triangle with Tom Bischoff at its apex. The logic was sound. This pre-season has shown Tom Bischoff as a technical and dynamic midfielder with the physical attributes of a proper number 8. His profile complements Kimmich and Pavlovic, both midfielders.

Unfortunately, on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Munich, things did not go according to theory. Positioned in an advanced midfield position, Bischoff looked largely lost and unable to make an impact on the game. His movements were separate from his midfield partners, who in turn found it difficult to take advantage of his presence up front. The game required a true attacking midfielder, a gap that was only filled after Gamal Musiala and Ismail Saibari were substituted in the second half.

Defensively, Bischoff was called upon to press Leipzig’s backline, while Kimmich and Pavlovic dropped back. It meant a lot of running for little gain, as the 21-year-old unsuccessfully chased shadows when Bayern Munich lost possession.

You have to wonder if Kompany got it wrong or played it too safe. This iteration of the 4-3-3 is simply similar to a basic 4-2-3-1 with the striker replaced by a midfielder. He does not take advantage of Tom Bischoff’s qualities to make the Kimmich-Pavlovic axis more stable. His physical talents are wasted, and he cannot shine technically when surrounded by defenders. If Bischoff is allowed to play a deeper role, he could still add something to the starting XI.

Whatever the case, version 1.0 of the new 4-3-3 system did not work as intended.

Glaring gaps in the team

Three (possibly four) injuries within 90 minutes. Does Bayern Munich really have the depth to compete on all three fronts?

The lack of backup for the attacker is glaring. Arijon Ibrahimovic is simply not that man. Yes, Nicholas Jackson wasn’t great last year, but at least he provided a tall, solid target to shoot for. Ibra lacks the physical presence of a goalkeeper and his movement and technical skill are not up to the level of the false nine.

Ismael Sibari could play the latter role, as seen in the short sequence in which he assisted Gamal Musiala, but Bayern Munich certainly did not buy the talented Moroccan to play him out of position in a role that barely exists in the team.

Luis Diaz faces a similar possibility, albeit less dangerous. At least in the Colombian’s case, Kompany could theoretically move Jamal Musiala or Alphonso Davies to the left wing and fill the gap.

The final headache is right-back, with Konrad Laimer and Josip Stanisic both suffering from weaknesses. Then you have Sasha Boye, who is a decent 1v1 defender but struggles mentally with his positioning. If you could somehow combine these three formations into one file, it is possible to have a right-back of the caliber of the three. However, as it stands, this position may be the team’s biggest headache.

Fundamental changes? not yet

Vincent Kompany has not had much time to experiment this pre-season. We’ve seen glimpses of a 4-3-3, and a few young players, but little of it. The new players joined the team too late to make a real impression, and the absence of Harry Kane turned every match into a grueling exercise in how to play without a striker.

From now on, it looks like Bayern Munich may have a relatively slow start to the season. Vincent Kompany needs time to integrate his new pieces, and his team needs time to regain fitness. Fans shouldn’t expect to see the team click until October/November at the earliest. As for the big changes? Experiments will resume when a baseline is established.

It will be some time before we see a radically different setup from Vincent Kompany.

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