FanPost

World Cup Final: 1974

Stuart Franklin

I just watched the full match on YouTube and found it very interesting as well as entertaining. I never saw the full 90 minutes before, but its legend has been a part of my upbringing.

I know it's not Bayern but watching the core of the Germany team play was very Bayern-esque. Beckenbauer, Hoeness, Breitner, Sepp Maier and Müller were all key players.

I'm making my first FanPost for three reasons:

1. Watching some Bayern legends at probably their pinnacle moment is great for any fan. This game really showed the great combination of finesse and fight that I believe are hallmarks of the club.

2. The match up against the Dutch with Cruyff and Neeskins at their peak with their aura of Total Football supremacy is important for any student/fan of the game. You can see the confidence and style oozing from them as they try to deal with the feisty Germans.

3. It's a World Cup year and what better way to get the excitement building than going back to watch some of its defining moments.

I'm more interested in discussion, than proving my own points. Plus, my time is limited so I'll try to be brief (everyone laughing).

I really think that you can learn something about this current Guardiola-Bayern squad by paying attention to both teams. That's why I'm taking time to post this now.

Two points to look for:

1. The Dutch use an aerial attack very similar to Bayern's this season when they play Mandzukic. The latest game was a perfect example. Balls are sent over the midfield cluster into the box where they are headed down to on rushing attacking mids. Hopefully, possession is gained, and the ball is circulated around the box looking for openings. Its almost effective, but the German's are well organized and robust in the air making the initial header difficult to anticipate. Imagine Bayern being like the Dutch in this aspect.

2. The way the Germans play out of the back with Beckenbauer on the ball threading passes deep into the attack looked almost identical to the way Pep has been using Lahm in between the two CBs. It was almost uncanny at times. It also gave me new hope that maybe this HCM role could be something that Schweinsteiger will adapt to playing. Can he become the new Beckenbauer this Spring/Summer? I hope so!

On a more general note:

The passing combinations of the Dutch while in possession are so similar to this current Bayern squad. What's nice is the pace of the game is slower (interesting in itself how the game has evolved) so you can really see and anticipate the movement around the pitch. What's also just plain fun to watch is the tenacity and effort put out by the Germans. They are going 100 miles an hour with the ball straight through players. Ironically, it's the Dutch that get more chippy with cheap fouls and grabbing. Also, I remember my Father and his friends talking about Beckenbauer's outside of the right foot passes as a kid. He makes 4-5 unbelievable passes in the most casual of manners that just cushion on the grass as they approach their target. Pure genius. As I was watching the game, I could almost transplant current players into the match. It was so similar.

Anyway, if anybody has time to watch the match, I'm sure you'll enjoy it even if it seems too slow by current standards. And, I think it's an important game and maybe helps understand what Pep is trying to do at Bayern where he is combining two great and kindred spirits of the sport's history and philosophy.

I'm really curious if others see the similarities that I did. If not, let us know what you're seeing.

Editor Note: I wanted to make it easy for everyone to find the match video, so I found it on YouTube and embedded it here in the FanPost. Great work!

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Bavarian Football Works readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of BFW editors or staff. Visit our Fanpost section at the top of the page.