Top Bayern Munich Performances from September UEFA Euro Qualifiers

Their representation was relatively small, but boy-oh-boy, what a representation it was. Bayern Munich had eight goals from its eight players, and only one of the five countries they represented lost its matchup.

Here are the top Bayern performances from the September UEFA Euro Qualifiers:

Top Performances

1. Robert Lewandowski, Poland

Whenever a player scores four goals, it is hard not to put him at the top. Perhaps the one disappointing part was the fact that Poland took a while to get into the game, but facing any team that sits back is hard to break down. The tally was one thing, but the different ways he was able to find the back of the net was impressive in itself. His rise to elite-hood will only continue in the red-and-blue of Bayern.

2. Thomas Müller, Germany

One has to wonder what kind of attack Germany would have without him. Löw elected to play him on the right against Scotland, and he was still the best finisher on his team. Right midfield is probably Müller's best position, with the service he provides and the defending he does, but the personnel around him requires him to have a more central role. While others fling shots left and right when they put their laces behind the ball, his knack to do whatever it takes to find the back of the net continues to serve him well.

3. Jérôme Boateng, Germany

Something about his country's colors bring out the best performances in him. Boateng was able to keep up with Scotland's pace in attack, and was rarely beaten when tracking back. Playing so high, he left a fair amount of space for Ikechi Anya to run into during his goal-scoring break, but Sebastian Rudy was the one who let Anya slip in behind. His ability to facilitate attack was also stellar, continually proving that he is one of the better all-around center backs in the world at the moment.

4. David Alaba, Austria

In a weird way, Alaba's performance was about what he did not do. He did not have to shield his defense from Zlatan Ibrahimović, and he did not have much the most impact on Austria's attack. The reason for that though was because of how Sweden seemed to be finding ways around him. Midfielders were pretty tight to him and the attack dribbled out to the flanks to avoid meeting him in the middle. In that context, Alaba affected Austria's opening draw to Sweden pretty profoundly. Oh, and that penalty he rocketed into the roof of the net past Andreas Isaksson was pretty pronounced as well.

5. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Denmark

His performance against Armenia was not one to write home about, but his goal from the top of the penalty area made it one to remember. His goal was his first as a member of any senior team, and it equalized what would have been a devastating scoreline at home. He had relative freedom in the midfield, moving around to support Denmark on both ends. His passing did not progress into anything, though, and all of his passes remained on the ground. Even with the goal he did not do much to prove that he deserved a spot in Bayern's team over any of the holding midfielders in front of him.

Other Performances

Mario Götze, Germany

He played once again as the center forward, and he appeared more out of position than ever. He did draw attention from the Scottish defense, leaving room for Müller, Reus, and Schürrle to run into, but he was a blade of grass next to the trunks of Grant Hanley and Russell Martin. He played the position like a center forward, defeating the purpose of him playing up top. Being jerked around a lot, he does not have a position that he can consistently call his own, and he will not get regular minutes until he and his manger establish one.

Manuel Neuer, Germany

With Germany constantly pressuring Scotland, Neuer's day was one of those where he was not required to do a lot. The one thing that he was required to do was more than he could handle, left as a sitting duck as Anya barreled forward. He played as a sweeper, but was not required to come far off of his line many times, and ultimately he can just bank on the victory for his country.

Xherdan Shaqiri, Switzerland

His touch simply was not there as his form continues with its inconsistency. Switzerland as a team were undisciplined, and gave the ball away before Shaqiri could create space to receive it. He had flashes of brilliance, including some great balls to Haris Seferović, but his set-piece delivery and his link-up play were not up to par. His young brilliance still shines through, but the youthful mistakes have a clock on them.