Five Observations from Matchday 7 in the Bundesliga

Bayern Munich’s struggles are best for the Bundesliga season.

Bayern Munich has struggled to open the Bundesliga season with only 13 points from their first 7 matches. While it’s a slight departure from what Bayern fans are used to in recent seasons, it’s certainly a boon to every other club and fan of the Bundesliga.

Following Matchday 7, Bayern sit in 6th place with 13 points only 4 behind league leaders Borussia Dortmund. However, four teams sit between Dortmund and Bayern: RB Leipzig, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Werder Bremen, and Hertha Berlin. All four of those clubs have 14 points.

While there is zero chance that I would put money on anyone except Bayern to win the Bundesliga this season, kernels of hope are all that other clubs need, and they have that hope for the first time in years. Perhaps, when we get to the winter break, we’re looking at a Bundesliga table where Bayern have a 10 points lead. Nothing is impossible. However, let’s enjoy the challenge while we have it.

Yes, Bayern’s struggles are bad for us, but they’re good for everybody else.

Stuttgart are first to pull the “fire the coach” trigger in hopes of jump-starting their season.

After seven disappointing matches to start the Bundesliga season, Stuttgart have fired head coach Tayfun Korkut along with assistant coaches Ilija Aracic and Steven Cherundolo. With 5 points, Stuttgart are propping up the table in 18th place. Not good.

So, where has it all gone wrong for Stuttgart — a team that many thought would be challenging for Europe this year? It’s the defense, stupid.

Last season, in a full 34 game season, Stuttgart conceded 36 goals on their way to a 7th place finish which puts them at just over 1 goal a game. Had Eintracht Frankfurt not upset Bayern in the DFB Pokal Final, Stuttgart would be in the Europa League.

This season? Stuttgart have conceded 13 goals through their first 7 games which puts them at just under 2 goals a game. Yes, that’s not helped by an anemic offense with the third fewest goals in the league.

Whoever the new coach is... they have their work cut out for them.

Borussia Dortmund are the new Comeback Kings.

It’s been quite the whirlwind two weeks for Borussia Dortmund. In both matches against Bayer Leverkusen and Augsburg, they’ve given their fans early heartburn followed by jubilation.

Against Leverkusen, Dortmund fell behind 0-2 before roaring back to a 4-2 victory. Then, in the following match against Augsburg, they fell behind 0-1 and 1-2 before coughing up a 3-2 lead! The home fans were sent him in jubilation, however, as Francisco Alcacer’s 96th minute stoppage time winner sealed a third straight victory for the table toppers.

Lucien Favre has returned to the Bundesliga and lit a fire under a pretty young team. As the temperature gets colder and the games get a little bit tighter, can they keep this kind of form up? How will they rebound when (if?) they hit a bump in the road? We’ll have to wait and see, but for now, this is a really fun team to watch.

RB Leipzig are now unbeaten since opening day.

Remember that big 1-4 loss that RB Leipzig suffered on opening day against Borussia Dortmund? Leipzig doesn’t want you to remember that either.

Since that day, Ralf Rangnick’s side has run off four wins and two draws in their last six matches. While the run hasn’t been against teams at the top of the table, running through those games and picking up points (and three points in most of them) is super important for any side that has their eyes set on challenging for a Champions League spot or even the title.

Both Timo Werner and Yussuf Poulsen are having great starts to their season with four goals each so far. If both young players can keep their form throughout the season, Leipzig will be there battling at the top of the table toward the bitter end.

Wolfsburg won their first two games and haven’t won since.

Wolfsburg came out of the gate with big wins over then-struggling Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke to start the season. However, since then, they haven’t managed to pick up a win in their last five matches. Luckily for them, they grabbed three draws during that period to give them nine points putting them in 9th place in the table.

So, what’s the deal?

They’re averaging nearly 2 goals conceded a game since then, so defense has become an issue. Since the September international break, Wolfsburg have conceded at least twice in four of the five matches. You’re not going to win many games that way.

Who do they get when the Bundesliga returns from the international break? Bayern Munich.

Matchday 7 Results

Table