3 observations and more from Bayern’s soporific 0-0 draw with Hertha BSC

All Credit to Hertha BSC

Hertha BSC came to the Allianz Arena. They did not park the bus. They did not cynically foul. They did nothing other than execute a very 4x5 defensive structure and restrict Bayern Munich to speculative chances. Bayern’s 19 shots look flattering, but aside from a handful of decent looks on goal the overwhelming majority were not even up to the standard of being considered routine work for Rune Jarstein.

Hertha BSC’s low block of Niklas Stark, Paulo Tournigha, and Fabian Lustenburger were compact all match, denying Thomas Müller space and closing down Robert Lewandowski fast when he was on the ball. Their lone slip up came on a quickly executed Bayern counterattack late in the first half, but sadly Franck Ribery horribly flubbed a 1-on-1 with Jarstein.

What does Juan Bernat have to do to see the pitch?

The addition of Kingsley Coman usually translates into a direct approach towards goal. In this game, the Frenchmen came up lacking against the Hertha defense, but he received little help on the left.

David Alaba is a phenomenally creative player, but the entire point of having Juan Bernat on this team is to provide a direct pacey leftback that can challenge on the wings. Alaba himself was quiet the entire evening and his overlapping support for both Ribery and Coman was abysmal. The introduction of Bernat would have immediately added more threat and speed on the left, forcing Hertha to commit men wide, opening space in the middle for the likes of Müller and Wagner. As it happened, there was no wide threat and the center of the pitch remained a wasteland of chances for Bayern.

In a game where midfield was a constant problem, Heynckes refusal to shift play to the wings and use Bayern’s superior firepower in wide areas limited their options in breaking down Hertha’s defense. Bayern really have no one to blame but themselves for walking away from this game with a 0-0 result.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Oh wait, what time is it?

This match should be mortar and pestled, dissolved in water, bottled, and then sold as medicinal cure for insomnia.