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Initial reactions:
- Bayern had an average game, yet won in the end by 4-1. The crucial moment of the game happened when Gonzales missed his opportunity. First he missed it and then he hit the post, Neuer grabbed it without knowing what was going on. Bayern got lucky and they stayed ahead.
- Bayern’s defence is extremely shaky still. Stuttgart had quite a few opportunities on the counter and Hummels and Sule gave away possession far to easily today. Bayern’s last four needs improving before Liverpool. Salah - Firmino - Mane would of had a field day today.
- Bayern, yet again, gives away a lead. We’ve seen it against Dusseldorf, Freiburg and Augsburg. Bayern has difficulty in dominating a game for the full 90 minutes. The same happened against Hoffenheim. Against Nagelsmann’s side Bayern played fantastic the first 45 minutes yet was dominated for large parts of the game in the second half. Today, Bayern gave up a lead and invited Stuttgart to the game. If it wasn’t for Gonzales finishing, we would have done it twice in a game. For a team like Bayern, to do this at home, is not acceptable.
- The positive from today is that Bayern are keeping Dortmund within reach. Even though Bayern did not play great, they still get the three points which is a positive. Coman was Bayern’s best player today. The Frenchman always looked dangerous while in possession. It is also quite incredible that Robert Lewandowski can have a nightmare of a game for 85 minutes, yet finishes the game with one fantastic goal. The amount of chances he missed today is a bit worrying, as we won’t get as many against Liverpool or Dortmund.
90’— James has a dangerous free-kick. Pure hit well outside the 18 yard-line.
89’— Sosa comes on for Esswein. No return for Mario Gomez then.
88’— Mediocre performance that still could end up being more than 4-1. Signs of a first-class football team.
85’— Davies makes his debut! Coman, who has been very good, makes way for the Canadian teenager. From a refugee camp to Allianz Arena, inspiring story, welcome to Munich, Alphonso!
84’— TOOOOOOR!! WOW! Not a great 84 minutes from Lewandowski but he elegantly dribbles around Zieler and cooly finishes a fantastic run. 4-1 Bayern, MIA SAN MIA!
83’— Decent performance from Stuttgart, doesn’t seem like a team that would be relegated by the end of the season.
81’— Gnabry is given a gift after Zieler fumbles a cross. Wastes the chance.
80’— Bayern’s defence today has looked very vulnerable. Must improve before Liverpool.
76’— Bayern are keeping Dortmund within touching distance. Bayern-Dortmund in April will be crucial.
74’— Good feet from Hummels, nearly scores but a Stuttgart leg prevents the defender from getting on the score sheet.
73’ — Thommy goes on for Donis. James goes on for Muller.
73’— Key moment of the game was Gonzales missed opportunity. Could have been 2-2 then, Bayern have not been to impressive but now looks to go home with the 3 points
71’— TOOOOOOOOOOR!! Goretzka scores his third goal of 2019! Zieler misjudges the corner and Goretzka has an open goal. Scores with his head! 19 minutes to play, should be game over.
70’— Stuttgart are missing their first 3 starting centre-backs: Badstuber, Baumgartl and most notably, Bayern’s new signing, Pavard
69’— Stuttgart is still in this game
67’— Lewy has another good chance, how many does he need?
66’— what a crazy few minutes. Should of been levelled after Gonzales’s chance, and then should of been an easy last 25 minutes for Bayern but Lewy misses the penalty, he is having a nightmare!
65’— LEWANDOWSKI MISSES THE PENALTY. The Polish international hits the post, crazy few minutes!!
64’ — PENALTY FOR BAYERN — seconds after the Gonzales chance Lewandowski is brought down and Bayern have a penalty!
63’— HUGE CHANCE FOR GONZALES! How did that not end up in the back of the net, Gonzales is one on one against Neuer and its saved by Germany’s number one. The return goes to Gonzales and that shot hits the post. HUGE CHANCE
62’— Kovac and the fourth official is now having a conversation, presumably about the main referee’s reluctance in giving away yellow cards.
61’— I personally like that the referee is keeping his cards in his pockets, Weinzierl and Kovac does not.
60’— Goretzka has dropped further down the midfield, Muller plays the more attacking role of the three midfielders on the pitch.
58’— Kovac is mad at the very lenient referee. Been many tackles that deserved a yellow card in the game but the referee has kept his cards in his pockets.
57’— The third goal of match will count as an Gentner own-goal.
56’— Lewandowski has a chance, shots well over the goal.
55’— TOOOOOOOOOR!!!! After commotion in the box, Bayern get’s a bit lucky with a goal. Gnabry strikes and it deflects heavily on a Stuttgart leg.
55’— Kabak and Kempf has stopped Lewandowski’s link up play so far.
52’ — So far, the second half looks like how the first half ended.
51’— Lewandowski is dispossessed again in his own half by the 18-year-old Kabak. Kabak is looking very mature for his age.
48’— Zieler handles yet another Bayern corner with ease.
47’— More attacking now from Bayern with the recent change.
46’— Muller goes to midfield, Gnabry on the right. Martinez, like many, did not have a great game, although Kovac substituting him in the 45 minute does say a lot about what the Croat thinks of the Spaniard.
46’— Serge Gnabry is on for Bayern. He will replace Javi Martinez.
HALFTIME NOTES:
- Bayern yet again throws away a lead at home. Great start to the game, but Stuttgart was able to find their way in this match and the draw is so far very fair.
- Coman has been great, always dangerous when on the ball.
- Gentner has been fantastic, the veteran is everywhere on the pitch. What a fighter.
- Not great first half from Bayern, that being said, Bayern has dominated possession and Stuttgart has only been dangerous on the counter. Kovac’s men still have every chance of getting the three points. MIA SAN MIA!
45’— One added minute. Stuttgart has gotten better and better in this game.
45’ — Corner for Bayern. Kimmich this time. Not dangerous.
44’— CHANCE FOR COMAN! Very close to go into the back of the net, great play from Coman.
43’ — Coman has been Bayern’s best player so far in my opinion. Always dangerous when on the ball.
41’ — Kempf (23 years old) and Kabak (18 years old) has started well.
40’— Every chance Stuttgart has had comes on the counter-attack.
38’ — Bayern needs to raise the level to get the 3 points in this game, Bayern needs to raise the level before Liverpool, Bayern needs to raise the level to have a chance to win the league.
37’— Coman has a great chance, great save from Zieler. Coman is starting like he finished against Hoffenheim: creative and dangerous. Corner for Bayern.
36’ — Fantastic tackle from Sule, denying Donis to be one on one against Neuer. Desperate defending once again, yet, fantastic tackle.
35’— Gentner clears another dangerous cross from Bayern. Gentner has been fantastic so far, covers every area of the pitch.
32’— DANGEROUS CHANCE FROM STUTTGART.. great cross from Zuber to Donis, Neuer does a great save to deny Donis his second.
31’ — Alaba takes a corner. Corner is headed away by Stuttgart and then volleyed by Thiago. Zieler has trouble with it but the ball is cleared from the goalie area by a Stuttgart defender.
30’ — Martinez and Kimmich screaming at each other as Martinez believed Kimmich could go forward.
27’ — Kovac has to be feeling the heat, Bayern has had 3 draws against struggling sides this season: Augsburg, Dusseldorf and Freiburg.
26’— TYPICAL Bayern this season, great start followed up by sloppy and lazy play.
25’— WOW! 1-1 Donis scores a SCREAMER. What a goal, that is a contender for goal of the season. What are Bayern doing? They have invited Stuttgart back to the game!
24’ — Hummels gives away a pass after another lazy set of play from Bayern. Stuttgart are being encouraged to have a go here at the Allianz Arena. Bayern needs to regroup.
23’— Weinzierl’s men look more comfortable now with how the game is shaping up.
22’— It is important for Bayern to stay focused. We’ve seen Kovac’s side too often losing points by lacking discipline and focus, especially at home.
18’— Stuttgart are playing defensively and look at times disorganised. Not surprisingly considered how many new faces they have in the team.
17’— Corner for Bayern. Kimmich takes it, Zieler gets a hand on it but the referee has decided to give a freekick to Stuttgart.
16’ — Goretzka has a half-chance. Denied by a Stuttgart leg.
14’ — 60-40 possession to Bayern so far. First home game of the year has started well for Kovac and his side.
13’ — Martinez drops back while Thiago and Goretzka are playing higher up the pitch. Working well so far.
12’— Esswein strikes an attempt on Hummels that goes out for a corner. Ends up being a very un-dangerous corner.
11’ — Lewandowski has a chance after being one on one against Zieler. Offside
10’ — Stuttgart’s centre-backs has not played together yet, tough first test that became even tougher after Thiago’s goal.
8’— Will be interesting to see Stuttgart’s 11 million euro signing.. Also brought in Esswein and Zuber in order to move up from the relegation spot.
7’— Shot from Kimmich...low shot that was a bit away from the goalkeeper’s post
6’ — Good recovery from Sule, Bayern starts brilliantly, just like in Hoffenheim. However, need to keep this up in the second half, didn’t against Hoffenheim.
5’ — TOOOOOOR!!! Thiago makes it 1-0 after a pass from Thomas Muller! Fantastic start from Bayern, could be a long afternoon for Stuttgart.
4’ — Big game for Bayern... can’t afford to lose any points
Kickoff! Bayern Munich are underway against Stuttgart.
One hour before kickoff: Lineups are out! It’s unchanged from last week.
♦Unser Team für #FCBVfB! #packmas ♦ pic.twitter.com/5iyetqALNg
— FC Bayern München (@FCBayern) January 27, 2019
After eight days of pain, Bayern Munich finally return to action, this time against Stuttgart at the Allianz Arena. The Swabians are on a three game losing streak, but Niko Kovac has injuries to deal with and the team cannot get complacent.
Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery are both out injured, so expect a forward lineup consisting of Robert Lewandowski, Kingsley Coman, Thomas Muller, and one other player. That final player is the key to the entire starting XI, because it will determine the team’s shape for the rest of the game.
If Leon Goretzka plays as the #10, then that means Javi Martinez will have to start in midfield. If James Rodriguez plays as the #10, then Goretzka will make up the pivot along with Thiago Alcantara. And finally, on the off-chance that it’s Alphonso Davies, then Thomas Muller can play behind the striker. Serge Gnabry, who recently recovered from an injury, is unlikely to start this soon after his return.
In defense, Jerome Boateng training with the team after recovering from an illness, so he should be available for selection. However, don’t be surprised if Niko Kovac opts for an unchanged lineup from last week — one consisting of David Alaba, Mats Hummels, Niklas Sule, and Joshua Kimmich.
With Borussia Dortmund and Gladbach winning their games, a win here is imperative for the Bavarians. Let’s stay in the title race, shall we?
It’s Bayern time.
Match Info
Location: Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany
Time: 3:30 pm local time, 9:30 am EST
TV/streaming: Fubo.tv, Find Your Country
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