Bayern Munich 0-2 Gladbach: Initial reactions and observtions

Initial reactions and observations

• Julian Nagelsmann continues to search for his first win as Bayern coach. Of course, it’s only preseason, and he doesn’t have most of his starters — but 2 losses and a draw will definitely disappoint a man who is known to be very hungry for success.
• Malik Tillman has been out for a year with injury, but he was very impressive throughout the game. If the ref wasn’t blind then he should’ve been awarded a penalty early in the first half. It was a good comeback game from the youngster, and hopefully he can build on it going forward.
• Torben Rhein looks ready for some first team football. We may see him make some appearances in the Bundesliga this season. His performance was rather composed once again.

Full time: Gladbach beat Bayern 2-0.

76’ — Goal. Oh great, it’s 2-0 to Gladbach now.

59’ — Goal. Shame for Bayern, Gladbach make it 1-0 right before Nagelsmann makes subs.

45’ — The second half is underway!

Halftime observations and analysis

• Bayern’s left side has been extremely lively, with Torben Rhein, Omar Richards, and Malik Tillman combining to wreak havoc on Gladbach’s defense. The right side, in comparison, has been rather muted.
• Stanisic has been pretty good as a DM so far. Surprising twist for a player who’s generally a center back.
• Michael Cuisance remains disappointing. He had one good free kick in an otherwise frustrating half. Let’s hope the second half picks up for him.

Halftime: 0-0 at the break.

Kickoff: We’re underway in Munich!

One hour until kickoff: We have lineups! Malik Tillman starts, while Serge Gnabry makes the bench! The formation looks like what we saw during the weekend, with Omar Richards probably playing as a very offensive wingback in a 3-4-3 or a winger in a 4-3-3.

After two games this preseason without a single win, Bayern Munich hope to open their account against Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach. The Foals also happen to be the Bavarians’ opening day opponents, so any players who impress today might just find themselves in the starting XI when the league kicks off three weeks from now.

This will be the last game where most of Bayern’s senior players won’t be able to participate, so it’s likely one final chance for several youngsters and fringe players to prove themselves to coach Julian Nagelsmann. Some, like Armindo Sieb and Torben Rhein, are looking to showcase their talent and make a case for being added to the first team roster. Meanwhile, beleaguered talents like Michael Cuisance and Joshua Zirkzee are effectively fighting for the future of their professional careers, as they are currently stuck in limbo at a club that doesn’t want them.

Of course, there’s a third category of players — those who are certain to play a big role in the upcoming campaign. For guys like Dayot Upamecano, Tanguy Nianzou, and Omar Richards, these test games are a perfect chance to adjust to their new environment before things become too competitive. While the majority of the starts are still out, these players are set to be the backbone of whatever lineup Nagelsmann has planned for Gladbach.

Can Bayern finally pull off a win?

Match Info

Location: Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany

Time: 6:00 pm local time, 12:00 pm EST

TV/streaming: FanCode (India), Find Your Country (or check the comments for a hint)

Tips for commenting:

1. If you’re a new member, feel free to introduce yourself! We’re mostly very friendly! Also, we’re from all parts of the world so don’t feel shy if you’re from a country that doesn’t seem represented on the blog.
2. If the comments section starts to slow down for you, just hit the refresh button and keep commenting. It’s not necessary to have the whole comments loaded at one time while you’re just casually following along.
3. Keep the sorting to “newest” to easily follow the conversation. It puts the newest comments at the top.
4. Here at BFW we celebrate every goal like they do in the stadium: with a chant. The goal chants are for everyone to participate in! Even if you’re lagging behind the others, keep replying to the most recent call of the player’s name. Even if you missed the first call, just start from the second, and so on.
5. While swearing is allowed within reason, please be polite to your fellow posters and avoid gratuitous obscenities. Racist, homophobic, and misogynistic language is not allowed whatsoever.

Check out our beginners thread if you have any more questions. That’s about it. Auf geht’s!

Looking for an unending well of Bayern Munich content? Sign up for an SBNation account and join the conversation on Bavarian Football Works. Whether it’s full match coverage and analysis, breaking news or something completely different, we have it all.