Weekend Warm-up: Bayern Munich acquired Marcel Sabitzer…now what?; Josip Stanisic is staking his claim to a roster spot; “Things can only get better”; and MORE!

When Bayern Munich announced that it had acquired Marcel Sabitzer, it set off pretty much universal glee from the fanbase.

It is hard to get supporters to agree on much, but nary a person uttered a skeptical word about Sabitzer.

Versatile, experienced, and talented, Sabitzer checked all of the boxes that Bayern Munich needed from this transfer window.

So…now, what?

For starters, Sabitzer is battling an adductor injury and might have some trouble being ready for next weekend when Bayern Munich would face-off with his old club, RB Leipzig. Once he is healthy, however, the guess here is that Sabitzer figures to find his way into the action almost every week because he will effectively be able to spell players like Thomas Müller, Joshua Kimmich, and Leon Goretzka in the central midfield, along with Jamal Musiala, Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane, and Kingsley Coman at wing, if needed.

Essentially, Sabitzer will not have a defined starting role, but figures to get plenty of time on the pitch and should get plenty of starts. For all of the doubt we had heard about Bayern Munich’s addition of the Austrian should quell all of that concern.

By acquiring Sabitzer — and retaining Corentin Tolisso — the Bavarians have strengthened many positions on the roster, including the once rail thin central midfield. Take a look at the first-team depth (in no particular order):

• Striker: Robert Lewandowski, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Thomas Müller
• Attacking Midfield: Thomas Müller, Marcel Sabitzer, Jamal Musiala, Corentin Tolisso, Michael Cuisance
• Wing: Jamal Musiala, Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane, Kingsley Coman, Marcel Sabitzer
• Central Midfield: Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Marcel Sabitzer, Corentin Tolisso, Marc Roca, Michael Cuisance, Josip Stanisic
• Left-back: Alphonso Davies, Lucas Hernandez, Omar Richards, Josip Stanisic
• Right-back: Benjamin Pavard, Josip Stanisic, Niklas Sule, Joshua Kimmich, Bouna Sarr
• Center-back: Niklas Sule, Lucas Hernandez, Dayot Upamecano, Tanguy Nianzou, Benjamin Pavard, Josip Stanisic
• Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer, Sven Ulreich

(For the sake of argument, I did not include players like Taylor Booth or Torben Rhein as they can float between Bayern Munich II and the first team as needed)

Sure, that depth includes players overlapping into multiple roles, but that is a key to this group for Bayern Munich. This...is very good squad and also one that the club’s brass did not have to break the bank over putting together.

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ICYMI: Bavarian Podcast Works: Weekend Warm-up Podcast Season 1, Episode 15

With another crazy week in the books for Bayer Munich and Germany, we are here to recap all of the action. With the summer transfer window closing, an international break kicking off, and Bayern Munich’s strong effort last weekend, there is plenty of news for the Bayern Munich fanbase to discuss:

Here is what we have on tap for this week’s episode:

• Bayern Munich’s dominant effort against Hertha Berlin.
• The continued excellence of Jamal Musiala.
• The transfer deadline: Who came in and who failed to make it out?
• How and where Marcel Sabitzer might fit under Julian Nagelsmann at Bayern Munich.
• First impressions of what Germany looked like under Hansi Flick and why the fan base might need to relax a bit.

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Stanisic is staking claim to his spot

One of the bright spots of Bayern Munich’s preseason and first few games has been the play of Josip Stanisic.

At this time last season, you would have been hard-pressed to find a Bayern Munich fan who expected anything from the current Croatia youth international. Now, though, Stanisic is stringing together solid performances and looks like a versatile option for Julian Nagelsmann to use along the back-line or even in the defensive midfield.

For all of the calling for Bayern Munich to go get a right-back, the solution might have been on Säbener Straße all along.

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Song of the week: “Things Can Only Get Better” by Howard Jones

We are throwing it back to some prime 80s music this week and going with “Things Can Only Get Better” by Howard Jones. This seminal 80s hit is still in my rotation and also still gets the positivity pumping even when my inherent Philadelphia-bred negativity wants to take over.

You don’t have to listen long to figure out which era of music this is from, but it is still a classic.

Enjoy:

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Prediction Records

There are not any Bundesliga games this weekend because of the international break, so lets take a look at how things are going so far:

Last Bundesliga Match Day record: 5-4

Overall Bundesliga record: 15-12

DFB-Pokal record: 1-0

DFL-Supercup record: 1-0

Overall record: 17-12

Guest prognosticator record: 0-1

Not bad, but not great either. Let’s hope for some momentum to build when we get back in action.