Bayern Munich vs Greuther Furth: Lineups, team news, fixing the defense, and more! (Updated)

At Bayern Munich, two bad games is an anomaly, but three is a crisis. Following disappointing results against both Bochum and RB Salzburg, Julian Nagelsmann faces the first real struggle of his short career at the club. Luckily, Greuther Furth aren’t exactly a powerhouse — they sit bottom of the table with 13 points. This could be a good opportunity for the coach to give some fringe players minutes, and try to come up with a way to fix some of the team’s defensive issues.

Team news

While Manuel Neuer, Leon Goretzka, and Alphonso Davies still remain out, the good news is that Jamal Musiala has managed to return to team training. It’s probably still too early for him to start, but it’s a boost for the team’s beleaguered bench. Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman are both doubtful after suffering minor issues following the Salzburg game, but they both made the final team training and should be able to start. In terms of actual injuries, there’s nothing new to report.

So about the lineup — you know the drill by now, Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller will start up top. Hopefully, they’re a little more involved in the actual offense than they were against Salzburg. Leroy Sane will also most likely start, with either Kingsley Coman or Serge Gnabry on the other flank (depending on who’s more fit). For once, Nagelsmann could be forced to drop his strange three-winger formation for something more normal.

In midfield, we have zero indication that Marcel Sabizter will get a chance to start, given that nobody at the press conference asked Nagelsmann that question (for some reason). Instead, expect Joshua Kimmich to pair up with Corentin Tolisso as usual, with Sabitzer relegated to another substitute appearance for now. Honestly, wouldn’t a game against Furth be a great opportunity for Sabitzer to get some match practice? You and I would probably agree, but coaches tend to think differently.

The defense has been a constant source of frustration this season, and without Alphonso Davies the prospects don’t seem like they’re improving. If Nagelsmann still insists on not starting Omar Richards, then Lucas Hernandez will likely have to move to left-back, with Dayot Upamecano returning to the lineup to pair up with Niklas Sule. Benjamin Pavard will likely move to the right-back spot, completing a back-four setup, similar to the one that got smashed by VfL Bochum last week. That’s not a good sign, but hopefully the addition of some actual midfield cover will spare Sven Ulreich some blushes.

Here’s what the lineup could look like tomorrow:

Other options:

• Marc Roca or Marcel Sabitzer in for Tolisso in midfield.
• Josip Stanisic in for Benjamin Pavard at right-back.
• Omar Richards in for Lucas Hernandez at left-back.
• Jamal Musiala in for Gnabry or Coman on the wing.
• Jamal Musiala in for Tolisso in midfield.

Update

Here’s what Bild thinks the lineup will be. Looks like a back three? They were wrong for the Salzburg game, though, so Bild’s word is hardly gospel. They’re guessing like the rest of us.

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