Bavarian Football Works - Bayern Munich cap group stage with win over CSKA MoscowManufacturing goals in the German tradition, for domestic consumption and for export.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47275/bavarian-fave.png2014-12-11T18:52:00+01:00http://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/rss/stream/71280442014-12-11T18:52:00+01:002014-12-11T18:52:00+01:00Goal breakdown: Robben unlocks Moscow for Rode
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<figcaption>Alex Livesey/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Bayern Munich's second goal was equal parts opportune timing, the strategic use of zone overloads, and Arjen Robben.</p> <p>In the 83rd minute of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/">Bayern Munich's</a> win over CSKA Moscow, the game was a close affair. While Bayern Munich held the advantage in every capacity, Moscow had threatened on more then one occassion. It was the kind of lead and game where the inevitability of a late equalizer looms over you like a cloud. It was at that time that <span>Sebastian Rode</span> gave Bayern Munich fan the breathing room they needed.</p>
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<p>Following a short corner from Bayern Munich, the CSKA Moscow defense in a state of disarray. With 4 Bayern Munich targets in the box, the defense is already outmanned as Bayern Munich threatens to attack again. While the defense steps up to reset, <span>Arjen Robben</span> is pressured to ensure Bayern Munich reset possession. However, as it's Arjen Robben, he deftly works his way out of pressure. Now with free space and an unmarked Sebastian Rode in an overlapped positoin, he's able to push the ball into space for Bayern Munich to immediatley attacked the outmanned Moscow defense. With seemingly limitless time, Sebastian Rode picks out a long cross to the far side of goal and an unmarked Jerome Boateng.</p>
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<p>With the rapid onset of the Bayern Munich, the Moscow centerback are far out of position as Bayern Munich attacks the near post with Mario Götze and Robert Lewandowski. Recognizing the danger the Moscow centerbacks begin moving to cover the two Bayern Munich attackers as well addressing the cross.</p>
<p>Continuting his run following the pass to Rode, Arjen Robben crosses the entire box to combine with Jerome Boateng. After combining, Robben makes a byline run looking for the quick combination. This pulls the Moscow fullback inside allowing massive space on the back side of Boateng. As Robben makes his move, the secondary run from <span>Bastian Schweinsteiger</span> around Boateng is the move that completely unlocks the Moscow defense.</p>
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<p><span>With the fullback out of position, this gives Schweinsteiger a large amount of room to work with on the left. With Moscow centerbacks playing single cover, the potential overlap around the fullback draws the Moscow centerbacks away from the center of the box to defend. Now with their primary defenders out of position or tracking the near post run of Lewandowski, Moscow completely abandons the far post. With the room afforded to Schweinstegier by the run from Arjen Robben, he has the time to hit a cross to the head of the onrushing Sebastian Rode. Sebastian Rode obliging buries it in the back of the net to make it 2-0 to Bayern Munich.</span></p>
<p>While much has been made lately of Bayern Munich's ineffectiveness from set pieces, this sequence shows the advantage of using the corner as a strategic weapon, using free bodies to overload the Moscow penalty box. The breathing room goal from Bayern Munich was equal parts pouncing at the opportune time as well as a strategic decision - and Arjen Robben being a hurricane.</p>
https://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/2014/12/11/7375483/bastian-to-sebastian-a-breakdown-of-bayern-munichs-fantastic-secondRyan Cowper2014-12-11T06:07:50+01:002014-12-11T06:07:50+01:00Guardiola: We've been better in every game.
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<figcaption>Alex Livesey/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Pep was very please following FC Bayern's win over CSKA.</p> <p>Being drawn into the "group of death" in the UEFA Champions League is never that fun, and it seems like it's happened to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/">Bayern Munich</a> several times over the last few years. Of course, Bayern would be expected to get out of the group (and probably win it) regardless of who the opponents were.</p>
<p>So, when the final whistle blew to end the match against CSKA, you know that the club was pleased with taking 15 out of 18 points. The only three points that Bayern didn't take were away to Manchester City when they were forced to play for 70 minutes with only ten men.</p>
<p>Bayern controlled all six matches, keeping four clean sheets in the process. While last season's abrupt adjustment to Guardiola's style of "possession = best defense" saw FC Bayern collapse in the semifinals against Real Madrid, this team looks like they'll be ready to bring the European Cup back to Munich.</p>
<p>Here is Guardiola's comment to <a href="http://www.fcbayernmunich.com/us/news/news/2014/cska-moscow-reaction-101214.php">FCBayern.de</a>.</p>
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<p>"I'm very proud of the whole squad. We've been outstanding in the group phase. We've only lost one match and we've been better than our opponents in every game. We took it very seriously today and all my players did very well. Congratulations! We now need to recover in time for our remaining games."</p>
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https://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/2014/12/11/7375425/pep-guardiola-bayern-munich-cska-moscow-post-match-interviewPhillip Quinn2014-12-11T05:27:45+01:002014-12-11T05:27:45+01:00Müller breaks Bayern UCL scoring record
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<figcaption>Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The penalty against CSKA Moscow put him over the top.</p> <p>Thomas Müller ascended to the top of <a href="https://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Bayern Munich's</a> all time Champions League goalscorers list after his penalty against CSKA Moscow on Wednesday. He was tied on 23 goals with former FC Bayern front man Mario Gomez for a little less than two months. Müller's last goal in the Champions League came in the 7-1 decimation of AS Roma.</p>
<p>Ever since he made his Bayern debut 2008, Müller has figured out how to score goals. It may come off his foot, his head, his shin, or his back, but it's going in the back of the net. In fact, there's a long standing movement on Twitter of <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23m%C3%BCllered&src=typd">#Müllered</a> for everyone to share in the magnificence that is Thomas Müller</p>
<p>Still, one must remember that Müller just turned 25 years old in September. We luckily still have many more years of Müller goals to go.</p>
<h5><a href="http://www.tz.de/sport/fc-bayern/mueller-erfolgreichster-koenigsklassen-torschuetze-bayern-4525658.html">Top Bayern Munich Goalscorers in the UEFA Champions League</a></h5>
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<li><span><span>Thomas Müller</span> - 24</span></li>
<li><span>Mario Gomez - 23</span></li>
<li><span>Giovane Elber - 22</span></li>
<li><span><span>Arjen Robben</span>/<span>Claudio Pizarro</span> - 18</span></li>
<li><span>Roy Makaay - 17</span></li>
<li><span><span>Franck Ribery</span> - 16</span></li>
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https://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/2014/12/11/7375257/thomas-muller-breaks-bayern-munich-champions-league-scoring-recordPhillip Quinn2014-12-11T00:16:34+01:002014-12-11T00:16:34+01:00Player Ratings: Bayern Munich > CSKA Moscow
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<figcaption>Steve Dykes/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Rate the players from Bayern's win over CSKA.</p> <p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/">Bayern Munich</a> ended Matchday 6 of the group stage in this year's UEFA Champions League with a 3-0 victory over CSKA Moscow. The Bavarians end the competition with 15 out of 18 points, and their only non-win coming in a match where they played for 70 minutes down a man. That's not too shabby.</p>
<p>Shall we talk about great performances? I don't necessarily think anyone was "great" on the day, but there were some that were very close to it.</p>
<p><b><span>Bastian Schweinsteiger</span>:</b> <i>Der Fußballgott</i> was given his first start since the end of last season, and he sure looked up for the challenge. Yes, it's "just" CSKA Moscow, but Bastian is still rounding back into form. Plus, this <b>is</b> still the Champions League. Bastian looked well in possession throughout the night, including setting a <a href="http://542799271456944129">personal record</a> for number of touches in a Champions League match. Plus, his assist to Rode was nice!</p>
<p><span><b>Mario Götze</b></span><b>:</b> Throughout the match, he continually threatened the CSKA backline by dinking-and-dunking in and around the defense. Many times, Götze found himself offside by just a step. Finally, in the dying minutes of the game, Götze caught them asleep, beat the offside trap, and deposited another goal.</p>
<p><b><span>Sebastian Rode</span>: </b>Rode scored his first Champions League goal, and like his first Bundesliga goal with Bayern, it was assisted by Schweinsteiger. If you follow us on Twitter, you're well aware that our very own Ryan Cowper is a <b>HUGE</b> fan of Rode. He brings an energy to the central of midfield that the rest of our players don't always bring. I'm all for Rode finding himself in the starting eleven more often.</p>
<p><span><b>Pierre Højbjerg</b></span><b>:</b> I know that <span>Højbjerg has talked often this year about wanting more playing time and being willing to leave the club to find it. Tonight's performance from the young Dane shows exactly why Bayern are hesitant to give it to him. </span>Højbjerg has grown into a well-rounded midfielder, and he's going to get better with time. He's only 19 but looked like he was playing in his 50th Champions League match out there. Højbjerg was great.</p>
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https://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/2014/12/11/7373949/bayern-munich-cska-moscow-champions-league-player-ratingsPhillip Quinn2014-12-10T22:48:37+01:002014-12-10T22:48:37+01:00Bayern roll past CSKA
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<figcaption>Alex Livesey/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>It wasn't the prettiest game to watch, but FC Bayern did the business to end the Champions League group stage on a positive note.</p> <p>With nothing to play for except pride, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/">Bayern Munich</a> stepped onto the field at the Allianz Arena and did the job well enough to earn a 3-0 victory and see CSKA Moscow out of the Champions League.</p>
<p><span>Bastian Schweinsteiger</span> started in the middle from the beginning and wore the captain's armband on the night. It was the first start in an FCB shirt for <i>Der Fußballgott</i> since the end of last season. Guardiola's faith in Schweinsteiger's ability to control the midfield is strong, and it allowed him to start 19 year old Pierre Hojbjerg and 18 year old <span>Gianluca Gaudino</span> next to him in a three-man midfield.</p>
<p>The first real chance of the match went to Seydou Doumbia after five minutes. Roman Eremenko's cross was a extremely accurate, and the Ivorian beat Jerome Boateng to the header, but it was well wide of the mark.</p>
<p>Bayern struck first, and it was once again due to a penalty against CSKA. Franck Ribery was tripped in the box by Bibras Natkho. Moscow protested, but the replay showed that the referee made the correct call. Thomas Müller stepped up and converted the penalty to give FCB the 1-0 lead. (<b>WATCH: </b><a href="http://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/2014/12/10/7372761/thomas-muller-converts-penalty-to-give-bayern-the-lead">Müller converts from the spot.</a>)</p>
<p>Some calamitous defending on the other end nearly allowed Doumbia to run through nearly the entire Bayern team, but <span>Manuel Neuer</span> stonewalled him from point blank range to keep Bayern in front. Neuer's save was amazing, but it's something we seem him do often. (<b>WATCH:</b> <a href="http://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/2014/12/10/7372857/manuel-neuer-with-a-great-save-to-keep-cska-scoreless">Neuer's save on Doumbia to keep Bayern in front.</a><i>)</i></p>
<p>Both teams exchanged counterattacks in the last few minutes of the second half, but neither challenged the opposition goalkeeper to make a save. The closest chance for FC Bayern after the penalty belonged to Schweinsteiger, but his effort was tipped over the crossbar by Akinfeev.</p>
<p>At the start of the second half, Guardiola brought on <span>Arjen Robben</span> and <span>Robert Lewandowski</span> for Franck Ribery and Thomas Müller. With only pride on the line, it allowed Bayern to give each of the four men 45 minutes each in the match and rest some legs.</p>
<p>Robben injected some life into the second half around the 70th minute. Thank goodness he did, because for the most part is was rather awful. Robben skipped through the CSKA defense, but Akinfeev was there to prevent the goal.</p>
<p>Bayern continued to ratchet up the pressure, and Lewandowski was denied by the post after getting past Akinfeev in the box. Then, Schweinsteiger's cross to the far post found a wide open <span>Sebastian Rode</span>, and his header easily beat Akinfeev to make it 2-0. (<b>WATCH: </b><a href="http://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/2014/12/10/7373443/bastian-to-sebastian-makes-to-2-0-for-bayern-munich">Bastian + Sebastian = TOR!</a>)</p>
<p>Then, with the finally minutes ticking off the clock, Götze finally stayed onside long enough to get his goal and make it 3-0 in favor of FC Bayern. (<b>WATCH:</b> <a href="http://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/2014/12/10/7373617/mario-gotze-scores-for-bayern-to-make-it-3-0">Götze finally gets his goal.</a>)</p>
<p>With the final whistles blown across Europe, Bayern now know who their opponents in the Champions League round of 16 could be: Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, FC Basel, Arsenal, and Shakhtar Donetsk. Let's pray that it's not Arsenal again.</p>
https://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/2014/12/10/7372635/bayern-munich-cska-moscow-champions-league-final-score-result-recapPhillip Quinn2014-12-10T22:36:49+01:002014-12-10T22:36:49+01:00Mario Götze scores for Bayern to make it 3-0<iframe class="vine-embed" src="https://vine.co/v/O6uBapJpQOx/embed/simple" width="600" height="600"></iframe>
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>He was offside on the day as much as he was onside, but this one counts.</p></p></div>
https://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/2014/12/10/7373617/mario-gotze-scores-for-bayern-to-make-it-3-0Phillip Quinn2014-12-10T22:31:28+01:002014-12-10T22:31:28+01:00Bastian to Sebastian makes to 2-0 for Bayern Munich<iframe class="vine-embed" src="https://vine.co/v/O6BLamJeKXi/embed/simple" width="600" height="600"></iframe>
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>For the second time this season, Bastian Schweinsteiger assisted Sebastian Rode on a goal.</p></p></div>
https://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/2014/12/10/7373443/bastian-to-sebastian-makes-to-2-0-for-bayern-munichPhillip Quinn