By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Jan 31 (Xinhua) -- No other German club seems better prepared to follow one of football's unwritten laws than Bayern Munich. The Bavarians managed to get attacking and defending in a perfect balance since coach Hansi Flick took over.
Fans puzzle over the question of if the saying "offense wins games, defense wins championships" is the 2013 treble winners' recipe for success leading to the clubs' eighth national title in series?
Ahead of the 20est round of matches of the 2019/2020 season, the German record champion (39 points) is breathing down the neck of table leaders RB Leipzig (40) and finally has overcome its difficulties. February 9th Bayern is waiting for the East Germans on home soil.
Nine goals in the two games after the winter break might tell Bayern's story. Ahead of their home game against Mainz, this Saturday, they moved their game further up to midfield, which gives them increasing chances for fast attacks.
While fans celebrate their hero's return to a significant force in the national league, are players comfortable with the new approach.
Fifty-five scored goals, and only six conceived goals in nine games indicate, Bayern is on its way to again win the national title.
"The intensity of our attacks impresses opponents," striker Thomas Mueller commented. The former German international seems back to best shape like many others in Bayern's shirt. "Often, we don't even have to create chances with a lot of effort and get behind the opponents back-line." The most significant profiteer upfront: Robert Lewandowski. The Pole has scored 21 goals.
Bayern's game has become more vertical and more courageous.
The reasons for success are apparent when it comes to the 33-year-old. "It is starting with the reverse attacks after losing the ball, which allows us to carry out fast and surprising attacks after gaining back the ball quickly," Mueller added, praising "a total game control."
Not leaving space is what goalkeeper Manuel Neuer likes best "as we act compact and mostly outnumber our opponent in our defense." The 33-year-old calls his side's tactics "Bayern-like."
Bayern stands for the best figures when it comes to allowing chances for opponents (74). While Bayern conceived a goal every 56 minutes before Flick took over, have data changed to 135.
Moving their game up by 10 meters towards the opponent's half, game control figures have increased. That seems enough to dominate the national stage. How reliable Bayern's new approach is in international games the team will experience when facing Premier League side Chelsea in the last-16-round of the Champions League.
The Sueddeutsche Zeitung called Bayern's style indefensible. Others praise Bayern as the league's new pressing machine.
Despite having to replace German international Niklas Suele and Spanish star, Lucas Hernandez Flick managed to get his team back to balance. The "new" interim back-row, shaped out of Benjamin Pavard, Jerome Boateng, David Alaba, and Alphonso Davies, still needs to prove robustness when facing teams of better quality in international games.
But the 54-year-old team scored 3.13 goals per game on average. On top, Bayern's performers intensified their effort in man-to-man duels. New arrival Alvaro Odriozola, joining in on loan from Real, is widening Flick's options.
Aside from the upswing a midfield triangle of Leon Goretzka, Joshua Kimmich and Thiago developed further, pushing the team forward.
"The final result at the end of this season must be the national title," Kimmich said.
