A top of the table clash between two of Germany’s biggest clubs was the highlight of the Bundesliga fixtures this weekend, with Borussia Monchengladbach taking on Bayern Munich at Borussia Park. Bayern were looking to get back on track under new manager Hansi Flick, after a good run of results was ended with defeat to Bayer Leverkusen last week. Gladbach on the other hand, were looking to remain top of the table following an excellent season so far. In the end, it was Gladbach who took all three points thanks to some late drama, and the tactical adjustments throughout from both sides led to an interesting match. In this tactical analysis, I will look at these tactical adjustments from both sides, and explain how Bayern’s first-half dominance was undone by a pressing switch by Gladbach in the second half.
Lineups
Gladbach lined up in their 4-diamond-2 formation which we saw lots of in early parts of the season, which also saw the return of their pressing structure within this system. Bayern meanwhile employed a 4-3-3, with Thiago playing a key role throughout the game as I will explain in this analysis.
Gladbach’s press undone
The first five minutes of the game saw Gladbach press relatively well within their pressing structure which I’ve explained numerous times and we can see below. The two strikers press the centre backs while the number eights within the diamond press the full-backs. In central areas, the number ten will press the number six, but this changed in wide areas.
If you want to read the full tactical breakdown of this game, head over to totalfootballanalysis.com or click HERE
If you love tactical analysis, then you’ll love the digital magazines from totalfootballanalysis.com – a guaranteed 100+ pages of pure tactical analysis covering topics from the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga and many, many more. Buy your copy of the December issue for just ₤4.99 here
