German Cup

Bayern Build From The Back Line

From the German Cup match versus Dortmund, we see Bayern build patiently from a throw-in, but when the defense gets stretched out, the attack to goal is instant, if not as accurate as Bayern would have liked.  Whether this is good, thoughtful attacking or broken team defending is debateable - without hearing from the manager what was sought for either team in this situation it can be tough to make conclusive analyses.  Maybe the two Dortmund players thought they could trap Dante, and just missed it...but Dante is pretty technical, and could always bail himself out by playing backward to Neuer.  Leaving Schweinsteiger seems ill-advised; perhaps there was a miscommunication as to who was to pressure Dante.

At any rate, the pics show a really nice instance of patience in build-up play, the effective creation of a 2v.1 and then good, calm breaking of high pressure (easier than it could have been as there was no defensive support for the two forward Dortmund players when they attacked Dante) and then a fast attack to take advantage of numerical superiority on the left side of Bayern's attack.

Bayern throw the ball in.  Dante, the left center back receives and initiates the attack.

Dante dribbles forward, and engages Lewandowski, as Bayern teammate (and All-Universe selection) Schweinsteiger drops from central midfield to help out- Dante gives him the ball.  Nice 2 versus 1, boys...

It's a quick 1-2 back to Dante, as Schweinsteiger never even tries to turn upfield.

Dante adjusts slightly back to his left after passing back again to Schweinsteiger, and as a midfielder closes down Bastian, he unloads the ball back to Dante (despite the one arrow, it's a two-pass picture).  Easy enough, but it is a 2 v. 2 in the Bayern defensive third of the field.  Cool under pressure.

As Dante receives the ball, the midfielder leaves Schweinsteiger & tries to pressure him...questionable decision as there is nothing but space behind him, and the left back is quietly waiting on the touchline...

Dante draws the two defenders, and coolly slips the ball back between them to Schweinsteiger.  Now we have one of the best midfielders on Earth running around in a space the size of Texas with the ball...

Schweinsteiger slips the ball wide as yet another Dortmund player steps up the field...the left back is on his way attacking the new space opening up (along the yellow arrow).  Dortmund get let off when his pass to Arjen Robben goes straight through to the GK.