- Unconventional Mindset: Kompany's Rambunctious German Premiere
Vincent Kompany, the new Bayern coach, has an upper hand in international football due to his ability to issue commands in German, English, and French. For his inaugural match as Bundesliga manager, he opted for an antiquated method of communication: he dispatched Thomas Müller onto the field with a note containing tactical instructions in the 65th minute.
Employing this strategy during Bayern's game against VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday, when they were trailing 1:2, proved effectual. Bayern eventually emerged victorious, 3:2 (1:0), thanks to Kompany's shrewd decisions and composure under pressure.
Christoph Freund, the sporting director, commended Kompany's performance in his Bundesliga debut, remarking, "He made wise choices and didn't lose his cool."
Kompany, however, conceded that Bayern's restart was overzealous. During the first half, their squad, which had been fortified with over 120 million euros, dominated every aspect of the game and took an early lead through Jamal Musiala (20th minute). After the break, Wolfsburg's Lovro Majer scored twice in rapid succession (47th/penalty/55th) and missed the target again during this turbulent phase (51st).
Two goals in quick succession
The own goal by Jakub Kaminski (65th) and Serge Gnabry's winning goal (82nd) added another twist to this game, shedding light on two potential conclusions from a Bayern perspective: like in the previous season, the team can be easily flustered by sudden setbacks such as Wolfsburg's equalizer. The 1:2 goal ensued due to a costly individual error by defender Minjae Kim.
On the other hand, unlike their first title-less season in a decade, Bayern under Kompany demonstrated a resilience long forgotten. "What you have consistently observed and also observed during preparation: the mentality, the core, which is the most important, was exceptional in the end. We deserved to win," expressed Müller following his 709th competitive and 474th Bundesliga game for Munich. In the league, he now reigns as the sole record holder, surpassing the illustrious Sepp Maier's record in Bayern's rich history.
Kompany has only one Bundesliga match under his belt with Bayern. However, he is already aware that results are of paramount importance in this club. Consequently, he shared a positive perspective on this game, stating, "I'm quite content with the first half. That was something to build upon. It's foolish to imagine that the game will be a breeze if the opponent scores within the first 20 seconds of the second half. Ultimately, I want to emphasize the extraordinary mentality of the team."
Only a single new player in the starting lineup
A glance at Kompany's initial staffing decisions on Sunday indicated: the overhaul at FC Bayern this summer was not as extensive as initially anticipated.
Only the recently signed Michael Olise was among the starters. Players like Leon Goretzka and Kingsley Coman, who were speculated to be leaving, remain part of the squad.
Notably, several players seem to enjoy a more prominent role under Kompany than they did under his predecessor Thomas Tuchel: Joshua Kimmich, for example, was reinstated to the middle of the field. Furthermore, the Frenchman Sacha Boey was given the opportunity to play on the right, despite previous reports suggesting his suitability for Bayern was conditional.
Both Boey and Olise started off positively on the right side, forming a formidable duo. Boey's aggressive forays paved the way for Musiala's 1:0 goal. However, Boey later contributed to Majer's penalty kick, which resulted in the 1:1 equalizer. This was in line with the fluctuating performance of the team during this opening game.
In his debut match as Bayern's manager in the Bundesliga, Vincent Kompany led the team against VfL Wolfsburg in Lower Saxony. Despite a challenging first half, where Wolfsburg scored twice to take the lead, Bayern demonstrated resilience under Kompany and secured a 3-2 victory.
