re: Great tactical read on FC Bayern's pressing

Also off topic-- Franck is out Wednesday. But it also looks like Wilshere is out too

You're right about van Gaal laying down the basic framework for this style of play to be possible. However, this pressing/counter-pressing system is uniquely Jupp.

Klopp has said in interviews that BVB didn't do well in the CL last season because they ran too much. I think they've gone a long way in fixing some of their problems but I think Bayern's pressing is a bit different from BVB's.

Bayern's entire system is predicated on highly intelligent players who are positioned perfectly 99% of the time. When other teams win the ball, they work hard to get it back but a lot of it is mental, like a safety setting up a qb.

Schweiny and Javi are able to kill a lot of counters by moving a few yards to either side and choking off the middle. With Kroos pressuring high, Mandzukic filling space and the high work rate of Muller and Ribery, teams are often forced to try to send a pass through the middle where undoubtedly Javi or Schweiny has been anticipating it. By them going in for the tackle right away, they're forcing other teams to make quick decisions.





The main thing I got from this piece is the way the backline works. The counter-pressing works so well because Lahm and Alaba are so good at shadow marking and the center backs have been very good in the tackle. Neuer's role is also laid out well in this piece. Because he's so good with his feet and so comfortable with the ball, he's able to assume a sweeper role and put immediate pressure on any striker who gets through the backline, giving the fullbacks ample time to recover.


The whole thing is very German in the way that it's almost machinelike fluidity.