As we all know, Pep Guardiola will be without the influential Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thiago and the versatile Javi Martinez, all of whom ar...
As we all know, Pep Guardiola will be without the influential Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thiago and the versatile Javi Martinez, all of whom are crucial in maintaining Bayern’s possession game against Manchester United in the second leg.
Toni Kroos and Philipp Lahm will start in midfield for Bayern and there lies United’s biggest opportunity to exploit Bayern.
One of Thomas Muller or Mario Gotze will start ahead of them, and because both usually play a more advanced attacking role, United could do to Bayern what both Hoffenheim and Augsburg did.
Instead of going direct with long balls over the top and counter attacks, Moyes should try to match Bayern in midfield. Or in this case, potentially outmatch them in midfield.
It does not necessarily have to mean United outpossess Bayern, but the opportunity is there to choke them enough and cut off the supply to their attackers.
Bayern relied very heavily on Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery to create most of their chances in the first leg because Schweinsteiger and Kroos did not get involved enough in attacks in the final third. And that was with three central midfielders.
If United cut off the supply to Ribery and Robben and put enough pressure on Kroos and Lahm in midfield they could disrupt Bayern’s game entirely.
Guardiola may very well have his own game plan for this game with all the absences, but the opportunity to upset Bayern is very much there for the taking.