Anyone who only watched the first half of FC Bayern Munich’s 3-2 victory over VfL Wolfsburg on ESPN+ on Sunday will rightly be wondering how on earth the Record champions has got itself into big trouble. Why was there such a big risk of losing points in the first Bundesliga game under coach Vincent Kompany after the team was so stormy in the first half and dominated with 8:1 shots on goal?

The answers lie in a journey back to the imbalances of last season.

Kim Min-Jae in particular has not adapted properly to the different demands of Bayern’s game compared to what he experienced as a deeper defender in Serie A. At Bayern, the starting positions of the centre-backs are higher than Kim’s at Napoli, and as Wolfsburg coordinated their pressing in the second half, the South Korean international seemed more than mildly bothered by it, especially in the lead-up to the second goal conceded by Lovro Majer.

Kompany, an accomplished defender in his day, is better than most at sorting out Bayern’s porous defence, although one suspects that will remain a somewhat shaky area for Bayern, who are now without Matthijs de Ligt. Dayot Upamecano remains a talented player with tremendous recovery speed, but in a back four, partnerships and matching personalities are key, and neither Upamecano nor Kim look like true defensive leaders.

It was not without reason that former coach Thomas Tuchel seemed to prefer the more modest Eric Dier – who was only signed as a substitute – to his more expensive alternatives.

However, the reason for the initial weakness in the second half on Sunday cannot be attributed solely to the centre-backs. Sacha Boey was the culprit when we assess Wolfsburg’s penalty. That’s a shame because the former Galatasaray player played some beautiful attacking football before the break, assisted the first goal for Jamal Musiala and harmonized well with Michael Olise on the right.

Bayern are not blessed with a wide selection of defenders at the moment and the problem has been exacerbated by the medium-term absence of Josip Stanisic due to a knee injury, which is why Jonathan Tah was high on the list as a transfer target. The need for a dominant player in that area of ​​the pitch has not gone away.

It is fair to ask – as ESPN colleague Archie Rhind-Tutt asked Harry Kane – whether the Wolfsburg game falls into the category of games that Bayern would have lost or perhaps drawn last season?

I think there are good reasons why it would have gone the wrong way. The players from centre to forward – including Kane, who was outstanding, and Thomas Muller, who came off the bench with written instructions from the coaching staff in his shorts – have performed brilliantly.

Müller is now the sole club record holder with 474 appearances for Bayern in the Bundesliga. There are moments when individual qualities stand out more than tactics and this game was one such example, combined with the courage of Bayern, which Müller himself embodies.

Serge Gnabry also deserves a special mention. A player who was plagued by injuries last season, he troubled the Wolfsburg defence more often than anyone else and scored the winning goal in the 82nd minute.

Gnabry can say it is regrettable not to have received a call from National coach Julian Nagelsmann.

VAR dominates Bundesliga opener

The Bundesliga from last Friday Opening game (official opening match) between Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen was electrifying to commentate on from the atmospheric Borussia Park, and both teams put on unforgettable performances. Unfortunately, at the end of a thrilling match, the VAR was the loudest and shrillest player, constantly interfering in the proceedings, leading to long delays and, to Gladbach’s chagrin, every decision seemingly going against the rules of the game. the foal eleven.

The biggest point of discussion was saved until the end, when Leverkusen went for one of their now typical last-minute wins. Ko Itakura appeared to play the ball in a challenge against Amine Adli in the penalty area and only later caught the Moroccan international on the foot.

Referee Robert Schröder initially thought that there should be no penalty, but later changed his mind after the trot into the review area. DFB referee chief Knut Kircher then said on Sunday that it was a grey area decision and therefore should not have been reviewed.

I have to admit that here in Germany this week it was nice to watch two midweek DFB Cup games without the VAR factor, but we would be naive if we thought that it would suddenly be abolished in Europe’s top leagues any time soon.

Reyna’s role in Dortmund reduced

On Thursday, the front page of the twice-weekly German football magazine Kicker bore the headline “Reyna attacks again” (“Reyna attacks again”).

Giovanni Reyna and Borussia Dortmund: the topic I probably hear most often from casual American Bundesliga viewers. In the past, he was sometimes even accused of not being vocal about the sheer “injustice” that Reyna was constantly overlooked by former BVB coach Edin Terzic. Dortmund fans here in Germany, by the way, have rarely seen it that way.

Reyna has said in the past that he will not progress from Dortmund and his experience on loan to Nottingham Forest from January last season was far from ideal.

The comments made by sporting director Sebastian Kehl this week that Reyna will probably still play a role at the club – albeit as a squad player, not as a star – correspond to reality. The competition at BVB is fierce, but at the same time the triple burden (the burden of three competitions, including an even more bloated UEFA Champions League) offers opportunities.

Kehl noted: “There are enough games where we will need him and we know he has incredible skills,” adding that Reyna will benefit from his stability and Charisma (his demeanor on the pitch, his maturity and his aura).

The fans of the US men’s national team may have to accept the situation more. There is a common German expression: “Life is not a wish concert,“, which effectively means that you don’t always get what you want in life.

The positive side of this is that Reyna stays at a top club and is a valued challenger in a crowded field where everything is up for grabs, and there is a new coach in Nuri Sahin. Would it really be better for him to be relegated to a lower league than to fight for a place among the best?

If Reyna himself sees this as the right path for himself and his career, who can say he is wrong?