Bayern rue missed chances but quickly look ahead

The Veltins-Arena erupted when the final whistle blew on Saturday night. The Schalke fans celebrated their team as if they had just won more than a single point. For the newly promoted side, this 0-0 draw against Bayern must indeed have felt like a victory.

For our team, on the other hand, it was an evening where almost everything seemed to be in place: control, patience, possession and presence in the final third. Unfortunately, the one crucial thing was missing: a goal.

Bayern’s players thanked the travelling supporters, then headed for the changing room. The disappointment was palpable. It wasn’t a disaster, but it certainly felt like a setback after the 5-1 win to start to the season against VfB Stuttgart and then progressing past Osnabrück 4-1 in the DFB Cup during the week.

No issue with the stats

Statistically speaking, this game looked like being anything but a 0-0 draw. Bayern recorded 83 percent possession, 914 passes – 731 of them in the opposition half – along with 383 passes in the final third and 52 touches in Schalke’s penalty area. They also led in terms of shots (15-4) and xG (2.10-0.21). Perhaps most telling was that the Reds six clear-cut chances, while Schalke had none.

Bayern controlled the ball, moved it skilfully, looked for openings and kept Schalke penned deep in their own half for long stretches. Things went smoothly up to the penalty area. But when it came time to turn chances into goals, they too often lacked that final touch. Their shots were frequently blocked.

“Our pressing was outstanding. We didn’t give them anything and created our own chances. There were a lot of positives. It’s not like we’re leaving here without having had any good chances. When the opponent deserves a point, that’s the way it is. Then we need to look at how we score the goals next time. But I know that Bayern are only satisfied when Bayern win,” said Vincent Kompany in summary.

Schalke defended with great determination and also had a goalkeeper in top form in Loris Karius. The Bundesliga returnees were compact, closed down the spaces and looked for quick transitions. The Royal Blues drew energy from every cleared ball. Step by step, a blue bulwark took shape, turning the match into a test of patience for Bayern that grew increasingly difficult.

The Reds went on the full offensive for the final half hour with the introductions of Harry Kane, Michael Olise and Jamal Musiala. A barrage of attacks on the Schalke goal ensued. The Munich men pressed forward but were repeatedly repelled. It was also notable that even set pieces failed to break the deadlock this time.

Lack of set-piece impact

Bayern earned 11 corners, but none of them led to a decisive moment. And given that set pieces had been a strength time and again recently, this was one of the minor frustrations of the evening.

“Maybe we lacked something at times with these big chances. We also had a quarter of an hour where our positioning wasn’t optimal and we lacked the speed in our passing to be able to hurt the opponent. Apart from that, the stats are in our favour,” captain Manuel Neuer said in analysis.

For Schalke, this point was an emotional victory – their first points since returning to the Bundesliga, and it had come against the champions. That’s what the scenes after the final whistle showed. The stadium celebrated its team, while the Bayern players were left frustrated.

“We maybe lacked a bit of luck in key moments. We had the chances, had a huge amount of possession. Obviously we could’ve created more chances by getting in the box more and taking shots. Still, we had three or four clear chances that we didn’t take,” added Jonathan Tah.

Still, there’s no need to make this draw a bigger deal than it is. This evening can also serve as a lesson for the coming weeks. What was missing at Schalke was that final step of turning our dominance into goals. That is exactly what the team needs to work on.

Lessons for the future

Bayern will undoubtedly face even more opponents this season who sit deep, pack the midfield and draw energy from every cleared ball. Games like these don't always have to be spectacular. But at some point, the momentum has to shift.

“Starting Sunday, our full focus will be on the Champions League,” Kompany made clear. Control must once again translate into results, ideally starting on Thursday at the Allianz Arena with the first match of the league phase against Bodø/Glimt.

Get more reaction from the game here: