How frustration in Augsburg can now become a driving force for Bayern

Bayern’s fans who had made the short trip to Augsburg still raised their scarves at full-time as the team thanked them for their typically passionate support.

But disappointment was also evident on the faces of the players. Shaking their heads, discussing the game and glancing back at the many moments that had shaped this Saturday afternoon. Those were four offside calls, two shots off the woodwork, trailing two times, having 29 shots, seven clear-cut chances but still only coming away with a 2-2 draw.

It wasn’t the end of the world, but it still stung. Fans will now have to wait a little longer for the team to take to the top of the Bundesliga table.

Fine margins

“There’s no need to make things any more complicated than they already are. It was a day when every millimetre and every detail counted. But sometimes we only had ourselves to blame. It was a good, emotional match for the spectators. Our fans got to celebrate six times, but unfortunately it only counted twice,” said coach Vincent Kompany as he began his analysis.

Bayern certainly had enough spirit to fight back from behind, enough pressure to secure a win and enough chances to pick up more than one point.

In any case, the statistics told a clear story: 10 shots on target to five, 16 attempts inside the penalty area, 63 touches in the opposition’s box, seven clear-cut chances and an expected goals (xG) figure of 5.02. For long stretches of the match, the Munich men had dictated the play exactly as they wanted. The fact that it still wasn’t enough for an away win made the draw all the more frustrating.

It all began with the most unfortunate of starts. After just 8.37 seconds, the ball was in the Munich net as Robin Fellhauer took full advantage of the opportunity Manuel Neuer gave him. It was the fastest goal in Bundesliga history. Kompany immediately looked ahead: “These things happen. I know what it’s like to be a player. You can’t sugar-coat that feeling. Manu is the same age as me; he knows how to deal with it. As a team, we always stick together. The match is over and the next few minutes of play are what count again.”

For the second goal conceded, the whole defensive organisation was off, meaning Rodrigo Ribeiro had an easy time to tap in just after the hour. “Augsburg played very well. But to be honest, the goals were self-inflicted. In the end, we fully deserved the draw, but we had enough chances to win the match,” lamented board member for sport Max Eberl.

Strengths still clear to see

The goals from Ismael Saibari and Nathaniel Brown certainly counted for something and showed that FCB never lost their composure. The team stayed on the ball, looked for gaps and really fought their way back into the game. That is precisely what continues to be one of this team’s most striking strengths. They don’t crumble when their goal-scoring machine hits a bit of a rough patch.

A great deal of patience was required against Augsburg, who defended as a compact unit, were disciplined in their positioning and brought a lot of energy to their challenges. However, 69.6 percent possession, 648 passes – 521 of which were in the opposition’s half – and 314 passes in the final third were a clear indication of Bayern’s dominance.

“On another day, we’d win this game. We gifted them two simple chances and they punished us. We were behind twice, hit the bar and post, had an incredible amount of chances. But we need to be pleased with a point in the end,” summarised Harry Kane.

But still, Bayern remain unbeaten away from home in 29 consecutive Bundesliga matches. Only once in their Bundesliga history have the Munich side enjoyed a longer run without an away defeat (33 from 2012 to 2014). In addition, Augsburg have been a tough side to beat at home for months now, having lost just one of their last 15 Bundesliga matches on their own patch.

Looking ahead, the draw is not a cause for alarm in any dramatic sense. The determination was there, as was the dominance, and the team spirit certainly wasn’t lacking. What was missing was that final bit of sharpness needed to turn that superiority into more than two goals.

That is precisely where Kompany is likely to look at the next items to work on: giving the opposition fewer opportunities and showing even greater precision in the key areas. “The guys are normal people who don’t always do everything right. It hurts at the moment, but we move on. Thankfully we’ve got lots of games, so we need to move on,” the Belgian concluded.

Bayern didn’t lose their way in Augsburg. And because our club loves nothing more than being right at the top, this result now sets the tone. The season is a long one. Our hunger for success remains as strong as ever. It wasn’t quelled in Augsburg. If anything, it grew even larger.

Get more reaction to the game here: