Robert Lewandowski - Bayern Munich's new 'Wunder Mann'
There is an odd dichotomy that separates signings that are completed swiftly in the transfer window, with those that are known to be completed, in principal at least, and announced during mid season. A superstar whose imminent transfer, with effect from next season, is announced during the current season generally attracts a lukewarm response compared to the ones made in the regular transfer window (when expectations are high) or even even better, the deadline day.
The emotional response elicited from fans is just not as intense as it should be for key announcements made during the season. Which is why, more often than not, the gravity of the prematurely concluded marquee signings is not really appreciated and sometimes even forgotten by the time the season is about to start. More so if the signing is of the Bosman nature.
Bayern’s European whitewash of 2014
When Bayern Munich reached Fußball-Höhen (Football Heights) in 2013 by being the first German team to win the famed treble (the UEFA Champions League, the DFB Pokal and the Bundesliga in the same season) fans, neutrals and rivals all unanimously assumed the Mean-German-Machine might become the first team ever to defend their UEFA Champions League winners’ title. And in the process, cement a legacy that would be befitting of the efforts that the club (along with the rest of the German Football association) had made since 2001 to remodel German football so as to reach the zenith of European club football (and subsequently, world football with the national team).
A year later, they dramatically crashed and burned, much like the Biblical chracter of Icarus. Due credit has to be given to Carlo Ancelotti and Real Madrid who were efficient, ruthless and tactically spot on; traits propagated by their German counterparts in the previous treble winning campaign. The irony is inescapable. But, primarily, Bayern were the architects of their own downfall.
Why Bayern failed in the Champions League
A closer visual analysis of the two legs would indicate that neither Mario Mandzukic (now at Atletico Madrid) nor Thomas Müller were able to benefit from the Bayern’s rendition of tiki-taka. Mostly isolated, bullied and harried by Pepe and Sergio Ramos; neither of these two, otherwise freescoring forwards, amounted to anything even remotely profitable for Pep Guardiola’s idealogy over the two legs.
The amount of possession racked up Bayern in the second leg stood at a whopping, yet unspurprising, 69.3%. Of the 19 shots taken by them, a measly 7 were from inside the box, highlighting the ineffectiveness of the two forwards in that position of the pitch, forcing their midfielders to pepper the Madrid defence with shots from outside the box.
Robert Lewandowski – the solution to Bayern’s problems up front
Pep Guardiola’s amalgamation of tiki-taka with Jupp Heynckes’ more dashing play is an ongoing process as of now. But there is no doubt that they will always rely on possession football first, since that is of numero uno priority to Bayern and is Guardiola’s self characterizing footballing mantra. The tie was lost because of defensive frailties owing to a combination of injuries and over-experimentation, yes; but also because of a lack of potency at the spearhead of the attack.
They were found floundering by Real Madrid offensively and the other teams in Europe have been given a proven defensive blueprint to overhaul this Bayern team by shutting up shop and caging up Bayern’s lone forward. In such light, there is no doubt that what the wonder team from Bavaria needs is a Wunder Mann. Someone who is quick, agile and a bit of a fox-in-the-box. Not as rusty and clumsy as Müller. Not as immobile and predictably flat-footed as Mandzukic. A complete forward who can float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. One who can pass, shoot, dribble and take headers in equal and top class quality measure.
Enter Robert Lewandowski.
A new hero in town
Once the patronizing partisan remarks about how Bayern are eliminating domestic competition by poaching on the talents of other German clubs are overlooked, one should be able to see why Bayern made the move for the Wunder Mann of Borussia Dortmund, and why their sentiments were reciprocated by Lewandowski in kind. Lewandowski is the ultimate marksman. It was in the 2011-12 season when the Polish striker cemented his place as Dortmund’s main striker by resigning former club hero Lucas Barrios to the bench.
He ended with 22 goals and 8 assists in that season, and was the third highest top scorer behind Klass-Jan Huntelaar (29) and Mario Gomez (26) in Bundesliga. In 2012-13, he scored 24 goals and assisted 5 more in 29 games, finishing second only to Stefan Kießling (25). He also scored 10 goals in 12 games in Dortmund’s epic run to the final of which 4 came in the first leg of the semi-final against Real Madrid (a recurring member of the cast of this article).
His parting vows at Dortmund
Whilst Dortmund were playing second fiddle to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga for all of the 2013-14 season, Lewandowski did not let his reputation tarnish one bit as he scored 20 goals and assisted 6 more on his way to win his first Bundesliga Golden Boot. In a season in which Dortmund massively underachieved, Lewandowski gave them a perfect parting gift, as is expected from someone of his talents.
His announcement of his agreement to sign a pre-contractual agreement with Bayern in November 2013 was a bitter pill to swallow for all of BvB, especially for coach Jürgen Klopp. But unlike the departure of Mario Götze which attracted polarized (more in the direction angst and vilification) opinions from BvB fans, Lewandowski’s decision to move was understood and accepted, warmly and holistically, from his former club, as was demonstrated when he was given a rousing standing ovation by the Yellow Wall at Westfalenstadion after the final home game of the season against Hoffenheim.
Bayern Munich’s silent warning
As of 2014, there is no doubt that Lewandowksi is the best striker of Bundesliga. He is only 25, yet he has a wealth of experience in terms of winning trophies and being uber-competitive. His best years lie ahead of him. His dynamism is breath-taking and the fact that he plays for FC Bayern Munich under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola is only a fitting undertone.
The premise of his capture by Bayern is this: even without his talents Bayern would have retained their domestic titles, such is their overwhelming power in Germany. Dortmund are going through a seemingly perrenial transition phase and Bayer Leverkusen possess neither the sufficient quality nor the consistency to hurt the Bavarian giants. The pertinent question at the end of last season, as it was in May 2013 after the game at Wembley, was whether the current Bayern contingent can finally usher into an era of European dominance that has escaped them in all of their famed history?
Comprehensive efforts have been made in the past few years by Uli Hoeness, Matthias Sammer and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge to put Bayern on the top of the European perch. On the pitch, they have certain tactical issues (mostly of the defensive nature) to worry about. But with Lewandowski, the Wunder Mann, on board, they have one less thing to mull over. Of late, he might have slipped under the radar as the perceptions around his move might have transcended in the past 8 months from being cataclysmic for BvB, to immensely shrewd business by Bayern and now, seemingly ceremonial (stereotyping that Bayern do get all of BuLi’s best talents, one way or another).
But make no mistake about this. Bayern have sounded a serious warning to the European elite; albeit a silent one. Not heeding it will be a Wunderous mistake for their counterparts.
Statistics Sources: Sky Sports, WhoScored and DFB