Bayern Munich play with 4-2-3-1 line up. In set attacks, the formation changes a lot. If they try to make in set attack without being direct, in forward line they have 4 players. If they want to make game directly, they have 5 players in forward line. Because against 4 defenders teams, if you have 5 players in forward, you can play directly because you have one extra player in forward. And when you have 1 extra player in forward, you have to play direct or because when you have 1 extra player in forward, it means in different spaces you have 1 less player and it may causes problems for the attacking team.
In crossing positions, one player takes position closer penalty arc’s right and one player takes position closer to penalty arc’s left. There is not a regularity like these two players always take position in these spaces but always there are two players in these spaces. And if there is not, their gegenpressing and transition defence abilities drop so much.
In set attacks, always one forward player closes to midfield to make game. And they can’t make game without using this player. If they can’t use this player, they play directly to wing to use their extra forward player.
They make game with high tempo. So if you give them space in between your own midfield and defense lines, they use it. If you try to meet them with pressing but not the really aggressive one, it’s the best thing that can help Bayern Munich to make game. Because if you don’t press them aggressively, every Bayern player will find few seconds with the ball and it will just help them to raise the tempo and make game in a lot space.
If defenders try to follow the Bayern’s player who closes to midfield to take the ball, they have to close this player aggressively and be sure that there isn’t much distance between him and Bayern’s player. And to do that, the distance between defense and midfield lines has to be less enough. And if you let to this player takes the ball comfortably between your own defense and midfield lines, it will just help to Bayern because remember, they can use high tempo so good when they make game.
And also their forward players can be so distractible because when Bayern’s one player takes the ball between midfield and forward lines, then opponent’s team’s defense line will start to go back with an order. And this time, they will not have enough ability to think about spaces. And this time, when Bayern Munich’s players which are in wing change their positions and go to half-spaces, opponent’s defenders can’t realize this new situation because now firstly, they are thinking about defense line’s stability, secondly, the player who has the ball in between their midfield and defense line comes to forward quickly in a free space. So thinking about a third situation wouldn’t be that much easy. And when Bayern’s forwards go to half-spaces from wings, opponent’s defenders think like wingers are still not in important position but they are wrong because they can’t realize wingers’ new positions. And when wingers take the ball in half-spaces, they will have enough space and time to do whatever they want.
In set attacks, Bayern Munich defenders take position according to opponent’s forward players. For example, if opponent’s forward players take position closer to their own penalty box and teammates, Bayern defenders take position closer to opponent’s penalty box more. Also like in our situations, if opponent’s centre forward doesn’t take position closer to his teammates, Bayern’s all three defenders don’t close to opponent’s penalty box.