From kicking off things to a flyer in 2021 to suffering a huge collapse in 2022, punctuated by a 5-0 loss to a struggling Borussia Monchengladbach in the DFB Cup to a devastating UEFA Champions League quarter finals loss to La Liga mid table side Villareal, Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann faces one of his biggest tests in rebuilding the trust that existed within the Bavarian fanbase as he walked through the doors at the Allianz Arena. All that, with a slightly different team.Heading into the summer, four big names lingered on the Bayern Munich administration heads. Two of them, Manuel Neuer and Thomas Muller ended up as easy pickings while Robert Lewandowski and Serge Gnabry always looked like potential exits. The eventual tag of ‘war’ resulted in the club’s top scorer being handed the keys into FC Barcelona, a move that was definitely on his wish list despite the bucket loads of goals he drained into the latter’s nets per meeting. Labored talks resulted in Serge Gnabry signing a new four year deal coupled with tremendous acquisitions that indeed pave way for a differently-looking Bayern next season.##EDITORS_CHOICE##Life without Robert LewandowskiIt must be an easy job thinking about how to replace a 30 goals a season striker (at worst) when your team actually lacks a traditional forward. That only exists in a world where Sadio Mane lives. Sadio Mane, apart from arguably becoming the face of the Bundesliga, could end up becoming the goal getter for the Bayern Munich side next season. Nagelsmann would hate to ignore seeing Sadio Mane slot in as the striker in between Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz for Liverpool in his most productive season ever.Barca will be powerful again – Lewa joins his new teammatesSerge Gnabry with a decent 14 goals and 5 assists last season does provide another option to the German manager, with many preferring to see him in a false nine position, just floating around the box.Whoever starts begs another question on who plays on the wings, given the talent that exists.What formation does Nagelsmann employ?One of the major accusations leveled against Julian Naglesmann was the lack of exciting football, mainly pinned on his 3-4-3 formation. His desires to have a strong defense have been met with the arrival of both Matthijs De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui. Wonder whether the two, with a fully healthy Alphonso Davies and Lucas Hernandez point to a strong back four? (Notice how I left out Benjamin Pavard?)The arrival of Ryan Gravenberch in midfield also provides Bayern width that might lacked with Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka missing a chunk of games. Jamal Musiala offers a great deal of skill that could see him contend for a space upfront.Boy wonder Mathys Tel is Bayern’s new project for the futureLosing your talisman is one thing, but integrating everyone else (old and new) to work ‘by committee’ is an interesting aspect to what Julian Nagelsmann does in the upcoming season.
