Bayern Munich sporting director Christoph Freund has perused his roster, consulted with board member for sport Max Eberl, and the duo has come to this conclusion — the Bavarians are perfectly fine with their current roster for the rest of this season.
“We’re very happy with the current squad. We do not feel any pressure to do anything,” Freund told DAZN (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). “There’s no pressure for the January transfer period. We’re in a situation where some important players have contracts that are not valid for much longer. That’s what we are focusing on and what we’re discussing. We’re currently concentrating on the squad that we have at our disposal. There’s a lot to do.”
Considering that Freund was fully in-charge when the club overpaid for Bryan Zaragoza (now on loan with Osasuna) and Sacha Boey (injured for the majority of his tenure), maybe it is best if Bayern Munich just sits this one out in January.
After all, the Bavarians should have Boey, Aleksandar Pavlović, and Josip Stanišić back in January. Maybe — fingers crossed — if things go well for Hiroki Ito, the defender will also be back.
In effect, it is sort of like getting a quality haul during the transfer window anyway. However, there should be concern at center-back — and not necessarily because of performance. Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae are racking up a lot of mileage and a lot of wear-and-tear. In addition to their work in Bavaria, both players are key figures for their respective national teams as well.
With only Eric Dier as a true back-up at the moment, it might behoove Bayern Munich to — at least — explore what options are out there. Sure, Stanišić and Ito can play the position, but it could be unwise for the club to rely on two players, who have already been banged up with long-term injuries this season.
Just a thought…
Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show Season 4, Episode 17
Bayern Munich is in the midst of a scorching hot stretch and Harry Kane has been a big part of the team’s success.
So why is Bayern Munich already seeking another striker when Kane’s deal does not end until 2027? Apparently, the planning has begun and there are a lot of options under consideration…but who will be the ultimate selection? That is a big question and we’ll discuss it.
- What should we make of the striker update? Viktor Yourkeresh
- A #Project2026 update.
- Wingers are at the forefront of our discussion once again.
- An Entertainment Rundown — The Penguin dropped its penultimate episode and we learned a lot about ol’ Oz Cobb.
Song of the Week: “Way Down Now” by World Party
If you are a certain age, you remember that MTV actually used to play music and even better, they had a show dedicated to alternative rock.
One of the bands that was a fixture on the show was World Party, who many of you might never have heard of. Powered by Karl Wallinger (deceased), the band had a window where it was able to establish itself as a big name in the genre.
Enjoy a dose of the late 80s and early 90s alt rock scene:
Entertainment Rundown
The Penguin
- Season 1, Episode 7 — Top Hat
Well, this episode did not lack in substance, so let’s dive in:
- Oz Cobb’s origin story is sort of told (but not fully flushed out) as we find out how he idolized neighborhood gangster Rex Calabrese.
- While playing with his brothers, Oz’s physical deficiencies affect his ability to do what he wants, he gets frustrated (likely from a lifetime of dealing with it), and inadvertently (maybe) offs his brothers by sealing them into a sewer. Nope, not the way I’d want to go.
- Anyway, the backstory plays a key role in showing how this physically-impaired boy evolves into a complete monster (who might or might not have some kind of Oedipus Complex with his mom).
- Current times, though, left a bit of a hole in the story. After Sofia (Falcone) Gigante abducts ol’ Mrs. Cobb, we find Victor beaten, but not dead — which, let’s be honest, is a major plot hole. Why wouldn’t they just kill him. Way too much plot armor there and the episode was docked points in my scoring for that alone.
- That said, the story was good as Oz begins to lean on his underground army to fight back against the Gigantes and Maronis.
- Eventually, Oz kills Sal Maroni (it sucks to see Clancy Brown go honestly), but is set up in a trap by Sofia, who uses a bomb to destroy Oz’s underground lair/factory. Of course, Oz ends up in the same spot as the one where he sealed in his brothers.
- Big question — where in the hell is Batman during all of this?
- So…now we are set up for what should be a fantastic finish to what has been a surprisingly good show. Fingers crossed that it ends in a satisfactory way.
Rating: 8.75/10.00
Trap
There are a lot of reasons to question M. Night Shyamalan’s films over the past 20 years or so. The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs, Split, Mr. Glass…they all had their quality. Otherwise, it has been tough sledding.
Trap was on the verge of being really, really good, but the absence of the prototypical Shyamalan’s twist and the week — completely week — last quarter of the movie was disappointing.
There are a lot of reasons, things fell apart at the end, but it was most disappointing because there was a chance to do something great. The concept was great, Joshua Hartnett did a really good job in his role, and the movie flowed with intensity and intrigue. A choppy, poorly laid out ending, though, took away from a lot of the good stuff that was going on.
Rating: 6.50/10.00
Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show: St. Pauli vs. Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich will be looking to stay hot against St. Pauli in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
After trouncing Union Berlin last weekend and taking out Benfica in the Champions League on Wednesday, Bayern Munich is riding the wave of momentum. Will it continue? Let’s talk about that and more on the Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show:
- Bayern Munich is looking to stay hot…can the ride last?
- A look at the recent form of each team and where they fall in the Bundesliga table.
- A look at the rosters and injuries for St. Pauli and Bayern Munich.
- A guess at Bayern Munich’s starting XI…will there be any rotation?
- A prediction on the match.
Predictions
Bundesliga
Bayern Munich is hot and there is no reason to think that St. Pauli is going to be able to slow down the Bavarians. This should be a convincing win.
Prediction: St. Pauli 0-5 Bayern Munich
Other Bundesliga Predictions:
- Union Berlin 1-2 SC Freiburg
- VfL Bochum 1-4 Bayer Leverkusen
- Mainz 05 0-3 Borussia Dortmund
- Werder Bremen 2-1 Holstein Kiel
- RB Leipzig 3-1 Borussia Mönchengladbach
- FC Augsburg 2-1 Hoffenheim
- VfB Stuttgart 2-2 Eintracht Frankfurt
- Heidenheim 1-1 VfL Wolfsburg
UEFA Nations League
Germany has another key set of matches, but two that are wholly winnable. Julian Nagelsmann will continue to tweak things and move players around, but it is clear — at least as of now — that he has a bead on this squad and how to best make use of the players that that he has.
Nagelsmann has done some good work so far, but consistency and energy will be key. Players are tired, they are beat up, and they will have to dig down deep to properly prepare for these matches.
Can they rise to the task?
It feels like it.
Predictions: Germany 3-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina / Hungary 1-3 Germany
Other UEFA Nations League Predictions
Thursday, November 14, 2024
- Kazakhstan 0-2 Austria
- Armenia 2-1 Faroe Islands
- Belgium 2-2 Italy
- France 3-0 Israel
- Greece 0-3 England
- North Macedonia 3-1 Latvia
- Ireland 2-0 Finland
- Slovenia 2-2 Norway
Friday, November 15, 2024
- Cyprus 1-1 Lithuania
- Denmark 0-2 Spain
- Luxembourg 1-1 Bulgaria
- Northern Ireland 1-0 Belarus
- Portugal 3-1 Poland
- Romania 3-1 Kosovo
- San Marino 1-1 Gibraltar
- Scotland 0-3 Croatia
- Switzerland 1-0 Serbia
Saturday, November 16, 2024
- Azerbaijan 2-1 Estonia
- Andorra 1-1 Moldova
- Georgia 1-0 Ukraine
- Montenegro 1-2 Iceland
- Türkiye 2-1 Wales
- Albania 1-2 Czechia
- Netherlands 2-1 Hungary
- Sweden 2-1 Slovakia
Sunday, November 17, 2024
- Latvia 1-2 Armenia
- North Macedonia 3-0 Faroe Islands
- Austria 2-1 Slovenia
- England 3-0 Ireland
- FInland 1-2 Greece
- Norway 2-1 Kazakhstan
- Israel 0-3 Belgium
- Italy 2-1 France
Monday, November 18, 2024
- Bulgaria 2-2 Belarus
- Croatia 2-2 Portugal
- Kosovo 2-1 Lithuania
- Liechtenstein 1-0 San Marino
- Luxembourg 0-4 Northern Ireland
- Poland 1-1 Scotland
- Romania 3-0 Cyprus
- Serbia 2-1 Denmark
- Spain 3-1 Switzerland
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
- Albania 2-1 Ukraine
- Bosnia and Herzegovina 0-4 Netherlands
- Czechia 2-2 Georgia
- Malta 1-0 Andorra
- Montenegro 0-3 Türkiye
- Slovakia 2-1 Estonia
- Sweden 2-0 Azerbaijan
- Wales 1-0 Iceland
Prediction Records
- Last Week Bundesliga: 3-6 (Through Matchday 9)
- Overall Bundesliga: 37-43
- UEFA Nations League: 57-38
- Champions League: 36-36 (Through Matchday 4)
- DFB-Pokal: 36-12 (Through 2nd Round)
- Total: 166-130
- Perfect Picks: 28 (when the score and winner is predicted exactly)
