Bayern go for 11th heaven

It may come as no surprise that, based on the first half of the season’s analytical trends, Bayern Munich should be crowned champions at the end of the season. Bayern have found their structure and rhythm going forward, with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting now looking like the most comfortable Robert Lewandowski replacement in Bavaria. Since blowing a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with rivals Borussia Dortmund in early October, they’ve won six games in a row, scoring 24 goals during this period, which has coincided with Choupo-inclusion Moting’s in the starting XI.

Because of this change, Bayern’s players can now play around a No. 9 instead of getting stuck in their opponents’ last line of defense. To illustrate, Bayern’s shot conversion rate has increased from 13.2% to 20.5% since the arrival of Choupo-Moting as a starter.

Why else do they appear to be champions-elect? They lead almost every statistic: goals, shots on goal, big chances created, and even more defensive ones like high interceptions and ball recoveries, which is usually a good indicator. The only question now is whether Bayern can maintain this momentum after the restart, especially with injuries to Manuel Neuer, Lucas Hernandez, and Noussair Mazraoui.