FC Köln

Köln show they're for real against Bayern Munich

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:36 p.m. ET

Ryan Rosenblatt

Bayern Munich were held to a draw at home. That was the go-to reaction to Saturday's 1-1 tie at the Allianz Arena and for good reason -- they're Bayern freaking Munich. But how about that other team on the field?

Köln have now made it through their first six matches of the Bundesliga season undefeated. Their draw against Bayern was their third of the season, to go along with three wins, and they haven't done it just by luck. They certainly didn't luck their way to a point at the Allianz either. They're proving themselves to be a very good team.

It all starts with Köln's defense, which has only conceded three times all season. That's second best in the Bundesliga -- behind Bayern, of course -- and it was on full display at the Allianz. Bayern were not without chances, but that's always the case. They are too good to entirely stifle, but Köln did make things difficult on the Bavarians, who were visibly frustrated.

Köln didn't set out to completely take away the center of the pitch. They conceded the ball to Bayern and let them have it in the middle, but they essentially just played with excellent geometry. There were no angles for Bayern to make dangerous passes and Köln took away good angles to goal. Bayern were forced into a lot of individual plays, long shots or shots that were made difficult by would-be blocks from defenders.

Nobody would call Köln's defensive performance otherworldly, but there was something special about it -- it wasn't special. Köln didn't have to overhaul how they defended or bunker down to defend Bayern. They stayed in their regular system and defended like they always do. And what they always do is good enough to give Bayern Munich problems.

Köln are not limited to defending either. Anthony Modeste is joint top of the league in goals and Yuya Osako is only one goal back. They have a deadly pair of strikers and their midfielders are especially good at making quick passes from deep to spring the counterattack. Köln's 11 goals are right there with everyone else in the Bundesliga, bar Bayern and Dortmund.

Köln aren't going to challenge Bayern's supremacy or even make the Champions League if they're drawing half of their matches. The Billy Goats will have to start turning some of these draws into wins, but with a defense already looking better than the one they rode to ninth place a year ago, there's reason to think that's possible.

Things are looking up at Köln. They're a good team. Just ask Bayern Munich.

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