Why Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski Are Underperforming for Bayern Munich

Two seasons ago, Bayern Munich were Champions League winners. In each of the last two summers, they've managed to sign a superstar from their opponents for the final at Wembley: Mario Gotze was the first to move to the Allianz Arena in 2013, and Robert Lewandowski joined him last summer.

Moving to Munich was supposed to be the next step forward for the two proven, world-class stars. But as yet, neither has managed to replicate the form that lifted him to a standing among Europe's most coveted stars.

Gotze has intermittently shown his class, only occasionally leading the Bayern attack as he did at Dortmund. Pep Guardiola seems to have limited confidence in the 22-year-old, who has gone eight Bundesliga games without a goal or assist and was only a substitute for Bayern's first two games after the winter break. The fact that the Germany international was sacrificed after Jerome Boateng's red card against Schalke speaks volumes of his current standing in the team.

Lewandowski, meanwhile, has gone from Bundesliga's top goalscorer to a spot almost out of the top 10 since last season, the Poland international finding the net just seven times in the German top flight and averaging a modest 0.37 goals per game overall. Although he's scored 10 goals this season, only half have come from non-leading positions, and it's apparent that Bayern look to others (Arjen Robben in particular) to provide the important goals.

This raises the question, what's wrong with Gotze and Lewandowski? What's happened to them that they've lost their way?

Some might say that having left a system Jurgen Klopp tuned to perfectly fit their qualities, they've lost their way. But although this perhaps plays some role, there are other factors affecting each player. And they're not the same.

In Lewandowski's case, his status as a newcomer should not be underestimated. The 26-year-old is in a completely different environment in Munich, both in terms of the type of players around him and the system in which he plays.

Bayern don't play the long clearances Lewandowski thrived upon at Borussia Dortmund, and his hold-up game has been turned down a few notches. Guardiola's system has involved more transitions and quicker vertical play this season, but with most opponents defending deep, they aren't as reliant on the counterattack as BVB. For a player such as Lewandowski, who isn't particularly renowned for his aerial ability but can be a nightmare in transition, it can be hard to adapt.

Another big factor in the drop in Lewandowski's performance is the players around him. During his best time at Dortmund, his support included a pure playmaker in Gotze, a forward who looked as much to assist as to score in Marco Reus and a classic, cross-playing winger in Jakub Blaszczykowski. He was the man expected to deliver, and he was the focus of the attack. In Munich, he's often played without a creator and with at least one forward (Arjen Robben) who is much more of a finisher than a provider.

All this isn't to say that Lewandowski can't or won't reach his previous heights at Bayern. In terms of skill set, he actually has the right qualities to succeed in Guardiola's system. His hold-up play can be modified for tight areas around the penalty box, and his clever flicks and backheel passes can be exactly what the Catalan coach is looking for to release other attackers into scoring situations.

Adjustment may take some time, however. Lewandowski spent more than a year at Dortmund before he really began to show his class. Strikers often need to feel their way through a first season, and Lewandowski appears to be one such player.

In Gotze's case, however, "adjustment" can no longer be an excuse. He's been a Bayern player for over a year-and-a-half now and has only briefly shown the extent of his class.

A player of Gotze's skill set requires a lot of contact with the ball, and as of yet, it appears that Guardiola lacks confidence in the playmaker's ability to take on the role Franck Ribery has occupied at the club since 2007.

For a playmaker (be it the classic "trequartista" variety or from the wing), responsibility is crucial. Such a player commands the attack, dribbling through defenses and using teammates' runs to orchestrate the buildup.

There can only ever be one such player on the pitch at any time, for the other's talents will be watching the man with the ball perform his duties with limited ability to influence otherwise. At Bayern, Ribery continues to be the main playmaker.

It should be noted that the Frenchman has often been injured this season, and Gotze has consequently had his chances to shine. And indeed, he did for a spell—especially during late September and October. At that time, Bayern were not only without Ribery but relied on Gotze, as Lewandowski and Robben were not at their best.

When Ribery returned to action and since Robben's upturn in form, Gotze's run has fizzled out and, with it, so has Guardiola's confidence in him.

So what has to happen for Lewandowski and Gotze to be at their best? In both cases, patience is needed. There's no reason to be alarmed about the former just yet; he should be able to adjust his game to fit Guardiola's system—if not by the end of the current season, then in the next.

Gotze's situation is of a bit more concern. For him to thrive, Ribery will have to play less of a role at the club. The Frenchman turns 32 in April, so that may come sooner rather than later. But in order to take on Ribery's role, Gotze will need Guardiola's confidence. It's too important a part in the team to leave to chance, so there is a bit of a catch-22 situation for Gotze, who needs to play to achieve his potential but perform to a standard that justifies his minutes.

Displacing Ribery is only the beginning of the solution for Gotze, who will need to feel the same sense of ownership in Bayern's success that he felt at Dortmund. Responsibility is an oft-overlooked factor in a player's development but can be crucial.

Consider Kevin De Bruyne. He was nobody at Chelsea but has arguably been the Bundesliga's Player of the Season at Wolfsburg. Gotze needs chances not only in minutes but in terms of his role in the club. But Guardiola will be much more reluctant to hand him such responsibility than bring him into the lineup. The more time passes, the harder it will be.

The rest of the campaign could be huge for both Gotze and Lewandowski as they look to take the next step in their Bayern careers. It's too early to judge them as successes or failures, but come this fall, things will be much clearer. There still is time, but the clock is ticking.

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