Comparing Bayern Munich's 2014-15 Stats to Their 2015-16 Figures

As the 2015-16 European club football season approaches its end, perhaps the most important question pertaining to Bayern Munich is whether and in what ways the club improved relative to the previous season.

Coach Pep Guardiola's mandate with his signing three years ago was not simply to achieve results, which can be very easily audited, but to develop the club's playing style in a way that improves the players and has aesthetic appeal.

Guardiola adopted a different approach at Bayern in each season, and 2014-15 was probably the least successful of his Bayern campaigns overall. But statistically, how have the Bavarians changed in the last 12 months or so? The answer can be divided into three parts, one for each competition: The Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and UEFA Champions League.

In the Bundesliga, Bayern's numbers are quite interesting. They won the league by 10 points in 2014-15 and 2015-16 and scored 80 goals in both campaigns. Their goals-conceded tally was almost exactly the same as well, 18 in the previous campaign and 17 (a league record) in the most recent.

There are some very big differences in Bayern's performance over the last two seasons, however. The most obvious is that they managed to earn nine points more (88) in 2015-16 than in the previous campaign (79). The difference is exactly three defeats; they lost five league games in 2014-15 compared to just two in 2015-16.

The consistency of Bayern's goals-scored and goals-conceded records, compared with the sizable difference in their points earned, is a clear indicator that the Bavarians were more effective in 2015-16 than before. It suggests they ran up the score less in games that had already been won, and their rare conceded goals often came in games in which the result was easily secured.

Seven of the goals Bayern conceded in the most recent Bundesliga campaign came in matches in which they won by two or more goals. And they won more close matches: Nine of their wins were secured by a one-goal margin, while in no instance did they exceed five goals in a game.

Last season, they hit six or more on three occasions, but a few of those add-on goals might have been more useful in losses to Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Monchengladbach, Wolfsburg, Augsburg and Freiburg.

Outside the goals scored and conceded, much about Bayern's style of play can be learned from more subtle statistics. Per Squawka, Bayern's possession percentage increased from 60 to 63 percent in 2015-16, and they created about seven percent more chances (494) than in the previous season (462).

Increased possession led to more scoring opportunities and a decrease in the average number of defensive actions per game (the drop was from 29 to 25).

Bayern had more of the ball and were required to defend less, which also affected their success in tackles and disciplinary record. Their percentage of challenges won dropped from 50 to 47 percent, and their number of yellow cards accrued soared from 37 to 48.

Essentially, Bayern aimed to control the game with possession more than ever before, which meant less emphasis on defense and fewer requirements of defenders, who did what they had to do (including picking up bookings) in order to avoid conceding chances. 

In the DFB-Pokal, Bayern's statistics are decidedly improved relative to the previous season. The difference is that this season they have reached the final and passed every round with a win in regular time. They've scored 12 goals and conceded just two.

Last season, Bayern scored 10 goals and conceded three in the Pokal, which suggests a similar level of performance. However, they went to penalties in both the quarter-finals and the semi-finals, losing in the latter.

Finally, there is the statistical comparison in the Champions League to consider. In each of the last two seasons, Bayern managed 15 points in the group stage and three wins in the knockout rounds before exiting in the semi-finals. There are some significant differences, though.

Bayern had an easier go in the 2014-15 knockout stage, and judging by the goal tallies, it would seem they found the group stage a little tougher. Last season, their goal difference in the group stage was +12, compared to +8 in the knockout rounds. This season, those numbers were +16 and +3, respectively.

However, it's noteworthy that Bayern lost two knockout-round matches last season, away to Porto and Barcelona, drawing away to Shakhtar. This season, Bayern managed draws away from home to Juventus and Benfica before losing their away leg against Atletico in the semi-finals.

Bayern were more active on the ball in 2015-16 than in the previous European campaign, holding 64 percent of the ball (via Squawka) compared to 59 percent prior. This led to 198 chances created, almost 25 percent more than the 160 of yesteryear. And rather than relying on free kicks and corners, Bayern's goals from set plays was cut in half, from 10 in 2014-15 to five this season.

By the numbers, Bayern have looked better overall than in the previous campaign across all competitions. They were more clinical in the Bundesliga and have advanced further in the DFB-Pokal. And their sharpness and consistency in the Champions League looked better, even if the result was a third consecutive exit at the semi-finals stage.

Their progress hasn't been dramatic, perhaps, but there has been some improvement. It will be interesting to see whether this continues under Carlo Ancelotti in 2016-17.

@Mr_Bundesliga