During Sunday’s FC Bayern Munich – Borussia Mönchengladbach game I tweeted about Arjen Robben’s proclivity for cutting in from the right flank and trying to get a shot away, I jokingly inferred that such a move was “so 2009.” A joke it may have been; but no doubt it was fast becoming a pressing concern for Bayern fans as their team surcame to their first loss of the season in the first game of the season and new manager Jupp Heynckes for the first time.

Dazzling right wing runs, a nifty trick to take the ball inside and a ferocious left foot shot that frequently resulted in a rather spectacular goal were part and parcel of the 2009/10 season that saw FC Bayern cap a wonderful season with a domestic double and a place in the Champions League final. It was the Dutchman’s debut season with the club, having completed a transfer from Real Madrid towards the end of the summer transfer window and it finally looked at though he was fulfilling his potential. It sounds ridiculous to say it now, especially given how many clubs use inverted wingers now but the new style of play was something of a revelation just eighteen months and the new system caught many, many teams out; which in turn led to plenty of media attention on Robben in particular.

The issue of Bayern relying too heavily on that particular style of play reared it’s head early last season when they found themselves without both Robben and Ribery and in 7th place at the start of December. It was an incredible fall from grace, which was partly halted by the return of Robben who scored 12 goals in 14 league games. Some fine form from the winger helped the club stumble over the line in 3rd place and into the Champions League football. Unfortunately for Bayern, the player and that signature move has proved so successful that teams are starting to get wise to letting Robben have the ball; even mind letting him cut inside with it. The Dutchman cut a frustrated figure as he drifted back and forth along the Allianz Arena touchline, constantly trailed by at least two Gladbach players and when he did manage to cut inside a third would join them and help rush the resulting shot.

Of course Bayern have alternative creative avenues, but it is obvious that Robben’s importance has been drilled into even the most capable players who continue to look for him as soon as they collect the ball. With Robben unavailable there would usually be the option of their other star player, Franck Ribery but yet another niggling injury limited the Frenchman to the bench and in turn put further pressure on Robben and too much pressure on Thomas Muller who was charged with replacing him, and was subsequently wasted on the left wing.

Perhaps the most telling sign of how the creative side of this Bayern team has been shackled, in favour of the tried and tested Robben route, is the distinct lack of speed in their attacking play. Had Robben been given more freedom by Gladbach they might have had the chance to increase the tempo of play. However, with Robben man marked the players opted to slowly amble towards goal and played into the hands of their visitors. At times it was like watching Arsenal in slow motion, passing back and forth and from side to side, but with no penetration and no real conviction. This proved increasingly frustrating when you considered how quick, imaginative and energetic Bayern’s midfield is. That’s not to say that Bayern didn’t create chances. Gomez had two headers in the first half that tested Gladbach’s reserve; the first produced an athletic save from Gladbach goalkeepr Marc-Andre ter Stegen and the second rebounded off the post but there were few other chances of note.

FC Holywood were eventually outdone by a mistake from their latest superstar signing, Manuel Neuer. An innocuous ball forward was well covered by Jerome Boateng, but the centre back pulled out of the clearance at the last second when he realised that the Germany number one had raced from his goal line towards the ball. Perhaps desperate for some action, Neuer looked set to punch it clear. The challenge from chasing Gladbach forward Igor de Camargo was brave. He closed his eyes and hoped for the best. To everyone’s disbelief, he beat Neuer to the ball by a millisecond and sent it spinning over the big stopper and trickling over the line for the only goal of the game.

It would be fair to say that Gladbach failed to create many goal scoring chances, but it’s what they did with those chances that proved the difference. Minutes before the goal they had converted their only other serious chance of the game. A free kick into the Bayern box wasn’t dealt with and a flick on, coupled with another foray off his line from Neuer was incorrectly ruled out by the officials.

Gladbach didn’t exactly take the game to Bayern and seemed happy to soak up pressure. It should be noted how well they dealt with that pressure and how often their defence held firm against a Bayern onslaught as the minutes ticked down. I recently tipped them for the drop and if this performance is anything to go by I will be happy to be proved wrong. I also tipped Bayern for the title, but if they are to have any chance of reclaiming the title from Borussia Dortmund they need to find a proper plan B that doesn’t rely so heavily on Robben or Ribery playing on opposite flanks.

Elsewhere, Borussia Dortmund fired a warning shot across the brow of those who doubted their ability to hold on to their title or produce the same standard of football as last season without Nuri Sahin marshalling midfield. Had it not been for wasteful finishing they could have ended their game against HSV with a five or six goal advantage. Hamburg’s late consolation to make it 3-1 took some of the gloss off an otherwise perfect opening game for Die Borussen.

Recently crowned Super Cup winners Schalke 04 suffered a 3-0 loss to VFB Stuttgart in a game that only seemed to involve one central defender; Serdar Tasci. Both sides threw caution to the wind but it was Stuttgart’s clinical finishing that saw them emerge victorious whilst Schalke’s Raul will be left wondering what he has to do to help Lewis Holtby and Klaas Jan Huntelaar locate their shooting boots.

Schalke’s former manager Felix Magath enjoyed a far better start to his season than his old club. He began his second stint in charge of Wolfsburg with a 3-0 hammering of ten man Cologne. For fans who suffered the ignominy of battling against relegation last term it will have been a breath of fresh air to see their side set an early season benchmark.

A close second to Bayern, Bayer Leverkusen laid claim to worst start to the domestic season with a 2-0 loss to Mainz, just a week after giving up a three goal lead and being eliminated from the DFB-Pokal by Bundesliga II side Dynamo Dresden. Two horrific errors from goalkeeper Fabian Giefer and defender Omer Toprak allowed the hugely impressive Mainz to take full advantage of a game they dominated and deserved to win. Leverkusen have been, as always, tipped to challenge for the title this term but judging by their opening display they need to spend some of that Arturo Vidal money and spend it fast.