Looking Around the League: Harvest Season Begins Across the Farmer’s Leagues

Last week I opened the Bundesliga roundup with a discussion about the quick rise to the top of the table that the league’s two biggest clubs had managed, taking just two weeks to establish themselves as the only two teams with 100% records. Well, as I’m sure you are all aware, Borussia Dortmund did the rest of the league a favor and relinquished their perfect record in... dramatic fashion.

Bayern Munich, on the other hand, don’t have a strong track record when it comes to doing the rest of the league any favors. They proceeded to pound Bochum into a fine, relegation-quality mush.

With Robert Lewandowski having left the club for Barcelona this summer, I was hopeful that it might take Bayern Munich a moment to find their offensive rhythm, but after just three games they’ve scored 15 goals and their goal difference is +11 on their closest rivals.

But at least PSG are also decimating Ligue 1, right? All is well in European football.

Results

Borussia Monchengladbach 1-0 Hertha Berlin

Bayer Leverkusen 0-3 Hoffenheim

Borussia Dortmund 2-3 Werder Bremen

Augsburg 1-2 Mainz

VfB Stuttgart 0-1 Freiburg

Wolfsburg 0-0 Schalke

Union Berlin 2-1 RB Leipzig

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 FC Köln

VfL Bochum 0-7 Bayern Munich

Standings

When Everyone Loses, Bayern Munich Win

The probability that Bayern Munich would not win the Bundesliga this season were always pretty slim, but their ruthless form coupled with everyone else’s lackluster start to the season has only served to reduce that probability slightly more. All of the teams that had a slim shot at challenging Bayern this season have struggled in their early games. Bayer Leverkusen still haven’t managed to pick up a single point, RB Leipzig are still winless, and BVB’s luck ran out over the weekend.

I always guard against claims that any single game has finished BVB’s shot at the title, or any claims that the season is “over” when there’s still so many matches left to play. In reality, any individual result (especially so early in the season) is unlikely to have a significant impact on the probability distribution of this season’s Bundesliga champion. It’s just that the probability already massively favoured Bayern Munich, so when every other team that was vaguely in the discussion struggles, it doesn’t help the situation.

If you want to say the season is over (as far as deciding the winner of the league goes), then fine, but it was pretty close to over to start the season, and that’s the real problem. The Bundesliga is alive and well.

Your Thoughts

Were there any uplifting stories from the Bundesliga this weekend? Give us something to spark a little joy.