It hasn't been easy for Bayern Munich of late, but the performance of new signing James Rodriguez against Schalke was extremely promising for both club and head coach - writes DW's Jonathan Harding.
The 26-year-old created four chances and was at the centre of Bayern Munich's attacking play.
Given the discontent reportedly in and around the Bayern camp in the last few weeks, James' performance was a timely one for Bayern. Without Arjen Robben, Bayern have often struggled to find any sort of attacking impetus. The Dutchman continues to be the club's go-to man despite his advancing years, but against Schalke there was the first glimpse that maybe, just maybe, Bayern have another attacking leader.
James was in between the lines, showing off his superb quality in the final third with a deft touch and a smart finish. For his goal, he outfoxed Schalke goalkeeper Ralf Fährmann by faking to shoot into the far corner before curling into the near post. His assist for Vidal was sumptuous. With a glorious flick, James delivered a pass through Schalke's defense and perfectly into his teammates' path.
The performance was not just an important one for Bayern, but also for Carlo Ancelotti. The Italian won the Bundesliga title last year, but struggled in Europe and the general consesus is that the Bayern team is just not improving under the 58-year-old.
James represents a chance for Ancelotti to put a mark on this team in a way that he hasn't really done yet. While it's important not to get carried away with what might be because of one fine performance in Gelsenkirchen on a Tuesday night, it offers a glimmer of hope to a head coach desperate for something of his own making to look good in Munich.
Bundesliga: RB Leipzig shocked by Augsburg, James inspires Bayern, BVB win
Just two days after the end of Matchday 4, Matchday 5 saw Bayern brush aside Schalke, Augsburg upset the odds and Hertha pile more misery on Leverkusen. Catch up with all that happened in midweek right here.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/M. Sohn
Hertha 2-1 Leverkusen
Mathew Leckie cannot stop scoring! The Australian international (left) gave Hertha the early lead, his fourth goal in five Bundesliga games. Salomon Kalou's goal gave Hertha a 2-0 halftime lead, and Julian Brandt scored a consolation goal for Leverkusen just before the final whistle.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/M. Sohn
Hamburg 0-3 Borussia Dortmund
Shinji Kagawa (middle) gave Dortmund the early advantage with a goal in the six-yard box, and the Bundesliga leaders never looked back. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang finished off a deflected shot from Andriy Yarmolenko just after the hour mark. Christian Pulisic topped off the game with a goal just before time which was Dortmund's 3000th ever in the Bundesliga.
Image: REUTERS
Cologne 0-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
A controversial penalty decision by referee Martin Petersen, who was officiating his first game in the Bundesliga, decided the game. Timo Horn (bottom) appeared to swipe the ball cleanly from the feet of Mijat Gacinovic (top), but Petersen pointed to the spot. Sebastien Haller hit home the penalty as Frankfurt handed Cologne their fifth loss of the Bundesliga season.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/F. Gambarini
Freiburg 1-1 Hannover
It was a physical battle for much of the game and in the end they wound up splitting the points. Hannover looked to have their fourth win in five games when Martin Harnik opened the scoring in the second half. But Nils Petersen, who was substituted into the game in the 74th minute, scored the equalizer from a corner nine minutes later.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/M. Kienzler
Mainz 2-3 Hoffenheim
It took five goals to separate these two sides in an attacking showcase in Mainz. Danny Latza and Yoshinori Muto gave Mainz an early two-goal lead after a quarter of an hour, but Nadiem Amiri and Sandro Wagner leveled the score before halftime. Mark Uth (pictured) scored the match winner in second half stoppage time to give Hoffenheim their third win of the season.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Michael Probst
Augsburg 1-0 RB Leipzig
Augsburg pulled off a stunning victory against RB Leipzig to make it 10 points from their first five games. Michael Gregoritsch scored his first goal for the club, profiting after his teammates recycled possession following an attack. Leipzig might have leveled, but Augsburg came equally close. Ralph Hasenhüttl and his team looked rattled at the end with the boss entering the pitch to protest.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Puchner
Schalke 0 - 3 Bayern Munich
Despite a promising start and a first Bundesliga start for US talent Weston McKennie, Schalke were outclassed. Colombian James Rodriguez scored one and assisted one on his debut as Bayern proved too much for Schalke. Robert Lewandowski (pictured) scored from the spot after a VAR decision and Arturo Vidal volleyed in as Schalke huffed and puffed to no avail.
Image: Reuters/W. Rattay
Gladbach 2-0 Stuttgart
A brace from Brazilian Raffael was enough for the home side to see off a stubborn Stuttgart side. After a fairly uneventful first half, Raffael (pictured) broke the deadlock with a neat volley in the box. The striker's first Bundesliga goal of the season was followed by his second when he converted from the spot after Thorgan Hazard was tugged on the shoulder.
Image: imago/M. Müller
Wolfsburg 1-1 Werder Bremen
Werder Bremen missed the chance to win away as Martin Schmidt made his debut as Wolfsburg head coach. The home side looked to be heading for three points after Divock Origi scored his first league goal to finish off a swift attack. But it was all Bremen from that point and after Fin Bartels rose to head home in the box, the visitors should have found a winner in a strong second half display.
