As the final months of the 2014-15 club season approach, Bayern Munich continue to rank among Europe's very best clubs by almost all accounts.The Bavarians have a commanding, eight-point lead in the Bundesliga with just one defeat and remain alive and well in both the DFB-Pokal and Champions League. They have a squad that most every club in the world could only dream of having and play dominant football on a regular basis.If there is one thing that could be said to be negative about Bayern this season, it's that they've relied upon the "old guard," a contingent of players who are approaching their natural decline and will need to be replaced sooner or later if the Bundesliga's record champions are to progress.At 31, Arjen Robben has been Bayern's strongest and most consistent performer. And although often injured, Franck Ribery (just a month from his 32nd birthday) has been very reliable when fit. In central midfield, Xabi Alonso (33) has been immense.Bayern have in recent years done their best to replace their aging stars, bringing in Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski to bolster their attack with a look to the long-term future. But neither of the ex-Dortmund stars nor Thomas Mueller have delivered with the consistency of the old guard, nor have they taken on the kind of leadership roles that Robben and Ribery have so readily accepted.The team is still very much that of the duo known as "Robbery," just as it was in 2009.Facing Eintracht Braunschweig in the DFB-Pokal on Wednesday, Bayern didn't get goals from their veteran attackers. Nor did they get assists. In fact, Ribery and Robben were relatively tame, for once. Actually, it was just the fifth domestic game of the season in which neither Ribery nor Robben was directly involved in a goal.And yet Bayern still managed to get the goals they needed through two much younger sources, 22-year-olds Gotze and David Alaba.The Austrian curled a beautiful free-kick into the net on the stroke of half-time before the German danced through the visitors' defense before finishing coolly early in the second half. Two goals ahead, Bayern were home clear with just over half an hour remaining and were able to hold out for a comfortable win.It wasn't the first time this season that Gotze or Alaba had stepped up for Bayern, and the latter's goal was reminiscent of his stunning strike against Stuttgart a month ago. But whereas that goal came after Robben had broken the deadlock, the goal against Braunschweig was the opener andwith the Dutchman and Ribery not exactly at their lethal bestcame in a game in which Bayern may have really needed him.That Gotze got the second was huge not only for the player (whose confidence has visibly taken a hit throughout a general slump of form since October) but for the club.Sooner or later, Bayern will have to transition to rely less on their old guard and have the next generation take the reinswhether this involves players in the current team or potential signings that may and may not succeed is yet to be seen.One game isn't a trend, but the Braunschweig match was a step in the right direction. Gotze and Alaba both have at least a few years left on their respective contracts and a decade of their best years ahead of them: These are the kind of players Bayern should be relying upon. And after Wednesday's match, maybe they're ready to transition and do just that.@Mr_BundesligaRead more World Football news on BleacherReport.com
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