DFB team: Five insights from the Nations League games

A 5-2 win against Italy, of course you don’t want to be downplayed. Finally a win against a great of world football, finally won again at all. 1:1 already seemed to be the standard result for the DFB team (four times in a row most recently). Even Manuel Neuer went nonchalantly, albeit with a tortured smile, over the two goals conceded in the last 20 minutes. And national coach Hansi Flick didn’t want to spread the deficits “today” in front of the TV microphones. Main maxim: Take the “super feeling” (Flick) with you into the summer break – and continue to work on a competitive squad in the fall until the Winter World Cup in Qatar.

The four Nations League games in eleven days should be a location for “the team”. That’s how it happened. Five insights from the quasi-tournament of the past few days:

The others have problems too

A position determination also includes a look at the competition. And it doesn’t even look that bad. In England in particular, the alarm bells went off after the 4-0 loss to Hungary. One of the highest home defeats in the history of the “Three Lions”, no win after four games, “you can no longer dismiss that as meaningless”, commented the “Independent” on the previous performance of the European Championship finalists in the Nations League. The competition is not being taken seriously even in its third edition, but: 0:4 against Hungary?

The defending champions France are also in a bad position. Last in his group, no win, two home defeats (1-2 v Denmark, 0-1 v Croatia), unworthy of a world champion. World Cup finalists Croatia lost 3-0 (!) at home to Austria before winning 1-0 in France. Belgium were at least able to redeem themselves after a disastrous 4-1 draw against the Netherlands with a 6-1 win over Poland. And the Spaniards – Germany’s group opponents in Qatar – started with two mau draws but have since managed to secure two of their usual minimalist victories. Of course: All potential World Cup favorites have tested new players and are otherwise one thing above all: drained after a long season. France and England in particular will show a different face at the World Cup. Nevertheless, the results make it clear that the German team is not alone with its problems and is even doing comparatively well, especially after the win against Italy. The decisive factor is then “on the pitch” at the World Cup.

DFB team – (almost) everything seems possible

That sounds promising, but viewed in the light of day it is not. Manuel Neuer’s goal of wanting to become world champion in Qatar is more due to the “think big” of the athletes: setting big goals in order to achieve a respectable result in any case. In duels against opponents who are suitable for the World Cup, Flick’s squad is still a grab bag. “We have everything to be able to beat anyone on a good day,” said Thomas Müller after the victory in Italy. But also everything to be able to lose on a normal day against respectable and motivated opponents like Hungary (the 1-1 in Budapest was rather lucky). And, according to the Bayern star, there is a lack of “soccer-clever things” in the game. ZDF expert Per Mertesacker described the World Cup preliminary round group with Spain, Japan and Costa Rica as a “challenge for the German team”. It probably takes a few good days in the Persian Gulf – and believing in the myth of being a “tournament team”.

The concentration is usually not enough for 90 minutes

“If we do it like that (like we did against Italy), then a lot of teams will have a hard time against us,” summed up İlkay Gündoğan after Mönchenglabdach’s 5-2 lead. That can certainly be the case, but experience has shown that teams that make it difficult for others are not among those that ultimately win victories and win titles. “[Wir haben], you have to be honest, there are still all sorts of deficits to speak of a perfect team, of sovereignty and of a ‘no one can beat us’ mentality”, Thomas Müller summed it up once again. Even in the record win against Italy it was to see that: The Azzurri were on the verge of buying the Germans’ guts after the break, Müller’s 3-0 in this phase was one of those goals that footballers say afterwards that they came at the right time. And after the 5 : 0 the team practically stopped the game – and conceded two more goals. That didn’t matter on Tuesday, but it was clear from the mines of the DFB players that they know that they won’t get far that way. That the Troops (so far) apparently cannot maintain concentration and resilience for more than 90 minutes and can not intersperse recovery phases themselves in a controlled manner, cost them victory against Italy and England and could easily have lost in Hungary at F may have consequences. That’s not how you become world champion, but: “We have a good project going,” says Thomas Müller with certainty.

The shoe pinches in the front and back

The project would work even better if a football team consisted only of midfielders and goalkeepers. Manuel Neuer has been a giant in goal for ages. And behind them follow other top people with Barca keeper Marc-André ter Stegen and Frankfurt’s Europa League winner Kevin Trapp. There is a real crowd in midfield: Kimmich, Gündoğan, Goretzka, Hofmann, Müller, Musiala, plus the injured Reus and Wirtz – that’s a top line-up internationally too. But the situation is different in defense and attack.

The classic striker and goal guarantor is missing, especially at the top. Havertz, Gnabry, Sané, Werner and Co. can certainly make up for the deficit with their goals in a playful way, but all too often there is a lack of greed and penetrating power. And tearing around a tight game, if necessary with the famous “crowbar”, which is necessary at every major tournament, simply lacks the means.

And behind? It’s the same in defense. Sure: New Madrilene Rüdiger has what it takes to be a “tower in battle”, but also to maneuver himself out of the decisive games with an unnecessary yellow card. Süle hasn’t been playing consistently lately, and England’s Harry Kane has revealed what happens when a ripped-off international player meets a talented defender like Nico Schlotterbeck. However, he could learn more in his first six months in Dortmund, which is now pending, before the World Cup. Raum, Gosens or Klostermann put a lot of pressure on the flanks; they still have to prove that they can hold their ground against top strikers at the back. The German team always had to swallow at least one goal despite their exceptional keeper. However, according to a truism in football, championships are won on the defensive.

The axis stands and wobbles

The good thing about the project that the national team is “running” is that Hansi Flick has apparently already found his axis for the world tournament. Of course, this includes Manuel Neuer, still the best goalkeeper in the world, who is able to iron out some of the weaknesses of those in front. He will need that in Qatar. Antonio Rüdiger is set in defense. The giant has secured his place as the biggest stabilizer – big, assertive, fast, but sometimes too impetuous and (for referees) too articulate.

Joshua Kimmich is set in midfield – as a clearer, playmaker and occasional goalscorer something like the heart of the squad. But woe betide if he gets injured or fails in some other way. He can hardly be replaced, at least not as long as İlkay Gündoğan still doesn’t get the class he shows in the black and white dress on the pitch. In addition, there is Thomas Müller in the more offensive part – he too cannot be replaced as a communicator, ball distributor and goalscorer. In the storm, it should then fix Timo Werner. The flicks that are loyal to the Nibelungen to the striker who has been hapless for a long time are incomprehensible to many. Flick is particularly impressed that the Chelsea FC man, who has a fatal tendency to be offside, works for the team. This is indeed helpful, but not sufficient for the highest demands. At the very front, Flick’s axle wobbles enormously – and there is nowhere in sight a Lewandowski or Haaland with a German passport. So maybe Müller has to fix it in the end by moving further up the field.