Three wins are a must for the German national team in the preliminary round – I wrote that two weeks ago in my first column during this European Championship. We managed two wins. But thanks to Niclas Füllkrug’s late equalizer, the 1:1 draw against Switzerland also felt like a win. We’re now taking this positive feeling into the knockout round.
Our team has shown that it can come back from behind! We played with our heads right up until the end instead of charging blindly, and we were rewarded. That is the positive thing, and it is psychologically important for the rest of the tournament, because we may experience situations like this again. The performance that our national team has shown so far is satisfactory.
Now, however, we have stronger opponents who will also improve. The pressure is getting greater because from now on, any mistake could mean the end. The other teams in the round of 16 will certainly also look with great respect at our players, who have no reason to hide from anyone.
Nevertheless, we have to improve our performance if we want to achieve our big goal, the title.
Remaining defense must improve
Of course, Manuel Neuer is also important here. He corrected his surprisingly large number of mistakes in good time and showed the performances that everyone hoped for from him. His world-class saves against Hungary’s Szoboszlai and the Swiss Xhaka almost remind me of the 2014 World Cup – the team needs him!
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However, we need to improve the rest of our defense, which hasn’t worked so well so far. We need more compactness in the transition game at the back. After losing the ball, we need to counter-press more quickly or drop back more quickly. Our team needs to play more consistently, more aggressively, and the players need to get more involved in the tackles.
Two key players in the German team: Antonio Rüdiger and Niclas Füllkrug
Source: AP/Michael Probst
I see the five-day break after the Switzerland game as an advantage so that I can work on that. But also to get Antonio Rüdiger fit after his thigh strain. It is clear to me that he can only play in the round of 16 if he is 100 percent healthy. At 80 or 90 percent, nothing will happen at this European Championship. If you are not fit, you will lag behind in the sprint duels. Since Jonathan Tah is suspended for his unnecessary foul in the Switzerland game, Julian Nagelsmann would have to field a new central defense in the worst case scenario. That is not ideal because Tah and Rüdiger were already used to playing together, but it does not worry me too much. Waldemar Anton and Nico Schlotterbeck would be my choice. Both played a strong second half of the season for their clubs. The quality is there.
Speaking of the back four. Nothing against Maximilian Mittelstädt, he did a good job. My favourite for the left back is David Raum, who has developed enormously defensively in the last twelve months under Marco Rose in Leipzig and also marches forward with speed and crosses. Füllkrug could also play from the start, he can actually always be brought in. Because he is not just a striker, but a real sly street footballer with a fine foot. But Kai Havertz is doing well up front, so there is no need to change him.
Criticism of Kimmich
I also don’t expect Nagelsmann to make any more changes at the back than necessary. Joshua Kimmich is a regular on the right anyway. However, there is something about him that surprises me: I think that the documentary about him is being broadcast now is completely the wrong time!
Joshua Kimmich
Source: Getty Images/Alexander Hassenstein
It’s a distraction, he’s asked about it all the time. Social media is full of it. I don’t know why they allow something like that to happen during a European Championship, when the focus should only be on football. We’ve had negative experiences with such sideshows at the last two World Cups! I find that completely incomprehensible, especially with such an experienced and intelligent person like Kimmich.
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I was pleasantly surprised by how well Toni Kroos and İlkay Gündoğan work together. Despite his captain’s armband, I hadn’t seen Gündogan in the starting eleven, but it really works because they don’t get in each other’s way as a double six. No, Kroos is almost played to in the six position or gets the ball, and Gündogan directs the offensive play further up front – just as he did successfully for many years under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. The fact that he has been involved in five of Germany’s eight goals at the European Championships so far confirms this move by Nagelsmann.
From what I’ve heard, the national coach never doubted whether he should let the two play like that. What’s more, he let Gündogan in on his ideas and plans from the very beginning, asking him for his opinion – even shortly before he became national coach, and also when he was developing the plan to bring Kroos back.
Nagelsmann proves strength
This is not only a sign of strength on the part of the coach, it also makes the captain strong. It reminds me of Franz Beckenbauer, who asked me as captain before the 1990 World Cup what I thought about him bringing Klaus Augenthaler back as a sweeper.
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A friend recently asked me where I rate Gündogan on a captaincy scale of 0 to 10. I would say: 9! Because he deserves it with his strong performances and his clear commitment to our country and our national team. He also seems to be very popular in the team.
And if he leads us to the European Championship title as one of the leading players, then he gets a 10 from me!
We need four more wins now.
The column was created for the Sports Competence Center (WELT, SPORTS IMAGE, BILD) written and first published in SPORT BILD.
2024-06-27 07:55:02
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