They’re back people! Europe watch out because this German side plus home support could just be unstoppable.
From despair to delight
It was hard to believe watching that German side on Friday night that a dark cloud of pressure loomed over them coming into the tournament following dismal showings in the past three international tournaments.
They failed to even make it out of the group in Russia and Qatar while England dumped them out in the last 16 of Euro 2020, leading to many questions coming into this tournament of whether Die Mannschaft had lost their identity.
For a side normally so consistent on the big stage this 6 year blip has confused us all in the world of football, but what better time to rectify it than a home tournament in front of some of football’s most passionate fans.
Crestfallen Germans fail to qualify from 2022 World Cup group
A dominant force
What impressed me most about Germany on Friday night was the sheer intensity of that performance. In the first half in particular there was no let up whatsoever with the whole team playing so high up the pitch to keep the pressure on. Every time a Scottish player was in possession of the ball a German player closed him down.
Not only were they winning the ball back in dangerous areas but they were making it so hard for their opponents to regain possession, largely due to the individual skill of their front three.
Without disrespecting Scotland too much, they are not the strongest team Germany will face in this tournament and it will be interesting to see if they have the same level of domination when they face more experienced tournament opposition.
The star man
Jamal Musiala was without doubt the star of the show, dazzling in the night with his quick feet and electric acceleration to get away from the hapless Scottish players. It’s scary how talented this boy is at just 21 years-old and he’s put his name in the hat already for player of the tournament after just one game. Having swapped him in for Leroy Sané and captained him 10 mins before kick-off in my fantasy team on Friday I was doubly delighted to see him run the show as he did.
Musiala after smashing home to make it 2-0
The man with the plan and his striker reborn
Credit must also go to coach, Julian Nagelsmann, for the way he found a balance in attack with great fluidity between their front three of Musiala, Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz. A fluidity exemplified by the goals of both Wirtz and Musiala, roaming into central areas from wide starting berths.
Nagelsmann must have felt a sense of relief during the second half of the season when the goals started to flow for his starting striker at Arsenal. Back in November he had even experimented with Havertz at left-back and left wing-back in friendlies against Turkey and Austria. 8 goals and 6 assists in 14 games at the end of the campaign left his boss no option in the end but to start him up top and his goal and assist along with a general assured display vindicated this decision.
Nagelsmann embraces Havertz after fine performance
Up next for the Germans
Next up for the hosts, it’s Hungary. I must say I expected more from the Hungarians than they showed against Switzerland in their opener. I had fancied them to snatch a point but they never really looked like doing that. Given how Germany brushed Scotland aside we could well be looking at a repeat on Wednesday afternoon. The Swiss cut through Hungary’s backline at will and if they stand off in the same way in Stuttgart, the likes of Wirtz and Musiala will have a field day.
The Germans will go into Hungary clash full of confidence
Prediction time: Germany 5-0 Hungary
I’m not even going to entertain the possibility that Germany could lose this game. It’s not a question of whether they’ll win but simply how many they will win by. They looked so confident from the off on Friday night and that confidence will only have increased following the reaction to their win in Munich. I can’t see the boss making too many changes for this one and I see it as a game they’ll dominate from the get-go. Scotland had Antonio Rüdiger to thank for getting on the scoresheet and I don’t see any German gifts this time around so 5-0 it is.
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