As the World Cup approaches, Julian Nagelsmann has made some big decisions on personnel and tactics ahead of the international friendlies in March. One of his biggest questions on everyone’s minds was who would be the starting midfielders? Many fans were quick to nominate Felix Nmecha and Aleksander Pavlović as the double pivot, but Nagelsmann has something else in mind.
“We need a slightly different profile for the more attacking role, but one of them definitely has a good chance of playing. Pavlo
is incredibly consistent, almost always playing at the same level. Felix has more dips in form, but also some truly exceptional moments. He has incredibly impressive physical attributes: he’s brutally fast, tall, super agile. His performance still lacks consistency; he needs to smooth out those fluctuations. Pavlo always plays the same game. That sounds negative, but it’s meant very positively,” Julian Nagelsmann told Kicker, as captured by @iMiaSanMia.
It is true that Pavlović has become perhaps the best midfielder in Germany at the moment. His ball movement is truly special and the Bayern Munich star has replaced Toni Kroos in a certain sense for the national team. However, it seems as though Nagelsmann is keen on giving Leon Goretzka another chance.
A decision that will baffle many, but the role Nagelsmann has in mind for Leon Goretzka makes sense. Should Nagelsmann be maximizing talent on the field or should particular skillsets take priority in this case? Only time will tell.
