Following an extremely underwhelming game against Luxembourg that was salvaged by a fantastic Nick Woltemade performance, Germany faced Slovakia with stakes as high as ever. This would be a bad time to
lose, for losing would not only mean having to go into playoffs, but also jeopardise Julian Nagelsmann’s seat.
That being said, in a do-or-die, Germany rose valiantly, out of seemingly nowhere and at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, delivered one of their best performances in recent times. The result was a 6-0 statement victory. Here are six observations from the game.
This is Germany.
A closer look at the game shows that it was a dominating, not a phenomenal performance. The team simply lacks the manpower or the tactics (sorry Nagelsmann) to make the most out of their talents.
That being said, here is what worked.
Slovakia played a low-block, organised and extremely compact. Germany found themselves bypassing Slovakia only via long balls, which often went unutilized because one could simply not figure out what to do when swarmed by a sea of blue shirts. It was clear, Germany was trying. There was, of course, that gorgeous sliding tackle from Joshua Kimmich that perhaps is being framed and hung in someone’s living room as we speak. However, the game was not moving anywhere. There was hardly any breathing room for the likes of Sane and Gnabry, who’d often be at the receiving end of these long balls but could not figure a way out.
Until the Ws came in.
To say that Florian Wirtz and Nick Woltemade won this game for Germany would be an understatement. The first goal from a Wirtz corner at the 18th minute. The corner was received and in a few seconds, Joshua Kimmich made a sharp cross to Woltemade who headed the ball into the net. The way the duo amalgamated their timing and skill so effortlessly genuinely needs to be studied.
Shortly afterward, Aleksandar Pavlovic (who did incredibly well in this game), made a pass to Leon Goretzka, who then assisted Serge Gnabry in the second goal. Bayern’s own winger weaved past defenders and made a great run to receive the ball and with a clean first touch, netted the goal.
At this point it had become clear – Germany had not transformed overnight, they simply decided to capitalize on Slovakia’s poor reaction time. The hosts, unlike the away side, jumped at every single chance and actually made something of the ball.
Florian Wirtz, of course, was in no mood to stop. At the 36th, he gave a cross. The kind that needs to be framed. The kind that reminds all why he was Germany’s golden boy along with Jamal Musiala. The cross was received by former Bayern star Leroy Sane, who delivered a delightful goal.
Mere minutes later, Woltemade wrestled the Slovaks, retrieved the ball, passed it to Wirtz. The youngster crossed to Sane, who then took one of the finest touches in this game and scored a phenomenal goal. The brace Sane scored wasn’t just important for the numbers, they are a testament to his once-celebrated quality. The touches he took tonight are reminiscent of what Germany once believed in – an extraordinarily talented winger.
All of this was just the first half.
The second half saw the same level of performance continue, albeit without Pavlovic, who was rested at HT. Woltemade continued to deliver, setting up Ridle Baku’s comeback of sorts. After a four year-drought, one of Germany’s biggest prospects from back in the day, Baku, managed to score a goal assisted by Sane. It became extraordinarily clear at this point – Germany were making a statement – ‘we are still in contention.’
Granted, Slovakia had grown weary, and given up all hope. But why wouldn’t they? This was Nagelsmann’s side risen from the ashes.
The final goal deserves to be spoken of in its own context.
The future looks good. For now.
I am not here to speak of senior players – they have been handed enough chances. What genuinely matters is the biggest German problem in the last couple of years – the severe drought in youth talent.
Germany has no shortage of youth, it only seems to have a shortage of youth good enough for the senior team.
With the resurgence of the Ws however, such concerns look pressing. The attack is almost entirely set, if one were to account for Jamal Musiala’s return and perhaps the addition of a few talented players like Said El Mala or even Bayern’s own Lennart Karl who had a stunning performance for the U21.
The midfield has no concerns, with the rise of Pavlovic and his fantastic performances. The addition of Tom Bischof would make it an unbeatable pairing. With this game in mind, we must talk about Leipzig’s own Assan Ouédraogo.
The Schalke youth talent, and now Leipzig midfielder made his U20 debut just earlier this year. He has since risen up the ranks and made his debut for the senior team with this game. TWO MINUTES into his game, he scores. The kind of clever, pacey passing he plays and his final shot at target together make it abundantly clear, this is a midfielder to watch.
The defense with Nico Schlotterbeck is not without a few concerns, but for now, is adequate.
The kids are okay.
The Florian Wirtz Argument
Florian Wirtz’s depressing career trajectory needs to be studied. A player with his level of potential and skill could not have simply become one of Germany’s biggest disappointments just like that. Arguably, his move to the Premier League did all the damage it could have – playing in an unfamiliar position poorly, losing his confidence and having that affecting his performances at the NT was a depressing sight. No one could have seen one of Germany’s golden boys falter like that… or am I wrong?
Because if my memory serves me right, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz had the same trajectory.
This forms a clear pattern. A well-off team from the Premier League purchases solid German prospects and then with declining performances in club, comes a similar pattern at country.
This argument runs a lot deeper and perhaps out of the scope of our discussion, but how many sacrifices will Germany have to make because one of their players wanted the cushy Prem lifestyle?
Suddenly, the problem is not any of these players.
What now becomes the job of the national team, is to restore confidence. To get the player comfortable, less homesick and in the right mental frame to score. Early signs of this trajectory are already visible in Wirtz and it’s only a matter of time before he is back at his finest form for country.
And yet…
In the ocean of players who become worse following ludicrously priced moves to the Prem, Nick Woltemade stands out, because he has somehow become a more confident striker. The youngster now uses his imposing presence so much more effectively, fights endlessly for the ball, and most importantly, is phenomenal at set-pieces. Watching him bully defenders at 23? Amazing. A player who effectively use their height to score in corner kicks? It’s been a while since we saw that. Life’s good.
The sack is not happening
Julian Nagelsmann lives to see another day.
If you thought Bayern would do anything for Vincent Kompany, wait until you see the NT’s devotion for Nagelsmann. In a single night, they managed to go from “will we be at the World Cup next year?”, to demolishing Slovakia at home. Now that is how you know they’re faithful to their manager.
