This is how it used to be
People may have forgotten, after all these tournaments where Germany came up short, but this is a nation that is World Cup royalty. The last two World Cups were outliers, the ones that distorted the narrative the other way.
That’s why this was a nostalgic performance. No, Curaçao is not Brazil, but this was an example of German dominance that used to be typical in its heyday. When Livano Comenencia scored the goal to make it 1-1, fans got the jitters, thinking back to previous World Cup humiliations.
However, the team proved stronger than that, and eventually their quality shone through.
Now does this mean that Germany can beat a team like France? Not consistently, no. However, if they can actually reach their theoretical peak, then there is a lot to be said for this group of players. Because…
Julian Nagelsmann’s vision is (kinda) working
This game demonstrated the good, the bad, and the ugly of Nagelsball.
The good:
- Beautiful, free flowing football with a fluid front three (Kai Havertz, Florian Wirtz, and Jamal Musiala) that constantly interchange positions, supported by a high fullback (Nathaniel Brown) on the left and a wide right winger (Leroy Sané) on the right.
- An unconventional asymmetrical shape to the formation in possession. Joshua Kimmich tucks in, inverting to a deep lying playmaker, forming his club level duo with Aleksandar Pavlović. As with Bayern Munich, this proved a very profitable partnership for the Germans.
- Because of the asymmetrical midfield above, Felix Nmecha was given license to roam up the pitch and enter space to link up with the rest of the attack. Effectively, Germany played the game with SIX out of eleven players playing in attack. Somehow, this looked fluid rather than chaotic.
The bad:
- Selections remain a concern. Deniz Undav vs Kai Havertz is a big one, and Leroy Sané showed every single one of his weaknesses in this game. At this point, Nagelsmann should try Jamie Leweling on the right, although perhaps Leweling simply isn’t familiar enough with the unique system the coach has fashioned. What a headache.
The ugly:
- Trying to play a true Gegenpress at the international level is a bold choice by Nagelsmann, one that could reap dividends if properly implemented. However, this was not a well-executed Gegenpress. Watch any clip of Vincent Kompany’s Bayern for comparison, and count how many seconds it takes to win the ball back. Germany take almost three times as long.
- The heavy press combined with an ultra high line leaves Germany extremely vulnerable at the back. Just acres and acres of space for attackers to run into.
- The unique shape of the midfield leaves a gigantic hole on the right which was glaringly obvious throughout the game. Just because Curaçao did not manage to capitalize, it does not mean other teams will not.
Send €150m to Frankfurt TODAY
Nathaniel Brown looks like the real deal. Watching him bomb down the flank, he displays every single quality a Bayern Munich left back needs: endless athleticism combined with the intelligence to read of the game, to interpret the movements of half a dozen attackers, which means he was always able to make the perfect run or overlap at the exact time he was needed. Oh, and his corners are bullets too.
As an upgrade on David Raum, Germany could have found no one better. If he performs like this under Julian Nagelsmann, then he will surely flourish under Vincent Kompany, who has a similar tactical philosophy.
Now, Bayern Munich have the right to stick to their guns and make Frankfurt lower their demands, but all eyes are on this World Cup, and if he keeps performing the way he has, he will get bigger offers very soon. It is past time that the club get this transfer DONE. Not for €150m (obviously) but if €60m including add-ons will do it, then sign the cheque.
This does not mean that Brown is better than Alphonso Davies. Davies, when fit, is the best left-back in the world and completely unplayable. However, as we saw last season, the top teams making the finals of the UEFA Champions League have quality AND depth at every position. Brown would be the perfect piece to add to this current version of Bayern Munich.
SEND THEM THE MONEY. SIGN HIM UP.
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
Join the conversation!
Sign up for a user account and get:
- New, improved notifications system!
- Fewer ads
- Create community posts
- Comment on articles, community posts
- Rec comments, community posts
