Germany made a statement performance today in Munich. Is Serbia the best opponent in the world right now? No. However, Germany under Jürgen Klopp finally saw a glimpse of what kind of football it could play like in the months and years to come. It was glorious.
The ‘B team’ came ready for the occasion, and while it of course does take time for a new coach to implement his ideas, this was a completely different feeling from just four days ago. Let’s dive in.
Jersey Swap: Đorđe Petrović
The Serbian goalkeeper made some big saves
and kept this one from getting ugly. He didn’t have a signature performance per se, and the main reason Germany didn’t score more was on the fault of their own strikers, but Petrović certainly did his job.
Outside of goal, it is hard to pick out any individual performances for the Serbians today. They need to go through some serious changes as a national team as well.
Der Kaiser: Malick Thiaw
The Newcastle United defender had an incredibly strong performance and was the strongest of the entire backline. He won 6/8 aerial duels, and it was evident by watching him just how much he commanded this defense. Waldemar Anton seemed a bit shaky at times, as well as Maximillian Mittelstädt, but nothing to overly criticize. Could Thiaw be a long-term RCB option alongside Nico Schlotterbeck? It might be Jonathan Tah’s position for now, but if Thiaw plays like this again on Sunday, there is certainly a strong argument for him.
A honorable mention needs to go out to Philipp Treu. He is clearly the right-back option for Klopp to lean on in the future. We knew this guy had potential, but it really begs the question why Julian Nagelsmann refused to give him a call for so long. At last, the right-back saga is over!
Der Fussballgott: Tom Bischof
This guy is something special. You don’t have to be a football expert to watch Bischof and notice that, but for some reason he is still being held to a secondary role with Bayern Munich, at best. Perhaps Klopp will look past that and see that Bischof has the potential to be his best midfielder flat out.
It was great to see him get his first senior goal, and the sky is the limit for this kid. Beside clubmate Aleksandar Pavlović, this is a dream midfield of the ages, and Klopp is going to have to take a hard look at Joshua Kimmich to make some tough decisions down the line. Hopefully we get another look at this trio of Wirtz, Bischof, and Pavlović on Sunday.
Der Bomber: Derry Scherhant
Sometimes, football is not about statistics. Those that didn’t watch the game might be quick to open Sofascore and see the SC Freiburg talent get a match rating of 6.7, which is completely unjust. Scherhant was aggressive, quick, moved the ball well, and did pretty much anything you would want from a debutant in his first match. Fans should be incredibly excited to see more of Scherhant in the next game, and hopefully to get his first goal for the national team as well. It is a bit of a congested position now, but if Adeyemi or Schade can’t step up, we might be seeing a lot more of Scherhant.
It begs the question as to why Bambasé Conté was also brought to the second squad. Not to point fingers, but he was deeply disappointing again. Yes, he is inexperienced, but he has not offered even a glimpse so far. It is specially curious when Lennart Karl sat on the bench as an unused substitute.
Meister of the Match: Florian Wirtz
The Liverpool attacker has been subject of intense scrutiny over the last year, and for good reason. He has simply not maintained the level of performances since joining the English side. However, when Germany is playing their best football, it is almost always because of Wirtz, and he showed once again why he is such a dynamic and talented player still.
Is he an absolute guaranteed performer like in recent years? Perhaps not, but if anyone can do it, Klopp will be able to get the most out of him. Let’s hope this is a sign for big things to come.
With a draw between Netherlands and Greece today, Germany certainly has a realistic path to entering the quarter-finals of the tournament, and if they can continue this momentum over the next three matches, the group win is there for the taking.
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