World Cup 2018: 5 aspects of Germany’s play that need improvement

The 2018 FIFA World Cup got its first real shock as defending champions Die Mannschaft were deservedly beaten by a fired up Mexican side.

The loss was shocking in the context of it being Germany’s first loss of a World Cup opening match since 1982. However, keen watchers of the team would say that it was a loss that has been coming and they would be right.

In the last two friendlies before Russia 2018 began, the team struggled for cohesion and to create opportunities against Austria (a game the team deservedly lost 2-1) and a labored 2-1 win against Saudi Arabia.

Joachim Low would have put those losses down to the nature of those particular games as Germany has never been a team which gives 100% in friendly games. However, the lethargic display and shock caused by El Tri’s bright, high-pressing and constantly moving attack has raised a lot of alarm in the German media and among the team’s fans

The team will have to prepare well for what has now become a make-or-break tie against the very resilient Blagult of Sweden.

Here are five issues that the game against Mexico highlighted and which need to be addressed if Germany is to do anything meaningful at Russia 2018:

#5 Drop Sami Khedira

The Juventus midfielder was very poor against Mexico

It is difficult to put a positive spin on Sami Khedira’s performance against Mexico as he was abysmal and added zero quality to the German team.

Mexican coach Carlos Osorio had started with a very attacking line up with captain Andreas Guadardo (a winger by trade) and Helenio Herrera in central midfield. With the trio of Hirving “Chucky” Lozano, Carlos Vela and Miguel Layun playing behind striker Javier Hernandez, it became obvious that the Mexicans intended to take the game to its more illustrious opponents.

Khedira displayed a shocking lack of discipline and positional awareness by constantly leaving the central midfield area to roam around looking for the ball. This left Toni Kroos all alone in midfield and meant the Mexican runners had opportunities to run at Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels.

With both teams not playing a recognized defensive midfielder, Guadardo held his position for El Tri giving the team a solid platform to start attacks from.

This has been a recurring complaint about Khedira’s displays for the team since Bastien Schweinsteiger retired. Coach Low may have to call upon Leon Goretzka or the squad’s only recognized defensive midfielder; Sebastian Rudy so as to give the team balance and positional awareness in central midfield.

#4 Play to Werner's Strengths

Germany need to play to Werner's strengths

Not since Jurgen Klinsmann left has the German national team had a pacy striker like RB Leipzig's Timo Werner.

For too long, strikers of DieMannschaft have either been of the fox-in-the-box variety (poachers who just look to get the goals) like Miroslav Klose and Cacau or big target men like Oliver Bierhoff, Mario Gomez, Stefan Kiessling among others.

Werner's strengths which include pace, predatory finishing, an ability to hold up the ball and bring others into play, coupled with a keen understanding of the game were on full display during last year's Confederations Cup where he scored three and assisted two goals.

However, the current setup is not getting the best out of him as too many passes are being played to his feet. This then requires him to try and move away from the close attention of centre-backs, a difficult proposition where there is little or no space to work with (he was well shackled by the Mexican centre-backs)

Low will need to instruct the team's midfielders to direct their passing and crosses in front of Werner as these are the situations where he can make the most use of his blistering pace to get behind defenders.

The wingers and midfielders especially Ozil/Muller would also have to get closer to him as he is very good at playing 1-2s and moving into space to receive the return pass.

This would help quicken the team's attacks and pin the opposition back in their own half while leaving space in the middle for the likes of Kroos to work their magic.

#3 Drop one of Ozil or Muller

Ozil (left) and Muller (right) slow down the game too much

Mesut Ozil, the brilliant playmaker who can pick a pass and open up defences with his movement and Thomas Müller, the high priest of Raumdeuter (space interpreter) football were shocking in the loss to Mexico.

Ozil had one of his typical Arsenal games (to be fair, he is hardly this poor in national colours) where he kept drifting everywhere and yet, was still unable to affect the game with his passing, movement or technical abilities.

Müller is a player who is not particularly fast or particularly strong but one is who is able to use space better than almost any other player in world football. However, the very disciplined Mexican backline especially the centre-back pairing of Hector Moreno and Hugo Ayala Castro were exceptional in closing down the spaces which made him i.e. Muller redundant and ineffective.

Too many times, Ozil and Müller drifted into spaces where Julian Draxler would have made more of a difference given his speed and the German attack became slow and ponderous. Against teams like Sweden which like to defend using a deep block, the pairing of Ozil and Müller would be one that the team does not need.

Staring a point man like Mario Gomez and allowing Timo Werner to feed off him would be a better strategy going forward as this would help the side benefit from the many crosses from the wingers and full-backs especially Joshua Kimmich.

#2 The pairing of Hummels and Boateng is creaking

The Boateng-Hummels pairing is not working well anymore

Just like Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique for Spain, the combination of Bayern Munich pair Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng has been the first choice central defensive pair for DieMannschaft since 2014.

While both men are still relatively young for central-defenders (both are 29 years of age), the partnership is beginning to show its first signs of strain. Against the fleet-footed Mexicans especially Chicarito who played the role of the playmaking striker to perfection, Boateng really struggled to get a handle on the Mexicans.

With zero help coming from the midfield (thanks to Khedira’s inability to hold his position) and Kimmich’s foraging runs forward, Boateng had too many one-on-one encounters with the Mexicans (one of which led to Lozano’s goal), situations that could have ended really badly for Germany.

Perhaps, it is time for coach Low to play with the idea of deploying a three-man central defence with Antonio Ruediger coming in to join the Bayern pair. The Chelsea man has extensive knowledge playing in a back three and he could be deployed as the left-sided centre-back.

This would allow Boateng drop into midfield when there is a need to aid the central midfield in sniffing out opposition attacks or distribute the ball (he is the best passer of the ball among the four German centre-backs).

#1 Speed, speed, and more speed

Reus needs to be in the starting XI for every game

Even without the dropped Leroy Sane, Germany still has some of the fastest wingers at the World Cup and it is a weapon that Low must use if the team wants to make a mark at this tournament.

It has become alarming to note that the vibrant German side of four years ago has become a staid, safety-first team which keeps a lot of the ball but rarely goes on the offensive to force the issue. Parallels are already being drawn to the Spanish team which failed to refresh its tactics after being so successful in three consecutive international tournaments (2008-2012).

That La Furia Roja team was humiliated at the World Cup in Brazil, failing to go past the group stages. This is one example that Low and his men would hate to emulate, so certain changes have to be made to the team’s setup.

The Germans are condemned to win their remaining Group E games against Sweden and South Korea; these games will be perfect for Low to unleash his wing talents.

The two Julians: Draxler and Brandt are pacy wingers who can drive at defenders. The dup also have the ability to drift into the middle when there a need. Same goes for Marco Reus whose dribbling, shooting and goal getting skills make him a very valuable asset.

The game against Mexico changed when Reus and later Brandt came in and matched the Mexicans’ pace and effervescence. Benching Ozil or Muller and using two of these wingers would give the team a new dimension and could lead to more chance/goals.