France vs Germany: 5 talking points ahead of Nations League clash

#2 Germany must find their attacking boots... NOW!

Werner has failed to provide the attacking spark he's capable of

Not that they've been completely hapless in the attack. Germany have mustered 129 shots since the World Cup started. But the devil is in the details: those 129 shots have accrued only four goals, and zero in the last three competitive games. So even if the attack isn't exactly hapless, it's wayward for sure and severely lacking any genuine cutting edge.

RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner has so far failed to replicate his club heroics on the international stage, having netted only once - in a friendly against Saudi Arabia - this calendar year. Thomas Muller's goals have dried up too whereas Mark Uth was an unsuccessful experiment in the previous game. Mario Gomez, another out-and-out striker, announced his retirement from international football in August.

So basically, Loew's running short of options upfront and can't do anything unless this striking issue is resolved. However, he can find a panacea to the attacking woes by starting Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry on the wings with Werner leading the line. This might just help the 22-year-old get the service he so desperately needs and also bring pace as well as directness to the attack. We'll see. But Germany must find their attacking boots fast.