Werner has mediocre output??? 32 goal/assists in 55 matches. Werner having finishing issues to his numerous chances doesn't mean he has poor output. More poor conversion rate. Very good movement, opens up space, gets into good positions but his finishing his what held him back. that was never issue, problem is that Flick's 1st choice was Werner, followed by false 9 Havertz. And that's it. Once Werner got injured and Havertz has shown himself to be a failed false 9. Now Flick is resorting to others and its clear why Muller as he has a bias towards him. CF is a position where you only play 1 uptop so at end of day. You can't really try too many players. Because in numerous matches he went with his 1st choice. And Nmecha was clearly 3rd choice. Irony is 1st choice Werner and 3rd choice Nmecha both got injured. dfb doesn't feel obliged towards false 9. Its coaches who want to play like Spain and false 9. They think CFs are pointless. We have all possession and if we pass ball around we'll score. But it doesn't work and never has. Same thing happened in Youth footy instead of CF dev, they also focused on false 9. Too many youth clubs played guys who are clearly AM/W instead of CF. Its that emulate Spain crap. I think the Fullkrug issue is that since he was a last second call up. He doesn't trust him for now to lead line with players he has yet to fully build chemistry together. Basically that's his main issue. the problem was never about "quality" the problem is that dfb only want world class CFs. And its something that Low, Bierhoff etc have admitted a few times. That's real issue they would rather false 9 than good CFs. We have had PLENTY of good CFs post Klose but all got shaft by Low. to me that's nuts you play with what you have until day that a Elite-World Class CF emerges. Simple. how does every country make use of meh to good CFs but Germany refuses. we shafted Stindl and others who could easily have played role based on nothing. Stindl got injured and when he was fit again he took him awhile to regain his form=axed perm by Low. less we forget the whole Low blacklisting left and right CFs. The CF pool has always been an okish list. But when Low was banishing so many you were left with only a couple of options, LMAO. Its telling that when Flick came onboard he said that Kruse was an option again aka unbanished. Left door open to Terodde but that he needed to show quality in 1BL etc. Flick basically opened door to CFs again but issue was too late. I guarantee that Fullkrug wouldn't have gotten a call up by Low. Also Fullkrug wouldn't have gotten called up if WC22 was in Summer. And Fullkrug wouldn't have gotten called up if he didn't hit double digits in 1BL and be leading German scorer. even Klose, I always felt like dfb wanted to give him shaft. From remembering from 2004-2014, felt numerous times that he wasn't far off from losing his spot or that Low was pushing others but in end Klose was always the best. I always felt that Kuranyi, Gomez etc were seen as options to push Klose out too. Klose from what I recall got tons of shit throughout his career and so many always trashed him for only being really good in NT jersey too.
Don’t we just need for both us and Spain to win? Spain will go for it cause they haven’t technically qualified.
So I am not so 100% convinced that Germany will have an easy win today .... CR can qualify with a win against us ... big battle today
We need to put the game to bed soon..An early goal and 2 nil at half time is ideal..Screw pragmatism and score more than Costa Rica ffs
The main tactical problem with Werner (same at Chelsea) is that he doesn't lead the line like a typical 9, occupying the box, making the right runs etc - he suits playing off someone like Fullkrug on the left side. Seeing as Germany have both Sane and Musiala for the left, Werner is an uncomfortable fit. So I agree he is a useful player against a team like Spain where his energy and pace on both sides of the ball is great - but he really struggled in big games for germany where the opposition sit deep.
For me, since Gomez, Fullkrug is a true focal point. He brings all the attributes of A complete forward.
If we look at all the let’s say better teams at the World Cup they all play with a CF FRANCE ENGLAND PORTUGAL ARGENTINA BRAZIL Spain and Germany when they brought in Morata and Fulkrug also scored the goals We have to play with a CF .
Well yeah but as we discussed 100 times, we don't have a player as good as Harry Kane or Giroud Maybe Fullkrug can be that guy!
Even if Fulkrug does not have a great game. Would bring in a Moukoko first before a false 9 We need a goal threat in the box all the time .
So far from what I've seen he's the complete package and another brilliant attribute hes 2 footed, not many forwards can claim that. Hansi needs to trust him, otherwise hes going against his logic of the Bayern days.
I don’t think Fullkrug will start today. That said I think this will be the last match he doesn’t. Flick will come around to starting him. I was looking back at our 2014 starting lineups and as we all know it took Low past the group stage before we really got our XI ironed out. We will get there. I hope we have ‘solved’ our back four and will start Raum Sule Rudiger and Klosterman. That would be huge to let them start to gel. Flick seems to realize that Kimmich and Goretzka need to start together as well. So hopefully that’s put to bed as well. It’s really just AM and CF/F9 that are still unsettled but I think after today CF is settled and then it will just be who starts at aM behind Fullkrug. Germany need only worry about three things from Costa Rica Navas playing out of his mind - seen him do it against US and Mexico counters as other have mentioned dark arts. Costa Rica will provoke Germany looking for someone to get sent off, PKs and or waste time. Germany need to remain patient. Germany 3-0. Win and move on.
during qualifiers Werner did score against teams that sit deep like Liechtenstein that ended up super close. Werner gets chances in almost every single game, didn't matter if teams sat deep or not. His issue is was finishing.
His issues is both things. Same thing happened at Chelsea - it's why they bought Lukaku so Werner could play off him. His peak RBL time he played as the second striker.
Werner will be best to play off a focal point like Fullkrug to utilise his electric speed, but there is a alot of players in competition for them places which is good for the team
Werner used to be very lethal up front during his early RB days even became one of the star of the CC 2017 winning team. Then he went to England where he struggle to adapted to PL. This is where I think his started to kind of losing abit of his effectiveness in front of the goal.In many ways, like you said he's still a good player for the NT and his absence actually weakens this current team. Maybe because I have high hopes on him hence the harsh comments but we all want him to be his old self and start to shine again for his club and NT.
Pascal Groß (Brighton) on not being called up for the World Cup despite his performances in the Premier League: "Playing for the national team is my absolute lifelong dream. But I can't do more than convince with good performances at my club" "All the players called up deserved it. They are doing a very good job. However, I always have that glimmer of hope that if I perform well in the Premier League, I will eventually get a chance. It is and remains a lifelong dream." Groß on whether he thinks he's underrated in Germany: "Since I've only played in Ingolstadt before, whose media presence isn't the biggest, I assume that my name is a bit bigger here in England. But of course also because I've been in England a bit longer now." Groß on how the German team is viewed by his teammates in England: "When I talk to my teammates, Germany is feared. If we go through, everyone knows that we have the "know how" to win these games and go far." "Here they always say: 'A good German team wins the World Cup and a not so good team gets at least into the semi-finals'. There will be a big boost if we get through the group after what felt like we were out just a few days ago." Pascal Groß (Brighton) on not being called up for the World Cup despite his performances in the Premier League: "Playing for the national team is my absolute lifelong dream. But I can't do more than convince with good performances at my club" [@Plettigoal, @SkySportDE] pic.twitter.com/qpyFrJHrkP— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) December 1, 2022
If sh!t happen a.k.a Japan win,then it might go down to GD calculation. So better win big and it's bout time the 8-0 win v Saudis to be bettered lol.
Yes. We need to make sure we score a few goals in the first half otherwise Spain and Japan could to start thinking!
Wouldn’t be the first time. I don’t expect us to score many, gonna be very nervy and tight. We’ll also probably concede from Costa Rica’s only shot.
Unsere Startelf für 🇨🇷🇩🇪! 🔥#CRCGER #GER #WM2022 pic.twitter.com/dZZY03cIAZ— DFB-Team (@DFB_Team) December 1, 2022
WTF #GER XI against #CRC:Neuer © -Kimmich, Süle, Rüdiger, Raum -Gündogan, Goretzka -Gnabry, Musiala, Sané -Müller#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/Gry2FqptIi— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) December 1, 2022 so solution is to throw as many attackers as possible
Lineup is official. Hansi Flick FFS. What's more embarrassing that BILD predicted your lineup or everybody knows what your plan is. If it doesn't work hope he make changes at HT not when it's too late.