German Fraulein National Team 2020 & beyond

Endemann for Bühl

 

6 minutes added

 

Schüller header miss the goal and Germany wins (only) 3:0.

 

Nice performance from Brand and a comfortsble win in the end. Sadly Australia predictably toothless without Kerr upfront, but also put zero pressure on Germany. Won't get out of the group stage.

 

3-0 win to start the WC. But Vs a suspect Australia, more of the same persistent but very solvable issues remaining very noticeable too..

Brand probably be the most obvious player of the match today, producing a performance she'd be the teams most effective attacker, while also still managing to waste some very good clear looks at this team scoring 1 or 2 more...

The speed of play was SLOW, like shockingly slow. No game outside of the 0-0 Vs Wales seeing Germany produce such a ponderous display under the leadership of Hrubesch.

If the team isn't going to apply high pressure to opposition defenders, they'll need to incorporate a significantly improved mid-block structure to prevent opponents being able to comfortably progress the ball into the German defensive 3rd of the field.

Personally though, I think a lot of this potential improvement starts with Hrubesch no longer forcing Freignag, or Nüsken, into his starting 11. With Lohmann, Senß, joining the mid-field, hopefully allowing Bühl to go back to being a major part of this team attack.

 

Those Berger kicks are real interesting.

 

USA vs Zambia 1:0 (Rodman)

 

2:0 Swanson

 

More things I liked... Berger making catches so calmly. After watching Frohms decide the ball was lava all season, it was GREAT to see Germany with a reliable prevention of goals from basic high crosses.

Minge was quietly solid too. But in her first start at a major tournament, it was clear she also so determined and focused on being a strong defensive presence today, I think it removed other qualities of her game that could of helped the team while in possession of the ball.

With the big bonus of the day, seeing Hegering, Popp, Lohmann, all on the field together, with supposedly 45 min only Popp playing for the full 90 mins...

 

Zambia really out here not playing a low block defence Vs the USwnt...

And you can already bet money they'll magically discover how to perfectly incorporate this into their system the moment they face Germany...

 

3:0 Swanson

 

Red Card Zulu

 

I'm still more comfortable with the prospect of Germany facing the USwnt or Spain, than I am with them facing Zambia lol...

Looking to the next match Vs USA, Hrubesch can not afford to give the USwnt the same amount of uncontested space and possession they'd afford Australia. And this has to include Lohmann in his starting 11, with Nüsken headed back and staying on the bench.

 

OK... Popp's post match interview has her sounding very similar to what I posted here; directly speaking on this teams inability to find a true balance, never calm while in possession, unable to find better options than aiming persistent long balls forward.

Vs Australia, Germany just lacked anybody truly willing to control the tempo of play. With Popp in her new DM role, leaving this important responsibility now 100% on whoever is placed next to her.

Making the new question, can Minge step up and give this team a legit two way CM, rather than being another basic tackle focused DM...?

We always knew without Däbritz, and Oberdorf, Germany set to lose huge components of their mid-field. But not selecting either Lattwein, or Magull, as direct replacements, has left this Olympic side in need of a new name to take over this important function towards any successful mid-field...

One DM, one CM, one AM. Popp the DM, and Lohmann the AM, Minge will need to be the two way CM. This a role she's going to be tasked with once she's playing for her new club too.

 

France only 3:2 now after 3:0

 

Red Card Mayra Ramirez

 

Watching some of the Spain Vs Japan match, really provides an even better context of how bad Germany's tactics have become since the Euro's, and has me even more sceptical about the Olympic teams style being completely based on what Hrubesch wants for this team...

Looking confused trying to play out from the back, while using a system where it almost impossible to do this effectively and remain effective in transition. There's no way someone with the experience of Hrubesch can watch this and think it's OK lol...

Hrubesch patrolling the bench, constantly waving his arms and shaking his head for 45 mins a common theme for this side lol, with him eventually making the most obvious substitutions at HT; Vs Australia the identity of his team still constantly fighting against two very different styles of play.

And seeing how much success Spain have managed to achieve doubling down on what they were doing during the last Euro's, I can only hope the Wück era see's him instantly segregate the senior wnt from having any further association/contact with whatever's happing with the rest of the program lol.

A 4-3-3 system, using one DM, one AM, and someone who can help dictate tempo as box to box CM. This is Spain, and it also used to be the same attributes for Germany. But the wnt program decided to abandon this logical thinking, in exchange for a system their own players at every age category don't appear to enjoy, and don't even seem to fully understand...

 

There's too many 7's and probably too many 9's here too. Defensively, knowing how these women can actually play, beyond key moments I'd only give Berger 8, Gwinn 6, Hendrich 6, Hegering 8, Linder 8.

Germany's mid-field and attack in this game being highly underwhelming, I'd give Minge 6, Popp 7, Nüsken 5..., Brand 8, Schüller 6, Bühl 6. With subs Lohmann 6, Senß 6, Solano 6.

Berger and Brand the games two best players for different reasons. Berger removing any sense of panic dealing with high crosses, making basic saves appear just that... basic. Brand mixing the frustrating decision making of a u20 player, with the exciting talent of a senior level pro athlete.

The worst players for me being Nüsken, and Minge. Where both would be in key mid-field roles, but find themselves hovering around the boarders of a game that needed them to take control of the football, and provide a more dominating presence over their teams general play.

Seeing 9's here almost ludicrous given Germany unimpressive 49% possession, in a game they'd only manage 33 touches inside Australia's penalty box, compared to Australia's 22... Yes, they won 3-0, but this wasn't a level of performance with anyone deserving a 9, hopefully with much better to come.

 

For the next game Vs USA , Popp's post match comments mentioning the team needing better balance will actually need to result in Hrubesch listening to his players over the program, abandoning this frustratingly negative 4-2-4.

People presenting ideas everything great right now, because we've seen similar worked Vs Austria and Australia, also missing the significantly lower performance stats for a system that was at the heart of a 3-0 defeat to Iceland...

So rather than hope for incredible good fortune to push this side towards success, it actually smarter now if Hrubesch stops constantly shaking his head on the bench, and looks to improve things around factors he can actually control.

Meaning we see key factors like tactical adjustments that allow players to become more compact become a regular occurrence, removing the need for constant long passes towards nobody, and it's resulting highly random mostly ineffective 1v1 football.

I mean, removing the corners Vs a very poor Australian side, Germany's attacking play appearing very confused, with the teams defensive shape not much better either, happily benefiting from there being 5 players at all times constantly placed behind the ball.

Without huge amounts of luck, this simply isn't going to work Vs a USwnt who's ALWAYS going to be far more effective at direct 1v1 football than Germany will ever be.

The 2nd half 11 Vs Australia becoming the potential starting 11 Vs USA...
Bühl ----------------------- Schüller ------------------------ Brand
------------------------------ Lohmann (AM) ------------------------
--------------- Popp (DM) ---------- Minge (CM) ------------------
After losing mid-field battles Vs Iceland, Austria, and now Australia, we're going to need to see Germany make some significant improvements if there to prevent Lavelle and Horan dominating this match...

 

Rauch replace Linder for USA match.

 

Unfortunately the 2 best chances the aussies had were squandered, I feel Kerr would have buried both. The unfortunate defensive lapses were costly. If Gorry stays fit then we might have a chance, she works very well with Cooney cross. I was so looking forward to seeing those 2 go up against Obi
It is awesome to see Jule kick on, she actually made her debut against Australia and scored a hat trick that day, so she's one player a lot of Aussie fans were aware of.
Carpenter did alright against Klara who maybe wasn't as effective as normal, but it meant carpenter didn't get forward much, so it's still a win for Germany. She was poorly positioned for the 3rd goal.
I'm hoping both teams can get something out of this tournament.