German Fraulein National Team 2020 & beyond

Wück's first match with the wnt will be Vs England at Wembley Stadium, and I expect to see it take 3-4 games before we grasp his full vision for his own Euro's team.

In that first game, having already seen Wück and Meinert watching from the stands during lots of matches leading into the Olympics, I also fully expect to see an instant formation change, and potentially one or two names absent from the Olympics re-introduced back to the squad too.

However... beyond Alber, Kowalski, and Gräwe, I'm not seeing the need for him pushing significantly greater numbers of youngsters into a team already filled with more than enough younger talent...

Even when you think of introducing younger options to the defence, it doesn't really work knowing Solano, and Kleinherne have already been introduced as regular squad members.

Eventually Lührßen replaces Rauch.., but this with Linder and Gwinn already 1st choice. Surely meaning it more important for the new coaches focus establishing a team playing better football, not actively forcing the development of a bigger roster with more youth prospects.

 

The final u20 WC squad has been selected....

Goalkeepers:
Rebecca Adamczyk - SC Freiburg
Paula Hoppe - 1. FC Köln
Lina von Schrader - RB Leipzig

Filedplayers:
Alina Axtmann - SC Freiburg
Lisa Baum - Hamburger SV
Loreen Bender - Bayer Leverkusen
Vanessa Diehm - TSG Hoffenheim
Sarah Ernst - FC Bayern München
Laura Gloning - FC Bayern München
Miriam Hils - California Golden Bear
Mathilde Janzen - Kristianstads DFF
Sophie Nachtigall - Eintracht Frankfurt
Paulina Platner - SGS Essen
Sara Ritter - TSG Hoffenheim
Tomke Schneider - Eintracht Frankfurt
Alara Şehitler - FC Bayern München
Marie Steiner - TSG Hoffenheim
Nia Szenk - SC Freiburg
Jella Veit - Eintracht Frankfurt
Sofie Zdebel - Bayer Leverkusen
Cora Zicai - SC Freiburg

On call:
Kiara Beck - VfB Stuttgart
Tessa Blumenberg - VfL Wolfsburg
Jonna Brengel - 1. FC Nürnberg
Estrella Merino Gonzalez - Bayer Leverkusen
Melina Krüger - Hamburger SV
Julia Mickenhagen - Bayer Leverkusen
Laura Pucks - SGS Essen
Juliane Schmid - FC Bayern München
Emily Wallrabenstein - Eintracht Frankfurt

 

So the reports were 100% correct, and Alba becomes the first high profile u20 German wnt player to actively turn down the opportunity to represent her nation at a junior WC... WOW!

This decision supposedly based on Alber wanting to establish her self within Hoffenheim's starting 11 for the opening matches of the season, and if this true (it makes sense), it would probably speaks to the growing importance professional club football in the women's game too.

With Alber, and Germany having a poor coach, this team already had little chance of success at this WC. And without 2 of her best goal threats now (no Kett either), Peter's hopes might just slide down to her escaping the group stage being a success. (this will become a common theme for Germany's youth wnt's...)

Leaving Pucks out of the final 21 also sounding highly suspect, but might be her following Alber's path in wanting to remain a key part for Essen during early season too.

But beyond Bender... I don't see any consistent source of goals in this team, as Sehitler won't be used as a CAM, with the formation almost 99% sure to be another basic Neid inspired 4-4-2, forcing another German wnt to deploy a direct style few of their players can actually perform...

 

------------------------ Şehitler ------- Steiner/Nachtigall --------------------------
Baum/Zicai ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bender
----------------- Platner/Ernst --------------- Janzen/Zdebel ----------------------
Szenk/Hils --- Diehm (C)/Axtmann ---- Veit/Schneider --- Gloning/Ritter
--------------------------------------- Adamczyk --------------------------------------
Defensively, not selecting Pucks is still strange, but I also know in Schneider and Axtmann, Peter still has strong CB options. Meaning the major loss here is not having D.Acıkgöz, with everything else overall looking perfectly fine; knowing both Diehm, and Veit, also two players I'd also expect to see in the senior wnt one day.

The quality of the Mid-field also depends on who's starting. As Peter not having I.Acıkgöz could see her continue the error of starting Platner ahead of Zdebel, when Zdebel with greater senior level experience of over 46 matches for Levekusen, still the better/more mature CM player right now.

Leaving the attack looking slightly.... well, suspect... No Kett, no Alber, the obvious big loss here. Having Bender return becomes a major bonus (future senior team player..), within an attack I'm not sure will score goals if a natural CAM like Sehitler can't have any positive effects playing as a forward.

Bender, Sehitler, Diehm, Veit, the 4 obvious names I look at and see the type of talent to potentially create a path towards the senior team one day. The question now, is how much will it effect this side not having the other senior team level talents like the Acıkgöz twins, Kett, and Alber...

Enough talent still on show to allow an underwhelming coach like Peter to end up over achieving. But is there enough individual talent on show to score the goals that offset the lack of genuine tactics...?

 

Anna Felicitas Sarholz refused to play at the U19 Euro 2010 and was never nominated again. Alber might have lost her chance to get to Euro 2025 in Switzerland.

 

Horst Hrubesch's 2nd run of 18 senior wnt matches ends with 13 wins, 1 draw, 4 defeats.

Wins:
5-1 Vs Wales
0-2 Vs Iceland
3-0 Vs Denmark
0-2 Vs Netherlands
2-3 Vs Austria
3-1 Vs Iceland
4-1 Vs Poland
1-3 Vs Poland
4-0 Vs Austria
3-0 Vs Australia
4-1 Vs Zambia
2-4 Extra Time PK win Vs Canada
0-1 Vs Spain

Draws:
0-0 Vs Wales

Defeats:
2-1 Vs France
3-0 Vs Iceland
4-1 Vs USA
1-0 Vs USA

In my opinion, best victory... 0-2 away to the Netherlands. Worst performance 0-0 Vs Wales. Biggest defeat 3-0 Vs Iceland (Germany played much worse in this game, than they would during the 4-1 defeat to USA)

In the end his win percentage might be lower than MVT's now, but I think we all know Germany would never have qualified for the Olympics without him, in the end leaving a far more positive impression of an otherwise very unstable period for the wnt.

 

Is Laura Pucks the young defender ? I remember she was a stand out in I think it was a pokal match against Wolfsburg, Essen were thrashed 9-0 or something like that but she was still very impressive and was close to their best player. Hopefully a good future prospect.

 

Australia did about as well as I expected. Was never going to happen without Kerr. The next coach needs to be bold, bring in some talent that is waiting in the wings. And a priority needs to be unlocking the potential Mary fowler has same as they need to with Brand.

 

Looking at her early career facts... this situation with Alber might speak to a more problematic reality of the junior wnt's not really holding much relevance in a players ability to transition into the senior wnt...

Alber finding major success at u17 level, has still continued to impress within the worse conditions of the u19's, and probably realises the u20 WC likely to hold little positives over her establishing herself a regular starter for Hoffenheim.

Just looking at the u20 team without Alber... for all the talent involved with this cycle, there's only two players who will regularly start for their 1.Bundesliga clubs 1st team... (Zdebel & Bender)

Meaning it sounds bad, because it is bad... but Alber choosing to miss the u20 might actually be better for her long term career; as being part of Hoffenheim's starting 11, potentially the real key in making her visible for selection by the new senior wnt coaches.

 

Yeah, games Vs Wolfsburg last season would see Essen's aggressive transition system completely exposed. Wolfsburg simply showcasing a significantly better version of the transition system Essen want to use lol.

But over the season, Pucks was still really impressive for a Essen side who'd only concede 26 goals (1 more than Frankfurt, 9 less than Hoffenheim).., asking defenders to constantly go 1v1 against every opponent they'd face.

Yes, Leverkusen would accomplish the same record using a more defensive 3-5-2 system. But seeing how aggressive Essen would play, it left a very strong impression of Pucks defensive qualities.

A good passer, strong winning headers, but not as aggressive making tackles as her size would make you believe. If Ostermeier Essen's best defender, Klasen the clubs most mature defender. Pucks first full season definitely suggests she's the defender with the most potential right now.

Australia already have a major advantage doing this, as Fowler clearly a CAM, no...? Brand is a winger who refuses to attack open space, holding on to a frustrating delusion she's a former winger who's transitioning into being an elite CAM... like Alexia Putellas...

 

MVT must have friends at Wiki, because I could have sworn Germany went out in the group stages at the 2023 World Cup.

 

I would love to have Popp get another crack at the Euros. She sacrificed a Euro Championship for Wolfsburg's legendary 2013 triple season and she still has a lot to give to the team. Even if she comes from the bench as a Swiss Army knife. She can win games by herself. And If her fitness allows it and Wück wants to keep her, she might stay and give her nt farewell in 2027.

 

Look who already in 2017 could shoot penalties that no goalkeeper can save...


Of course she had scored before despite being injured:

 

It's weird that she constantly feels like she needs to step aside, when she's still performing at a high standard for club and country.

If Germany had better coaching over the last 5 years, Popp would have been 100% in contention for a ballon d'or... something only Oberdorf could imagine possible through the same period of time.

And with Popp only being age 33/34 come the next Euro. If she has another impressive season for Wolfsburg, I'm not seeing how this wouldn't also correlate with Popp still being one of Europe's best players...

Schüller, Anyomi, Kössler, Cerci, will all be great options too. But looking towards Wück creating his own version of the wnt, I don't see any of these names being a better, or more clutch forwards than Popp come the Euro's.

 

Ah, were they experimenting the ABBA order, back then?

I must admit that, even if I knew the result, when Norway was ahead by 2-0 at the third round of kicks it seemed impossible to me that Germany could come back: I was almost expecting that the past was changing and they weren't making it.

 

Lohmann committed no foul in her other four matches but four fouls against USA. It was obvious that the referee didn't like Lohmann. Do you remember when Horan fouled Lohmann and USA got a free kick?

 

LOL... the more data I see on Germany's Olympics, the more fortunate a 3rd place Bronze medal starts to appear...

The mid-field for this tournament was BAD... like how did Germany do anything levels of bad lol. We'd see Minge finish 11th place producing most accurate passes (the highest placed player for Germany), Hegering (14) and Hendrich (19) the only other German names in the top 20.

Accurate final 3rd passing Germany had ZERO... repeat ZERO players in the top 20.... Spain taking all top 10 spots, leaving the rest of the top 20 with USA taking 6 places, with 2 more from Spain, and one French mid-fielder.

Accurate long passing has one German player in the top 20, this being Berger placed #1 lol; producing a final total doubling the amount of the 2nd placed USwnt GK. Highlighting just how crude and needlessly direct Germany's football was during this tournament.

More data on accurate passing has Germany thriving with accurate passes inside their own half lol. 4 players in the top 10 this time, 6 German players total inside the top 20. Minge the only German player to end in the top 20 (17th) for accurate passes being made inside the oppositions half of the field though...

 

A strange fact is noticing a prior key factor of this teams offensive success almost completely disappearing during this Olympic event. Where Germany once the best wnt for accurate crosses, they'd only see 2 players inside the top 6 for successful crosses (Bühl and Gwinn). Rauch the only other name in the top 20.

The theme of Bühl and Gwinn being prominent to the Olympic team, also appearing within the category of most key passes. Both ending with 13, seeing both inside the competitions top 6 ranking, next best German player here being Brand with 7, placed at 20th.

Bühl and Gwinn also placing top 3 when it comes to the category of most big chances created. Brand and Popp not far behind though. It makes you wonder why Germany's coaches so adamant on changing the focus of their teams attack towards Brand...

Germany's attack becoming increasingly underwhelming over time, it wasn't a shock to see Brand top 4 in the competition for the most shots taken, ending up as Germany's highest rated player in this category lol.... Bühl 9th place, Schüller 11th, the only other German names in the top 20.

Brand being prominent for both good and bad reasons, seeing her #1 for most successful dribbles (but at 42% success rate, this a lower than Bühl's 57% success rate..) would also end up being the competitions #1 player for the most ground duels won, and the player producing the most fouls too lol.

An small but interesting piece of information I'd notice though, is Lohmann with limited match time ending 19th place when it comes to wining ground duels. Speaking to the attributes this team lacked without her, or the other players like her being in mid-field for this team...

 

Defensive contributions, Hegering would finish as one of Germany's best defenders again, her best data coming in most interceptions made, where she'd finish overall #1 in tournament rankings, followed by Gwinn, and then Rauch, as the only other German in the top 20.

Making clearances would see Minge finish 9th place overall, Germany's highest placed player in this category. Hendrich (12th place) the only other German player inside the top 20, again reminding us how useless Nüsken's WSL clout is to the actual reality of playing for this wnt...

Shockingly it's Gwinn who'd end up overall #1 for being dribbled past the most..., with it no surprise to see Germany's mid-fielder trio of Popp, Minge, Nüsken, all following in the top 10 lol; but Rauch somehow placed 12th...

A new to the team Minge looking like the big winner here, as she's not really a defensive mid-fielder, and would still beat Nüsken in almost every category used to asses a mid-fielders. Not having Däbritz, Oberdorf, a big loss. Not selecting Lattwein in hindsight a clear error.

But looking at data, knowing the attributes of these players, it feels like Hrubesch not selecting a mid-field trio from Senß DM, Minge box to box CM, Lohmann AM, the biggest what what if scenario about this team.

Germany fixing this part of their team during the tournament, honestly has metrics moving them closer to Silver or Gold medal placement.

 

Bühl ------------------- Popp ------------------- Brand
----------------------- Lohmann -------------------------
---------------- Senß ----------- Minge ------------------
Linder ----- Hegering ------- Doorsoun ------ Gwinn
-------------------------- Berger --------------------------
Data says this is Germany's best 11 from the players selected for Hrubesch's Olympic squad....

Popp being so high in ratings while playing in a role she's meant to be inferior, is the reason why I'd read this as her still showcasing the superior quality between her and Schüller.

But overall, from what we were watching, with a little luck with health, and some more brave decision making from Hrubesch, I think this would have made absolute sense.

 

True, it was meant more in terms of helping the player reach their potential. Fowler has a tendancy to lose focus during matches. The now former coach did play her out of position frequently which didn't help.