German Fraulein National Team 2020 & beyond

I feel like a lot of blame rests with the referee lol. Germany successfully used a high line throughout the entire tournament, even Vs dangerous opponents like France, or Vs Spain for 45 mins, where this risky approach provided the opportunities for Germany to win the group with room to spare.

It's was only during the final where the tournament officials randomly decided Germany's style suddenly too aggressive... It created a scenario Germany had to adjust to losing two of the tournaments best players, and their preferred playing style, or risk giving away FK's, or receiving bookings, in a game they still shut down a lot of what England hoped to achieve.

In a tournament Germany's compactness defined by their ability to establish an impressive high tempo press, the referee forced MVT's team to play at England's reduced pace, and it was clear MVT didn't have a real plan b to combat this, when she resorted to bringing both Magull, Brand, out of a Euro final, so Dallmann, and Anyomi, can try to win the game lol.

 

I do wonder what happens when England aren't able to keep the game running at their preferred tempo... Vs Spain, England's approach hit a brick wall, and required a lot of good fortune for them to escape into the next round. But that's mainly because they were facing an opponent who seeks to slow the game down even more than they enjoy lol.

The USwnt would allow England 70% possession, receiving a lot of fouls from England trying to slow their more direct opponents down. But in the Euro final Germany would actually have slightly more possession than England, but still lose the game in a frustrating manner.

It will be interesting to see how the WC's match officials allow the games to flow. Clearly, few wnt's currently possessing a solid plan b to win games, it could define which coaching styles prove successful in reaching the next final...

 

Are you talking about 2012's u20 WWC final...?

Popp didn't start for the team as the main striker pre Euro's, and post Euro's we've mainly seen MVT return her team selections back towards being a incomprehensible mess lol; Popp could be a DM, CM, or a winger, before playing in her preferred/best strikers role...

I'm pretty sure the only reason Popp would play as striker within a competent side Vs France, because it was Germany's first match at home post Euro's, for a game that was being televised during TV prime time, in front of large stadium audience. I wouldn't even count Germany's two games Vs the USwnt as being remotely serious either, as two elite wnt's facing each other in back to back series of games during the modern club season honestly ridiculous.

 

No Hegering, Lohmann, Schüller, Waßmuth, Däbritz, Gwinn, but yes... even though it was surprising to see MVT select a lot of the Euro's squad for games vs the USwnt, MVT did also say it was a "contractual obligation" for the DFB that Germany play both games, and do so sending a strong team/squad.

Potentially providing some insight into why we also never witnessed the senior debut's of Minge, or Kössler within either game...

Hmmmm... except for the part where Anyomi, Kleinherne, Nüsken would all start within the back 4, and the 2nd half see a farce of mid-field containing Hagel as the DM so two more offensive CAM's Dallmann, and Magull play ahead of her....

Yeah... I guess MVT's US tour team selections just like we'd seen in the Euro's lol...

 

I'm pretty sure teams shouldn't be allowing wnt's like England/Spain to have 70% possession, and still believe they're going to win regardless of what their opponents do lol.

And not if your going to play like the USwnt either, which isn't exactly the team from North America I'd picture when I think of an effective 'catenaccio' brand of soccer... (that would be Canada)

Those are the possession stats for the games entire 90 mins.... It ignores how Germany had already won the game during the 1st 45mins using a far more aggressive approach, and it's what created the 2nd half scenario where MVT has her team sit back in a low defensive block, no longer caring how much possession Spain would have.

This first half approach a major risk for MVT, but was proven absolutely correct in her ability to construct an approach to win the game, and then also completely shut it down when necessary.

 

Hold on... beyond the two wasted key passes you saw, didn't Lohmann help create Germany's Euro final equalizing goal.... Lohmann also providing a perfect assist for Popp's first goal Vs Denmark, and initiate the move that lead to Popp scoring the wining goal Vs France in the semi final too.

If we're judging players Euro's the way your judging Lohmann here, I feel like some of the best players during the tournament would appear genuinely inconsistent, or useless lol. But the few times Lohmann allowed to play, she'd produce major contributes towards the teams success.

 

Seriously....? Your highlighting a horror show WC qualifier Vs Serbia, the Euro final where Popp wasn't playing, and a weirdo 2nd match in 2 days Vs the USwnt...; and all this, forgetting how Bühl didn't feature in what many of Germany's players have openly discussed as their toughest game during the Euro's, this being the semi Vs France...?

Obviously, if Bühl, and Popp, both start the final, it's hard to argue how they wouldn't have been in a vastly superior position to win. But no... your narrative surrounding Bühl's supposed need for greater individualism, continues to ignore/diminish the more important team factors behind Germany being able to achieve success.

 

At club level, Stroot seems too afraid to start a match where Popp, or Pajor, as one of Europe's best forwards sat on his bench. But with Germany, this is simply down to MVT wanting to constantly rotate/change her team selection.

LOL... remember, this a wnt coach who's used young elite CM talents like Lohmann, Oberdorf, Lattwein, Nüsken, within her defense.... With CM options like Lohmann - Däbritz - Lattwein - Oberdorf - Leupolz - Nüsken - Dongus - Minge - Senß, of course MVT would still find a way to waste a 30yo Popp in a CM role lol.

 

Germany's high intensity running style was at significantly higher amount than any of the elite club/wnt's within European football, but the trick to this is Germany actually being very efficient in how they balance possession alongside moments of direct play.

This balance of MVT's team, highlighted in knowing a possession hungry England during the Euro's would actually produce more direct attacking scenario's than Germany. I feel like the more Germany's players gain experience within MVT's system, the more effective they'll be able to appear, and the stronger the team will be as a whole.

I get it... more Euro teams are finally showcasing styles successfully antithetical to the USwnt, but you don't find a lot of this appealing lol.

 

A list of the most watched football matches on German TV in 2022, and for the first time ever a women's match ends up being #1 for the year.

 

Having the historically best/most talented nations not performing at their true potential, is never a sign of increased parity within a sport...; and it's no different for women's football.

When typically we see improved parity, it's revealed within teams/players great performances; such as when Germany beat USA in 2003's WC, or watching Brazil's women beat down Germany in a Olympic semi, having just lost a WC final to the same team.

Even better though, was seeing Japan producing great performances while destroying established wnt's like Norway in the Olympics, on route to falling short of winning a medal. Only to see them later playing even better football at the next WC, where they'd beat Germany, Sweden, and USA, on route to wining their first WC.

 

@hotjam2 We'd see nothing like this happening prior to 2017 Euro's, during the 2017 Euro's, or the following 2018 WC, to ever really suggest the game suddenly filled with more parity; as it's was during this supposed time period of wider evolution, where the USwnt not so randomly were able to progress to the last 3 WWC finals, wining twice lol...

Unsurprising, USwnt/fans/media were all very happy pushing the narrative of supposed wider evolution, while the USwnt the ones thriving outside the power vacuums happening inside UEFA, the AFC, and CONMEBOL.

 

Your England guess required A LOT of assistance lol.... while your analysis of Spain would appear correct, but with you still using some horribly flawed opinions that seemed to hold no historical context.

You keep mentioning this weird take on Bühl, as if you've somehow been vindicated; but it's actually more obvious to everyone that Popp 100% the FAR greater absentee for MVT's team during the Euro final.

Expecting Bühl to be the player who would have lead Germany to an 9th Euro title, not really making any sense if we're analyzing the individual form of the best players witnessed during the tournament. When Bühl missed the semi final, few German fans worried about her replacement, but instead found themselves more perplexed with MVT's decision to use Huth on the left...

I mean, add the absence of key players to MVT's strange decisions; the removal of Brand for Anyomi in the final almost a crime lol, but in a game goals/creativity even more important without your leading scorer, MVT's decision to remove Magull for Dallmann felt...

 

Hey, ever try using CONTEXT.... When I said Italy a better wnt than Germany, it was speaking to the disparity between the two programs FA/Fed's level of investment, and the major disparity in each programs depth of talent.

Watching Germany's wnt looking confused/underwhelming, I'm reading random excuses for this ignoring what's clearly poor leadership from within the DFB. Then I look at wnt's like Italy managing to punch way above their weight class, producing a solid team with a clear identity, much further ahead of Germany's wnt in terms of tactical organization...

Not once did I suggest Italy likely to do better than Germany at the next Euro's/WC, or say their team more talented than Germany's either. I simply highlighted a very blatant flaw within Germany's wnt program (having poor leadership), and I stick to my opinion the DFB still functioning below it's true potential when it comes to the running of their women's program, and the domestic league.

 

Any receipts...? I don't remember asking for more German wnt friendlies lol.... I'm typically the voice in here who'll openly discredit friendlies, or the way MVT uses them. Making me believe you've just invented this in your own mind lol.

And yes... MVT is a fraud lol. English translation of a fraud being a person or thing intended to deceive others, typically by unjustifiably claiming or being credited with accomplishments or qualities. To me this reads exactly like MVT when it comes to her accomplishments as an international coach, no..?

Germany having a strong depth of talent, MVT a coach who continues to struggle recognizing how it best used. This resulting in various talents like Oberdorf, Lattwein, Lohmann, Nüsken, wasting years not being used, or used in roles not best suited to their skill sets. It's taken 3 years, and what is it now... testing around 50+ new players..., for her to find 14 players that SHOULD have won the Euro's.

Remove random chance/good fortune in her team selection, and having access to some of the best players in the world, does anyone believe MVT a coach capable of elevating any nation outside of Germany towards genuine title contenders...

 

Well, I guessed this when I read your honestly unreasonable assessment of a pre Euro's Spain lol, and would then later see you demonstrate almost vitriolic hostility towards a successful German wnt, for simply being successful showcasing a strong brand of German football.

You didn't even believe the wider football being displayed during 2022 Euro's any better than 2017, when I found stats/data to highlight the more unique aspects of what we were witnessing in England. In reflection, the data revealing how the quality of football during the latest Euro's to be of a quality higher than what was witnessed during the 2018 WWC...

I think I've already said this... but knowing the historic strength of European wnt's, I think we might see a lot of people very annoyed with the next WC, as it could produce an all UEFA top 4 for the first time ever...; and this during a period you believe Europe somehow weaker...

 

@hotjam2 Prior to this Euro's tournament, France had never made beyond the quarter finals, and honestly... probably took part in the highest quality match of the entire tournament when they'd lose a close semi final Vs Germany.

We'd gone from 2017 having England as the historically strongest team, alongside Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, within a top 4, to seeing a semi final England only having been to Euro finals twice, are next to Sweden being finalists 3 times prior to 2022, and then an 8 times finalists Germany.

Norway possessing a talented offense, and being 5 time finalists, easily the tournaments biggest underachievers here (not France). But following the trends of European football, I found it very random seeing people pretend the region somehow stronger if it continued moving forward without the regions strongest programs living up to their own expectations...

France stronger than they were in 2017, getting beyond the quarter finals for the first time, and losing to a German team who didn't win the tournament... We didn't even see a PK shoot out in this tournament, showing how much more improved teams were tactically.

 

Having seen the USwnt face England, Spain's 2nd team, and a much changed Germany twice, I'm not dumb enough to believe in the demise of the USwnt...

The USwnt that shows up to the WC's opening match, won't be filled with all the same players we all witnessed during that short run of defeats. It's just also obvious the USwnt will be facing far tougher Euro opposition at the next tournament, with some of them significantly more advanced than the USwnt tactically too.

I'm waiting to see who the DFB organize for MVT's pre tournament friendlies. Germany having a WC group featuring Colombia, South Korea, and Morocco, I wouldn't be shocked to see MVT also want to face Brazil, Canada, Japan at some point this year.

 

@Lohmann

lol, yeah... I remember that now; and also remember why I said this too, with MVT having just lost a WC qualifier to Serbia. A defeat that happened only 2 months prior to the later truly shocking improvement, witnessed during the 7-0 victory over Switzerland.

Not sure if hotjam2 was referring to this moment though..., but the team felt VERY unstable before the Switzerland match, making someone like me who dislikes pointless friendlies, decide to change my stance on what MVT should probably do when trying to create a decent team for her 2nd major tournament.

It feels like someone highlighting the ONE time I'd be in favor of friendlies, versus the numerous amount of times I'd go the other way, definitely comes across as being slightly cheap.... But yes... after losing to Serbia, at that one particular moment, I'd openly question why the DFB didn't schedule at least two pre tournament friendlies for a then underwhelming looking team.

At that point... to me, it honestly looked like MVT and her ideal first 11 weren't ready for a major tournament. And this happening, as more in form rival nations still scheduled at least 2 warm up matches prior to their Euro's.

 

Oh yeah... I was also asking for MVT to schedule more pre tournament friendlies, having just watched Germany looking pretty poor for long periods during the Arnold Clark Cup in England...

LOL... at that point MVT's Germany so confusing, it made me go against one of my core beliefs about friendlies... So used to poor the performances, it wouldn't allow me to foresee the potential huge leap forward in improvement we'd witness in one friendly Vs an opponent who'd qualified for the Euro's.

 

Ihr habt entschieden: Der Treffer von @alexpopp11 zum 1:0 im EM-Halbfinale gegen Frankreich ist euer Frauen-Nationalmannschaftstor des Jahres 2022! 🔥👏
Herzlichen Glückwunsch, "Poppi"! 🫶

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