Germany's Quest to Not Embarrass Itself, the WC26+NL24-25 Thread

Both are solid and good but not world class. Heinrichs problem is being injury prone. So whoever is a starter at leipzig have big chance to be kimmich's backup in the WC.

 

Thiaw scores again a header. His first CL goal. He is our best CB scorer and one of the top CB scorers in Europe. Hopefully Woltemade impresses. He is playing in a different position more like a midfielder than a CF.

 

Seems like most commentary says Woltemade played well in that role, although unfortunate to not see his name on the scoresheet after 6 Newcastle goals

 

Didn't see the game but zero shots on target, zero key passes, and only 1 shot doesn't suggest a good performance. His passing was good though.

 

Lewelling scored and Undav had 2 assists in Stuttgart's 4-1 win at Celtic

 

I saw the highlights only, but none of the highlights had him contributing anything.

 

Stach with another great performance and MOTM. He scored the only goal from free kick. I think he deserves a look from Nagelsmann for March.

 

Stach has been phenomenal this season and should definitely be selected for the NT.

 

Watched Inter again today. Bisseck was really good again. What I particularly like him is his confidence, calm, and seems very alert to counterattacking play. If we are playing a back 4, I would consider him for RB.

 

Ahead of Kimmich?

 

Good question. My problem is Kimmich is determined to be #6. Thus his dedication to be a top RB is questionable. How good is his defending is either position against top opposition? I'm not sure. He is still one of our best players so he should be in the starting lineup. One could consider a back 3 with Schlotterbeck-Tah-Bisseck, with Kimmich & Raum as right & left wingbacks.

 

Good point. But that may have because few if any of the CB's at that time were accustomed to that system. Now both Bisseck and Schlotterbeck both play that routinely.
Not saying we should. Just an idea.

 

Undav with his 13th Buli goal of the season

 

Not sure. We've struggled with a back 3.
As for kimmichs best Position in the National team. Im pretty certain hes locked in at RB

 

This is really sad. Woltemade played at central attacking midfield today. Zero shots, zero passes, zero aerial duels won, and only 14 touches of the ball.
I recently watched him against Qarabag and he looked like someone who didn't know how to play football. He struggled to get into the game most times. His teammates seem reluctant to pass to him. There was a time he attempted a simple medium long pass and overhit it badly to put it out. His reaction suggested that his confidence is completely shot.
After such a good start I'm really disappointed.

 

What's really happened to him?

 

In my post above it should read "zero key passes" not 'zero passes'. Apologies.

 

Not sure. Strikers are confidence players moreso than any other, so things can snowball downhill for them quite severely once things start to go bad.

 

Defenders and opposition players also understand the way he plays with more appearances that Woltemade makes in the EPL. So even though he had a hot start, everyone gets better prepared on how to defend him

 

Lewelling bagged a brace while Undav scored as well in Stuttgart's 4-0 win vs Wolfsburg

 

Yeah Nagelsmann's most recent interview hardly filled me with confidence. He seems stuck on starting Goretzka and was pretty disparaging about using a Pavlovic/Nmecha double pivot (imo our best option right now) or Stach's chances of a call up.

 

I'm sorry, but this is utter bs from Nagelsmann. Just look at Stach's performances this season, as well as his stats in duals/aerial duals/successful tackles etc, in what is a high intensity and physical league. Not saying he should be a starter but to be so dismissive of him seems bizarre, especially given how players like Goretzka and Gnabry seem guaranteed a place however they perform.

🚨🇩🇪 Julian Nagelsmann on Anton Stach via @kicker:

„He’s doing well there, but he’s not exceptionally strong in the air and not a top ball-winner either. He’s also someone who prefers to have the game in front of him. In my view, his best position at Hoffenheim was the central… pic.twitter.com/rZGkX9ALAK

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) March 1, 2026

 

Germany’s only hope of doing anything decent in the World Cup is form of the front attackers and form of the center backs
Whether Nagelsmann plays Goretzka or Nmecha or Stiller or Andrich with Pavlovic in midfield is immaterial as the 2 man midfield is still going to be super weak against a top team. The tactics should be somehow pass the ball to Musi/Flo/Kai and let them do magic with Undav or Woltemade upfront. Then you have Karl, Lewling off the bench to do some damage

The current central midfield pool of Germany is weakest in 22 years. Pavlovic is barely decent and the others are just subpar