EURO 2024: Germany and some questions to answer

The pressure on the hosts is not small. Although most fans still believe that their team will go far in this tournament, as the results of the pre-opening polls show, and coach Julian Nagelsmann himself affirmed that he wants to win the championship and will do everything possible to do so, the "opening" match against Scotland will certainly not be easy.

It was Germany's first official match in a long time as they had no qualifiers for the EUROs, and their run of fixtures for the EUROs has been anything but smooth. The last two games against Ukraine (a 0-0 draw) and Greece (a narrow 2-1 win) have exposed some issues, raising doubts among fans about Germany's prospects at the EUROs.

Germany's form before EURO is not too good

The first problem, ironically, is goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. He made a few mistakes in these two matches, including "giving away" a goal to Greece. Of course, the fault is not only his but the story of the entire defensive system, the defenders also deserve criticism, but Neuer losing his composure is a serious problem, especially when EURO is at the door. The question is whether Ter Stegen should be given the opportunity to start instead of letting Neuer keep the gloves in goal?

In a press conference in March, Nagelsmann firmly stated that Neuer was untouchable. Meanwhile, former player Rudi Voeller, the German national team's sporting director, told BILD : "Neuer has our trust. We should remember that before he made that mistake, he saved many goals. We don't need to waste time arguing about this."

But BILD readers think otherwise. 72% of the 80,000 people who took part in the poll want Ter Stegen, the team's second-choice goalkeeper, to be promoted to the starting line-up. Many believe that Stegen is more stable and needs to be given a chance. Neuer's instability has certainly contributed to the instability of the entire defence. Germany have conceded seven goals in their last three games of 2023 and have only been strengthened recently, with Antonio Rudiger and Jonathan Tah playing better together.

Manuel Neuer is not in good form but is still continuously trusted.

But the omission of experienced centre-back Mats Hummels, despite a stellar season with Dortmund, has caused controversy. Maximilian Mittelstadt's inexperience at left-back is also a concern. Nagelsmann could be in trouble if Germany's defence is once again overwhelmed and exposed to the kind of bombardment they suffered against Greece.

There are certainly fewer questions in midfield. The return of Toni Kroos has solved a lot of problems for Nagelsmann, as the 34-year-old's composure, ability to dominate space and a 95% passing accuracy rate have given Germany added security and stability in the middle of the pitch. Nagelsmann's pairing of him with Robert Andrich has provided the fighting ability and security Germany lacked before Nagelsmann took charge. This has been helpful given the inconsistent form of captain Ilkay Gundogan, while creative midfielders Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz are young and not very involved in defence.

Ilkay Gundogan is Germany's captain at EURO 2024

Is the attack a problem for Germany? On the surface, it doesn't seem so. Nicklas Fullkrug is a true No. 9, who has scored 11 goals in 15 appearances for Germany. But his use shows that German football has not produced modern strikers like Rudi Voeller or Jugen Klinsmann in recent years. This forces Nagelsmann to make calculations depending on the specific opponent, either using Fullkrug or playing a false nine like Havertz, who is highly regarded for his technical ability and ability to score goals. But overall, Germany don't have good enough strikers at the moment who can score goals for them, especially at key moments.

Nagelsmann knows better than anyone what his team is going through. He has stressed many other factors off the pitch, such as the players’ desire to perform and everyone wanting to contribute to victory. But it is the experienced players and former world champions like Thomas Muller and Neuer who are not only the inspiration for the team but also the ones who don’t make mistakes.

Many headache questions waiting for coach Nagelsmann to answer right before the opening match

Another mistake, in this opening game, will reopen the debate over the goalkeeper position, and Nagelsmann will have important decisions to make.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/euro-2024-doi-tuyen-duc-va-vai-cau-hoi-can-tra-loi-185240613145018926.htm