/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71641496/1441996390.0.jpg)
Germany’s 1-0 win over Oman was, for me, easily their worst display of football in the calendar year and maybe for longer — and I thought they played well against England! Extenuating circumstances must be considered, but the on-field product speaks for itself — conditioning aside, it was the decisions, the quality of the touch, the positioning as well.
All looked more like a middling team that will squeak through the group stages and less like an in-form contender with title ambitions, which is how the Germans can and do see themselves. Bild seems to agree:
Oman 0:1 Germany | Player ratings [@BILD] pic.twitter.com/6xMf9Lktqv
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) November 16, 2022
- Happy/sad for Youssoufa Moukoko. The Borussia Dortmund starlet was entrusted with the start and Hansi Flick is surely planning long-term with him. I’m excited to see the fruits of that labor, but it was a pity he couldn’t get a confidence-boosting early goal.
- I’d like to be a fan of Flick’s Thilo Kehrer plan at right-back, but that was simply brutal.
- What did Manchester City’s İlkay Gündoğan do to separate him from the also misfiring Kai Havertz (Chelsea FC) and Leroy Sané?
- Do questions need to be asked of David Raum? SC Freiburg’s Christian Günter manned the left-back position in the second half and was, for my money, considerably more convincing.
- Looks like Julian Brandt could be the fourth man in central midfield — an intriguing decision for the squad, but he supplied at least one pass of sublime quality to justify it.
- Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer did plenty of Manuel Neuer things. Good to see him warming up those sweeper-keeper instincts. He looks to have shaken off his shoulder injuries.
Bad performance aside, adversity has often forged a strong reaction with this group of players. I won’t put it past them to show a completely different face again once the live bullets start.
Want more discussion of the game? Check out our postgame podcast! Listen below or on Spotify.
As always, we appreciate your support!
Loading comments...