Two games into this World Cup, Germany sit bottom of their group, on just one point. They have to win their final group match against Costa Rica, and even that might not be enough to save their skin. Hansi Flick has come under all sorts of pressure, but managed to alleviate some of that with a hand-earned point against Spain last time out.
It has been a tournament that has taught the boss several things.
Kai Havertz simply isn't a good enough number nine to take Germany deep into this competition and Thomas Muller has been ineffective. The Bayern Munich forward is a legendary figure for his country, but it's over eight years since he helped his side win the World Cup, and he simply isn’t the same forward anymore.
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Given he has never been reliant on his pace and is instead a Raumdeuter that can seemingly always pop up at the right moment, his lack of end product is surprising. The issue with playing Muller or Havertz is that they don’t offer a physical presence. Germany, when being overrun by Japan in that second half, couldn’t escape with a long ball.
Against Spain, they competed but lacked a cutting edge until Niclas Fullkrug, their unassuming number nine came on. He was playing in the second tier of German football this time last year and at 29, was hardly on the radar of most pundits doing their World Cup research. He certainly wasn’t in Panini’s thoughts when they put together this year’s sticker book.
Yet from almost nowhere, the Werder Bremen striker is now Germany’s best forward option. He is so different to Havertz and Muller and against Costa Rica, when nothing less than win will suffice, he is the man they need. His brilliant finish for the equaliser showcased his talent.
The issue Germany have is that the side that won that World Cup in Brazil is all but gone. Toni Kroos retired last year, while Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil, both members of the 2018 squad, called it a day after that shock group stage exit in Russia.
The ‘old guard’ of World Cup winners is now only composed of the phenomenal Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller, Ilkay Gundogan and Mario Gotze, although the latter’s late revival has only seen him used as a fringe player so far. Joshua Kimmich has naturally become a senior figure in the team, but it is the young players that can excite and thrill Germany, especially against a team that they should be beating.
Gundogan is a fine footballer and has been key for club and country, but when you consider he is playing in an advanced role and is keeping the likes of Leroy Sane, Gotze and Havertz on the bench, it may be time for his nation to look to life after those 2014 World Cup winners.
It is slightly comparable, albeit not as extreme, as to what we saw with Wales. The stars from 2016 such as Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey were way over the hill yet still called upon to perform, which they simply couldn’t. It ended with group stage embarrassment, something the Germans will be desperate to avoid for the second successive tournament.
Jamal Musiala is the star of this team, even though he’s only 19. Everything Flick does with his team should be to get the best out of him, and fellow wide man Serge Gnabry. Fullkrug can occupy defenders and be that target figure for crosses from those two while with Kimmich in midfield and a relatively decent centre-back duo, Germany have the basic components of a team that could cause problems in the knockout stages.
But first they need to get there. For Flick, his biggest decision yet might be to ease out the old guard in favour of a different attacking era, led by the most unlikely frontman of the lot.
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