Football: - Nagelsmann looks for European Championship inspiration through goal enigmas and trump cards.
Julian Nagelsmann had a lot to discuss following the scoreless disaster against Ukraine, even Olaf Scholz, the Federal Chancellor, had little to say. "He knew I had already talked a lot about the team and said he'd keep it short so it wouldn't take long," Nagelsmann casually mentioned about his dressing room encounter with Scholz in the German national football team.
Bundesligatrainer and government head were in agreement regarding the latest friendly match and the unspoiled optimism concerning the home European Championship. "He said he also felt that goals could fall and we wanted to win. And he wished us good fortune," Nagelsmann reported. Faith alone wouldn't suffice. That's how it should be.
Scoring can be trained, which Nagelsmann established as a crucial goal in the final countdown to the EM. With Champions League champions Toni Kroos and Antonio Rüdiger as essential driving forces alongside Nico Schlotterbeck and Niclas Füllkrug, the roster is complete. EM finetuning will be addressed with urgency.
Signal against Greece
Nagelsmann anticipates the spark that'll captivate fans and players as early as the Euro warm-up on Friday in Mönchengladbach against Greece. "We want to pull off the big heist, there's no question about it. But it won't be easy even at this home tournament," Nagelsmann stressed.
Manuel Neuer acknowledged the team's desire to achieve victory despite his slightly sloppy risk chip pass prior to the game's conclusion at the DFB headquarters. "You can tell that the people are there, that they want us to win," Kimmich commented on the atmosphere in Nuremberg during their goalless draw. "We need to keep pushing until we achieve a triumph in the final friendly match," Kimmich urged on ARD.
The Royals are now Nagelsmann's ultimate asset. Not only did the national coach highly praise the arrival of Leagues Champions Kroos and Rüdiger in Herzogenaurach, but some of Madrid's winning flair might have benefited the DFB team against Ukraine. "Extremely much," acknowledged Pascal Groß concerning the presence of the royal class champions. "They know how to win the biggest titles," Groß, as the representative of Kroos, remarked. Despite his increased goal tally under Nagelsmann (4 of 11 goals), he's been demoted to substitute status.
Nagelsmann also viewed Dortmund's Füllkrug as a viable goal provider in his analysis, who could have altered the missed chances against Ukraine. Against the Netherlands in March, Füllkrug sealed the game with his late-game goal. No player has scored more under Nagelsmann than Füllkrug (four of eleven goals), who arrived a day earlier than planned and observed in the stands.
The outcome was mostly positive against Ukraine, even though the March elation experienced a minor setback. The good news for Nagelsmann: His role model is thriving. Waldemar Anton and Groß stepped up seamlessly in the roles of Rüdiger and Kroos. Six substitutions in the game didn't affect performance.
Strech candidate shines
Young Hoffenheimer Maximilian Beier made the most of his debut for an EM statement. The newcomer came close to clinching the win with his goal and another promising opportunity. Beier was seen as a potential striker, and his performance could see him included in the 26-player squad.
Nagelsmann had no doubt about Neuer. The reliable Bayern goalkeeper prevented a goal with several strong saves. However, his unnecessary chip pass to the opposing team just before halftime raised a few eyebrows. Carelessness? Misjudgment? Nagelsmann defended his starter emphatically for the Euros. "If Hannes doesn't get it right, if he stays deep and doesn't participate, it's a far greater mistake with more severe consequences," Nagelsmann argued about the near-miss situation.
Nagelsmann remained sanguine about Neuer's display. "If he doesn't get it, if he stays deeper and doesn't take part, that's a far bigger error with more significant consequences," said the DFB coach about a close call before the end, which eventually resulted in offside for Ukraine. The more substantial issue for Nagelsmann was at the opposite end of the field with 27 goal opportunities. His solution? Bringing more players into the penalty area in the future. The Ukraine performance might still prove useful, according to him. He expects Scotland and Hungary, the initial Euro opponents, to employ a similarly compact defensive style in their penalty box. "I'm very happy that we had this one moment when we scored the goal, and then we created more after that," Nagelsmann concluded.
[National team schedule for the European Championship] (https://www.dfb.de/de/nationalmannschaft/em2024)
Read also:
- Following the disappointing result against Ukraine, DFB coach Julian Nagelsmann highlighted the need for discussion with Olaf Scholz, the Federal Chancellor, about the national soccer team's goal-scoring issues.
- Nagelsmann expressed his optimism about the home European Championship, despite the lack of goals, and shared Scholz's wish for good fortune for the team.
- Mittelstädt and Friends are now Nagelsmann's key assets, with Toni Kroos and Antonio Rüdiger, along with Nico Schlotterbeck and Niclas Füllkrug, forming the complete DFB squad.
- The DFB team's focus is on fine-tuning their scoring abilities ahead of the European Championship, with the German national soccer team needing to improve in that area.
- In preparation for the Euro warm-up against Greece, Nagelsmann emphasized the importance of scoring goals and achieving victory, even at the home tournament.
- Kimmich acknowledged the fans' desire for a victory and urged his teammates to continue pushing until they achieved a triumph in the final friendly match.
- Bavarian champions Kroos and Rüdiger are an asset to the national team, as they have extensive experience in winning the biggest titles, according to Pascal Groß.
- Füllkrug, who has scored more goals under Nagelsmann than any other player, was an effective goal provider against Ukraine but was demoted to substitute status for the game.
- Nagelsmann praised Beier's performance in the Ukraine game, as the young Hoffenheimer player came close to clinching the win and could potentially be included in the 26-player squad for the European Championship.
- Manuel Neuer's performance was mixed in the Ukraine game, as he prevented a goal with several strong saves but also made a risky chip pass that nearly cost the team.
- Nagelsmann defended his starting goalkeeper, Neuer, despite the near-miss in the Ukraine game, as he argued that unnecessary mistakes like this could have more significant consequences than a misjudged pass.
- The DFB team expects tough competition in the European Championship, particularly from Scotland and Hungary, who are expected to employ compact defensive styles, according to Junior Nagelsmann.
