European Football Championship - Nagelsmann's attacking question: Havertz or Füllkrug against the Danes
In defense, Julian Nagelsmann's lineup for the EURO-16th round against Denmark also depends on the work and judgment of the team doctors. Whether Antonio Rüdiger can play after his thigh strain on Saturday (21:00 CET/ZDF/Magenta TV) in Dortmund is a medical question. The coach himself decides in attack, though. Should he keep Kai Havertz or bring in Niclas Füllkrug? Follow the head or give in to gut feeling? Opinions differ.
Arguments for Füllkrug:
- Goal production: 13 goals in 19 international games. That's a good yield. When Füllkrug plays, he almost always scores. Four tournament goals in five games at the World Cup and European Championships were his next statistical highlight. He scored all four as a substitute. The logic: More playing time, more goals. Why shouldn't he score even more in 90 minutes?
- Momentum: Nagelsmann has a good sense for the intangible factor, for the flow. And who hovers through this EURO, if not the colossus Füllkrug? It feels a bit like a fairy tale, said the 31-year-old. The coach shouldn't waste this energy.
- Home-field advantage: Sold-out stadium. South stand. And the local hero on the pitch. That gives a push and electrifies the fans. They are mostly for their "Füllkrug," the pro for a pat on the back. Nagelsmann could release special emotions.
Arguments for Havertz:
- Performance: Havertz's quality is beyond question. In all three group games, he put in good performances, took responsibility for the penalty against Scotland. Denying him his 50th international cap doesn't fit Nagelsmann's personnel strategy. And even if part of a team living the role philosophy, it would be a bad signal.
- Tactics: With his technique, Havertz fits perfectly with the required profile against stubborn Danes. Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz benefit from the Arsenal attacker. Tired Danish players could then give way to Füllkrug. It doesn't have to be Havertz or Füllkrug in the starting lineup. Both are reliable penalty takers.
- Home-field advantage: It sounds strange. But the emotions of the spectators are an argument for Havertz as the starting striker and Füllkrug as a substitute. If it doesn't work out, his substitution would be a special signal, a wake-up call. The noise level would be enormous, the team would be motivated. Füllkrug is Nagelsmann's good-luck charm.
- Despite his ongoing thigh strain, the medical status of Antonio Rüdiger for Germany's EURO-16th round match against Denmark is uncertain.
- If fit, Rüdiger could join Kai Havertz and other key players in Julian Nagelsmann's defense for the international match in Dortmund.
- In attack, the coach's decision hinges on whether to keep Havertz or substitute him with Niclas Füllkrug, a choice causing divide among opinion.
- Füllkrug's impressive goal record of 13 goals in 19 international games is a compelling argument in favor of his selection: two goals per every two games, a consistent performance.
- The potential of momentum is another point for Füllkrug; a scorer in 90% of his international appearances, the forward could significantly contribute to Germany's EURO campaign in Herzogenaurach.
- The crowd in North Rhine-Westphalia will add to the atmosphere for Füllkrug, whose local hero status could generate special emotions and boost fan morale.
- In defiance of conventional wisdom, the high emotions of the sold-out crowd might favor Havertz as the starting striker, with the substitution of Füllkrug serving as a wake-up call if needed.
- Long-term success in football may rely on integrated team strategies and the careful management of egos, with the substitution of Havertz for Füllkrug–or vice versa–aiding both in their individual and collective pursuit of goals.
- The German Football Association (DFB) is preparing the installation of a new UEFA-approved pitch at Signal Iduna Park for the EURO match against Denmark, working diligently to ensure both sides have the best possible conditions for showcasing their skills in the European Football Championship.
