The national team is in crisis: will VfB and SCF players help? – soccer

The recent defeats suffered by the national team against Turkey (2:3) and against Austria (0:2) sparked controversy about the team’s playing style. In the post-match interview, national team coach Julian Nagelsmann tried to highlight the oft-cited “German virtues” that his players must now focus on. One should not die in beauty. “We won’t be defensive monsters in the summer either, that’s not who we are.”

However, fans of the national team would still like to have more stability in defence. In Nagelsmann’s systems, this part of the team in particular is always weak, as goals are scored too easily by opponents, and Austria were able to frequently create pressure and win balls through controlled and high pressing.

Stability can be visualized through the VfB captain

The mood in Stuttgart is currently noticeably better than in the national team. The Swabians are playing their best first half of a Bundesliga season in years. An integral part of the success: Captain Waldemar Anton. The 27-year-old is primarily used as a central defender at Stuttgart and has established himself as a defensive leader. Anton can also persuade individually. He has won 55 of his 87 duels in the league, which equates to a duel percentage of 63 percent. This means that VfB’s defense chief is in the top 20 teams in the Bundesliga.

Its success rate is an astonishing 88 percent. Within the team, he is bettered only by midfield strategists Atakan Karazor and Angelo Stiller. Can the VfB captain strengthen the national team’s defence? Anton himself always remains calm when it comes to running for the DFB: “I wouldn’t get crazy about it,” says the 27-year-old. “If this is enough in the end and the national coach is convinced, then that’s great. If not, so be it.”

Stuttgart

Stuttgart are doing great in the Bundesliga after eleven days of action, while Freiburg are mediocre and Mainz 05 are in the relegation zone. The sporting performance of Southwest clubs is closely linked to the performance of their strikers.

Can Matthias Ginter also help the German Football Association?

Matthias Ginter is someone who knows what it means to play defense for the national team. In the 51 matches he played with the German Football Association, the centre-back was able to gain experience in all major tournaments. Recently, Ginter has no longer played a role in the German Football Association, although he is having a strong season at his club SC Freiburg. Since his move from Borussia Mönchengladbach to SC, there is no way around him in Presgauer’s defence. In the 2022/23 season, Ginter did not miss a single minute in the German League, and in the current season he was only able to play against Bayern Munich due to illness.

There is definitely stability. And when it comes to discipline, SC’s top performer also knows how to impress. Ginter is one of the fairest players in the league and receives remarkably few cards as a central defender. However, the citizen of Freiburg could withstand a duel. Ginter won 47 of 76 duels – a solid 62 percent.

For SC coach Christian Streich, the national team is not a topic he likes to comment on currently: “Everyone is saying something about it anyway, so I’m missing now,” Streich said on Thursday in the pre-match press conference against SC. Darmstadt. When it comes to the question of whether Ginter will soon be able to strengthen the national team, Streich remains confident. “I just hope that Gents is in good shape on the pitch with us now, and plays really good games.” Then Nagelsmann Ginter will be called back into the team. “This will be my idea of ​​how things should go,” Streich said.

VFB coach Hoeneß has full confidence in the national team

Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß also spoke at the pre-match press conference against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday. (6.30pm, live podcast on Sportschau.de) About the national team. Hoeneß said that the task was not easy for national coach Nagelsmann and his team.

“It is very important that we come together, analyze things well and be honest with each other, and ideally we will draw the right conclusions. I have complete confidence in that.” The coach of the third-placed team in the German League explained that what the German Football Association team does not need now is “more people who know how to do things better.”