2018 has been the best footballing year ever, unless you’re a German.
Knocked out of the World Cup at the group stage, bottom of their Uefa Nations League table and losing six matches in a calendar year for the first time ever, who are you and what have you done with the real Germany?
Every English, Dutch and French fan will be lapping up the struggles of a usually super-reliable footballing powerhouse but, taking all personal jibes aside, the decay of Germany from 2014 World Cup winners to 14th in the latest Fifa world rankings has been quite astounding.
So, what is behind the regression of this juggernaut of international football? There is a core of players that were heroes in 2014 but whose decline is now causing the mighty Germany to flounder and become a parody of themselves.
It is time for Die Mannschaft to throw sentiment aside and allow the new breed to flourish and here at Squawka, we have highlighted the players who could be dropped from the Germany squad, as well as potential replacements, in a bid to restore Joachim Löw’s men to their all-conquering glory.
1. Manuel Neuer
(Photo credit ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images)
Manuel Neuer has been one of the best goalkeepers in the world over the past decade or more. He has almost singlehandedly changed how we think about goalkeeping, bringing us that bombastic sweeper ‘keeper style that has left fans thrilled, terrified and on the edge of their seats every step of the way, ushering in a new breed of goalkeepers in the process.
However, through no fault of his own, Neuer’s time at the top is coming to an end. The Bayern Munich man is 32-years-old now and while that wouldn’t usually be an issue for a goalkeeper, the horrendous foot injury that restricted him to just four club games last season is taking its toll. Neuer is a yard slower than he once was – kind of a problem for a sweeper ‘keeper – and looks nowhere near his former, decisive self.
To be replaced by: Marc-Andre ter Stegen
(Photo by Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images)
How a recovering goalkeeper who had barely come back from a seven-month layoff played at a World Cup ahead of a La Liga winning goalkeeper is baffling, but that was the hand Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen was dealt over the summer.
Since the start of last season, the former Borussia Mönchengladbach star has been fantastic and played 37 league games last term as Barca conceded just 29 goals and stormed the Spanish title, losing just once. Ter Stegen is a shot-stopper of the highest order and considering that Barca spend most of their time camped in the opposition half, his concentration is exemplary. A recent win against Sevilla had fans purring about the ‘best goalkeeper in the world’ and at just 26-years-old, this could be a move that ensures a strong future between the sticks for Germany.
2. Jerome Boateng
(Photo credit should read THOMAS KIENZLE/AFP/Getty Images)
Remember when Jerome Boateng couldn’t get into the Manchester City side, then bossed it as Bayern Munich ruled Germany and won the Champions League in 2013? Well, it would appear the 30-year-old’s career is now tumbling back down from its peak.
Boateng has often been called out by Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge for his lack of passion and commitment on the pitch, and now the centre-back is being lambasted for his loss of pace, putting in some terrible performances over the past couple of years. He landed Germany in a spot of bother in the World Cup when he got himself sent off against Sweden, only for his teammates to win the game without him.
The 76-time international has been left out of the most recent Germany squad to face Russia and the Netherlands and with plenty of younger, more able replacements relishing the chance to perform, it is hard to form a case for his recall.
To be replaced by: Antonio Rudiger
(Photo credit ROBERT MICHAEL/AFP/Getty Images)
Seriously, how good have Chelsea been this season? Dominant in possession, practically air-tight at the back and unbeaten so far, the Blues have taken to ‘Sarriball’ like a duck to water and that is in no small part down to the performances of Antonio Rudiger.
Jorginho may be the metronome that has kept Chelsea ticking in midfield this season, but Antonio Rudiger is by no means afraid of receiving the ball and is quickly establishing himself as one of the finest ball-playing defenders in the Premier League – the 25-year-old has completed 73.58 passes per 90 minutes this season, more than renowned ball-players such as Virgil Van Dijk and Toby Alderweireld.
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Rudiger is also rock solid in that thing that defenders do. You know, defending. With Germany experimenting with a back three at the moment, he could slot in beside Mats Hummels and Niklas Sule to form a solid defence that has the poise of a midfield.
3. Toni Kroos
(Photo credit MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP/Getty Images)
In fairness to Toni Kroos, he was actually one of their better players during their disastrous World Cup campaign. However, that isn’t really a compliment. The 28-year-old is a fine ballplayer but lacks the agility to pivot quickly and turn defence to attack instantly. Not only that, Germany suffered from a huge lack of mobility in the World Cup, often getting out-run and caught on the break.
There is a clutch of young, dynamic midfielders who are waiting in the wings for Germany at the moment, and given that Kroos has won pretty much everything you could shake a stick at in football over the past decade, these fledgelings may be that little bit hungrier than the Real Madrid man nowadays.
To be replaced by: Kai Havertz
(Photo credit PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/Getty Images)
At just 19-years-old, Kai Havertz already has six goals and four assists to his name in all competitions for Bayer Leverkusen this season and, to be quite frank, he’s absolutely brilliant.
As ever when a young player flourishes in Germany, the Bayern Munich links are already starting to surface and Havertz, who can play it long, short, side to side or just take on a team by himself, is only going to get better, whether he moves or not. If there was a blueprint for the perfect box-to-box midfielder, surely Havertz – a true Alleskönner – is just that.
4. Thomas Muller
(Photo credit ROBERT MICHAEL/AFP/Getty Images)
Thomas Muller has been one of the most intelligent and underrated players of the modern generation. Given that he isn’t particularly world class at any given footballing trait, his exploits over the past decade have been mind-blowing. However, therein lies Muller’s problem.
Often deployed as a centre-forward, this just isn’t Muller’s game. Muller isn’t a focal point, he’s a Raumdeuter – a jack of all trades whose main asset is his brain and ability to create, find and exploit space. To ask the Bayern Munich man to keep on heading up the German attack is unfair, especially given his poor form in front of goal domestically this season, and a change of role could help the 29-year-old flourish, rather than dropping him altogether.
To be replaced by: Timo Werner
(Photo credit EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images)
If Muller was moved into his more natural, free role, or dropped altogether, that would leave a big gap at centre-forward for Germany.
However, they have a ready-made replacement in the form of Timo Werner. Yes, the 22-year-old struggled in Russia over the summer, but who didn’t for Germany? Luckily, Joachim Löwe his stuck with Werner and must continue to do so. The Leipzig man’s pace is absolutely terrifying and is an asset that the Germans desperately need to introduce more of into the side to spice things up and make them harder to predict.
Werner has bagged 50 goals in 90 games for Leipzig over the past two-and-a-half seasons and his eight in 22 at international level shows he is more than capable. If Muller was moved into his ‘space invader’ role, imagine the gaps that would leave for Werner. Absolute havoc.
Make way for Leroy
(Photo credit ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images)
The choice to leave Leroy Sane at home for the 2018 World Cup almost feels so wrong that it should be punishable as a crime, and it felt impossible to finish this piece without mentioning him.
Harsh? Maybe, but the 22-year-old bagged 10 goals and provided an incredible 15 assists last season; only fellow City man Kevin De Bruyne (16) provided more for his teammates. And, after a slow start this season, the wing wizard is doing it again – Sane is already on three goals and four assists in 14 games this time around, and he has only started eight of those matches.
As previously mentioned, Germany have desperately needed an injection of pace and Sane can provide just that. The former Schalke man netted his first international goal against Russia recently and if he is utilised correctly, it will be the first of many.
The post Four Germany players in decline, and five ready to step up appeared first on Squawka News.
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