The world champions have a problem.
If you are a fan of this German side it is nothing to be overly concerned by at this point, but it is there and it was glaringly obvious during their second round match with Poland last night.
The team that has, historically, held the blueprints for tournament football, is struggling to create in the final third and what’s more, is running out of striker and traditional centre-forward options.
As was mentioned, this is not a time to panic. Germany currently sit top of Group C on goal difference with four points from their first two fixtures and are expected to breeze by minnows Northern Ireland in their final game to progress top of the group, standard German practice in this day and age.
But what is not standard practice is the nature of their performances to this point, particularly in the final third. Joachim Low has persisted with Mario Gomez throughout the Euro qualifiers and in the leadup to this tournament, but Gomez was unable to impose himself during their first match with Ukraine, while Mario Gotze was largely a passenger during his time up front against Poland.
It should be mentioned that Ukraine and Poland’s defences sat very deep and made it hard for both the Marios to find space behind or even in between the lines in these games, but breaking down and penetrating deep lines should come as nothing new to Die Mannschaft and does not excuse the stagnancy up front or the lack of fluency that this star-studded side has been so accustomed to.
Whether Low will now persist with Gotze as the tournament plays out remains to be seen. It would be harsh to judge his credentials in the side on one match but tournament football demands perfection in the knockout stages and he will have to atone quickly if given the chance.
So what options do the Germans have? Well, the clear alternative is Thomas Muller, but Low’s reluctance to play the Bayern Munich forward at the nine is a curious and contentious one. It is hard to think that a forward with a World Cup Golden Boot in the prime of his career would be the world champions’ third choice in a tournament setting, but such is the 26-year-old’s versatility.
Muller has found himself pushed onto the right channel for the first two games, but one would think his workhorse, team-first, poacher style of play would have been suited to the limited spaces Germany were afforded (and most likely will be afforded) centrally in the first couple games. Is this a case of Low keeping his cards close to his chest before releasing Muller more central in the knockout stages? Only time will tell.
Low also has the option of gambling on out of form Galatasaray striker Lukas Podolski. Podolski was selected as one of only three recognised forwards in the German squad, but a starting appearance would certainly shock a few given his club form over the last few years. However, he does boast an outstanding international record with 48 goals in 128 appearances.
Perhaps the Germans could even take a page out of Spain’s Euro 2012 final effort by playing no recognised striker and overloading the midfield. Of course this probably will not happen but should not be totally scoffed at given the abundance of midfielders and talent within the squad.
Whatever is done, it is clear the world champions have not had it all their own way so far as many might have expected. However, in true German fashion, they still find themselves likely to progress with enough time to get it right.
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