German Football 2024/2025

[gary69]

Welp, had to happen sooner or later but that was a pretty crappy way to lose a game. Up 2-0, at home, giving up a soft goal or two... oh well. Onward and upward.

Hradecky might have saved one of those goals, but Leverkusen certainly created enough chances, they had close to 20 corners. Wirtz was everywhere, very good all around match from him.

Sesko was quite anonymous, but Leipzig still scored three.

Maybe the key was Rose being sent off, that galvanized his team.

 

[luiginb]

I don't think Gross has the legs to work in a double pivot anymore, Dortmund s issue is his best position now is Brandt's

 

[cgf]

I don't think Gross has the legs to work in a double pivot anymore, Dortmund s issue is his best position now is Brandt's

He’s done fine next to Andrich for the NT, so with Can’s mobility and Brandt being a good defender for a 10, I think it could work well.

But I could see Sabitzer being the lock at the 8 with Can & Groß platooning at the 6 depending on the opponent.

Only using all 3 with Brandt in the front 3, when really outclassed.

 

[cgf]

Downs scored a nice goal to open the scoring against Schalke.

3-0 now

 

[cgf]

I’d take Martel & Thielmann if Köln don’t get promoted. Martel can take over for Khedira and Thielmann can platoon with Habeber when Juranovic leaves.

Amin Younes sighting!

 

[cgf]

Schalke have been way more dangerous since Younes came on but just haven’t been able to get a 2nd goal…1 called back for offside and 1 stopped on the line.

They did pull 1 back though.

 

[cgf]

Boah, Arne Maier almost slips a crafty FK under the bar after just 2 minutes.

Wanner looks lively today. Can he keep his goal scoring run going?

 

[cgf]

Another match another goal for Wanner who converts from the spot after just 10 minutes.

Kid has now scored in both BuLi matches, the DFB Pokal, and the Conf. League qualifier.

It’s gunna suck to lose him to Austria…even if we’re stacked in that part of the pitch.

 

[cgf]

2-0 after 30min. Heidenheim need to tighten the space between their press and their defense. They are leaving way too much space in midfield and Augsburg have hit the crossbar twice already.

 

[gary69]

Augsburg were surprisingly bad defensively, and Heidenheim did surprisingly well. Wanner already the designated PK taker for the team this early?

Wanner did put a defensive effort and made some body contacts and stole the ball away from opponents in midfield, but still seemed a bit of luxury player in his position. The assist he got was a pretty simple one, largely due to his position. His replacement did about the same kind of assist in their 4th goal.

It's too early to tell, but maybe Wanner could find a Thomas Muller type of spot for himself. Not all the teams can afford to play such of player, though.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

It’s gunna suck to lose him to Austria…even if we’re stacked in that part of the pitch.

You say this in every post about Wanner. Is that some sort of reverse jinxing? If he's turning into a star, he'd be an idiot not to pick Germany given the much better possibilities there. I don't remember a guy Germany lost to Austria for reasons other than "unlikely to play regularly for Germany".

 

[gary69]

I think the question is if he can co-exist with likes of Musiala and Wirtz if all are healthy. So in that sense it might make some sense for him to choose Austria, if he'll be a started for thme now already.

For Bayern, it's interesting choice to do next year, do they go after Wirtz or settle with Wanner instead. Assuming Musiala stays.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Neither Wirtz nor Musiala have established themselves in the national team to a degree where you'd say they're firmly entrenched. For starters, there's definitely at least another spot open in that area as Germany will always play with at least four outright attacking players, at least under Nagelsmann.

But also Germany hasn't won anything with the current setup. It's arguably still a pretty good time to break into the Germany squad and make a difference.

 

[cgf]

Augsburg were surprisingly bad defensively, and Heidenheim did surprisingly well. Wanner already the designated PK taker for the team this early?

Wanner did put a defensive effort and made some body contacts and stole the ball away from opponents in midfield, but still seemed a bit of luxury player in his position. The assist he got was a pretty simple one, largely due to his position. His replacement did about the same kind of assist in their 4th goal.

It's too early to tell, but maybe Wanner could find a Thomas Muller type of spot for himself. Not all the teams can afford to play such of player, though.

The way he won the ball back before his assist was very impressive, though the pass itself was simple.

 

[Power Man]

It sucks that Amoura had to miss the start of this season because if an injury, he had an excellent ore-season with his new club (Wolfsburg)

 

[cgf]

You say this in every post about Wanner. Is that some sort of reverse jinxing? If he's turning into a star, he'd be an idiot not to pick Germany given the much better possibilities there. I don't remember a guy Germany lost to Austria for reasons other than "unlikely to play regularly for Germany".

A little of column a & a little of column b. Samardzic would be the counter point of a German dual national with the quality to contribute to our NT but who left because he didn’t want to compete with Wirtz / Musiala / Gruda / Darvich / etc.

And Wanner has already attended a training camp with the Austrian NT.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

A little of column a & a little of column b. Samardzic would be the counter point of a German dual national with the quality to contribute to our NT but who left because he didn’t want to compete with Wirtz / Musiala / Gruda / Darvich / etc.

And Wanner has already attended a training camp with the Austrian NT.

Yeah because Rangnick was smart enough to let him attend without any commitment. I think Wanner wants to keep the Austrians in the picture in case the German door closes. But if he breaks through this year and gets an invite to the German squad for an official fixture, I don't see him going "sorry I'd rather go with Austria".

 

[cgf]

Yeah because Rangnick was smart enough to let him attend without any commitment. I think Wanner wants to keep the Austrians in the picture in case the German door closes. But if he breaks through this year and gets an invite to the German squad for an official fixture, I don't see him going "sorry I'd rather go with Austria".

I hope you’re right. But I can see him looking at competing with Wirtz / Musiala / Gruda / Führich / Sane / Brandt / Adeyemi / etc. + all of the kids younger than him vs a staring sport for Austria and going the way of Samardzic / Dardai.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Weird match. Heidenheim the very early candidate for this year's Union/Stuttgart.

 

[cgf]

Neither Wirtz nor Musiala have established themselves in the national team to a degree where you'd say they're firmly entrenched. For starters, there's definitely at least another spot open in that area as Germany will always play with at least four outright attacking players, at least under Nagelsmann.

But also Germany hasn't won anything with the current setup. It's arguably still a pretty good time to break into the Germany squad and make a difference.

They aren’t established…yet…but these guys have eyes. They watch Flo & Jamal play and they see how they are treated by coaches and the dfb. They know those two will be the driving force of our NT for years to come.

That means that there’s just 1 non-rotational spot for a creative (at most) and already competing for that spot are Havertz, Sane, Führich, Brandt, Gruda, Adeyemi, etc.

And with Nagelsmann he could opt for a 2nd forward or 3rd midfielder instead, bringing Füllkrug, Beier, Undav, Moukoko, Kleindienst, etc. and Groß, Goretzka, Stiller, Reitz, Ouedraogo, etc. into the mix as well.

I rate Wanner even more than Samardzic, Dardai, Dinkci, Tillman, etc. but Lazar was a stud for our u21 team before he switched and was successfully making the leap to senior football as well. So it’s not like we haven’t lost anyone who could have made an impact on our senior team.

 

[cgf]

Weird match. Heidenheim the very early candidate for this year's Union/Stuttgart.

Augsburg are a mess. You could really tell they turned over like half the squad.

Heidenheim were really clinical but they left huge gaps in the midfield, that back line needs to support the press a lot better if they don’t want better teams to rip them open.

 

[cgf]

I think the question is if he can co-exist with likes of Musiala and Wirtz if all are healthy. So in that sense it might make some sense for him to choose Austria, if he'll be a started for thme now already.

For Bayern, it's interesting choice to do next year, do they go after Wirtz or settle with Wanner instead. Assuming Musiala stays.

Not just that but the current competition is stacked with the prime aged guys…Havertz, Sane, Brandt, Führich, etc…other kids…Gruda, Adeyemi, Darvich, Brunner, Bischof, etc...and forwards like Beier, Undav, & Burkardt, who can play in the creative band.

And that’s if Nagelsmann plays with a front 4, not just a front 3.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Why would Wanner - who is playing in the BuLI and scoring goals - worry about guys like Brunner, Darvich or Bischof who are playing for B teams in lower leagues. I mean he's got more than a leg up on them. It's also just silly, if you play for a big nation there's going to be competition. But that's a good thing because that's what allows you to play in big tournaments and big matches in those.

 

[cgf]

Why would Wanner - who is playing in the BuLI and scoring goals - worry about guys like Brunner, Darvich or Bischof who are playing for B teams in lower leagues. I mean he's got more than a leg up on them. It's also just silly, if you play for a big nation there's going to be competition. But that's a good thing because that's what allows you to play in big tournaments and big matches in those.

Since you’re nitpicking 3 of about 20 players that I mentioned who he would be competing with for just 1 spot, I take it you agree with my premise…


In this hypothetical where he does pick Austria, he would be worried about the depth as a whole, depth that isn’t likely to get any lighter in the future.

Cause while he waits for the Sanabry / Brandt / Führich / Füllkrug / Undav generations to slow down, those other kids could close the gap & join him / Gruda / Adeyemi / Beier / Moukoko / Havertz in competing for the spots around Wirtz & Musiala.

Whereas Austria would be offering him a major role on ascending tier 2 European team right away. Same reasons Samardzic did it even though he could probably start for us in the Kroos role right now.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

At this point the player of the type of quality we want shouldn't worry about a Brandt, Sane or Gnabry. They'll be 30+ by the time of the next World Cup, and there's a reason guys like Wirtz and Musiala managed to jump ahead of them pretty quickly.