The goal is to win the championship! European Cup-Germany: The main structure is stable and the iron-blooded spirit returns

At 03:00 on the morning of June 15, the opening match of the European Cup(Euro 2024) will see Germany take on Scotland, with the host German team making their official debut.

After two consecutive World Cups where they failed to advance from the group stage, even the combined efforts of talented young players, seasoned veterans, and a legendary coach could not save the dire situation. German football is currently experiencing a low point not seen in many years, and the European Cup on home soil is the best opportunity for the German war chariot to regain its momentum. Unlike the talent drought at the turn of the century, today’s Germany boasts a dazzling array of stars across all lines. Hansi Flick has eliminated many unstable factors, endowing this team, with Kroos at its core and a reasonable age structure, with an astonishing upper limit.

[Selecting talents without bias, the young commander’s firm leadership]

Flick has asked Kroos to take charge of the overall situation, abandoned the in-form Hummels, and resolutely excluded Goretzka, who was unwilling to be a substitute, allowing Stuttgart (with 4 players) to become the second-largest national team base after Bayern… Flick’s selection of the 26-man squad has been controversial. This young commander, who is good at making adjustments during his club days, has brought his independent and unique style to the national team stage.

The German team under Löw and Flick has set many embarrassing records. After Flick took over, he made a lot of efforts to ensure a soft landing for the German war chariot. From losing to Turkey and Austria to defeating France and the Netherlands, Germany has won back respect through its performance. Flick has not only gradually established his personal authority but also imprinted a clear personal mark on this team that has been lost in the tactical field for many years. Players with solid skills and a willingness to contribute to the team have been promoted, while those with prominent personalities but not fitting the team’s needs are not considered.

[The main lineup is stable, with doubts about two positions]

After several high-quality warm-up matches, Germany’s main lineup has emerged. Neuer’s starting order is ahead of Ter Stegen, in front of him are Kimmich, Jonathan Tah, Rüdiger, and Ginter, with Gundogan and Kroos as the double pivot, Gundogan roaming between midfield and the front line, and Wirtz and Musiala needing to cover the space on the flanks and wings. Due to Flick’s physical condition, which is difficult to withstand the consumption of a 90-minute high-intensity match, Havertz is still Flick’s first choice for the central striker position.

The German team under Flick also mainly used the 4-2-3-1 formation, and Flick has further improved on this basis, focusing on improving the overall pace of attack and defense and the quality of the attack.

In this era of comprehensive technical reform in German football, the youth training systems of various clubs are focusing on cultivating technical midfielders and wingers, while the once talent-rich defensive midfielders and central strikers have become a minority. After Klose retired from the national team, how to choose the No. 9 position has become a difficult problem for the German coach; with the departure of the Bender brothers and Kramer, the defensive issues in the midfield have become the shortcomings of the German war chariot. Gundogan took on a major responsibility in the national team for the first time, and Havertz has not yet proven himself in major competitions, making the German central axis still not reassuring, and the performance of Kroos and Gundogan is very important.

[The attacking midfielder leads the offensive storm, and the efficiency of the central striker determines the upper limit]

Havertz leads the high press and pressing, with Wirtz and Musiala, who are versatile in both central and wide positions, in the second line. Flick uses Gundogan, who is good at connecting and advancing, to partner with Kroos in the defensive midfield. Within his capabilities, Flick has created a very forward-moving central axis, with the aim of relying on the midfield or even the back line’s follow-up strength to form multiple waves of impact to make up for the lack of a central striker’s support ability. In recent warm-up matches, Germany is no longer obsessed with possession but has accepted the mode of counter-attack or tug-of-war, to take advantage of the strong front field impact, the midfield core’s good scheduling, the back field’s fast return speed, and the goalkeeper’s large range of activity.

Flick wasted too much time in the process of finding the front field combination, while Flick has long determined the dual-core model of Wirtz & Musiala.

Wirtz and Musiala are flexible in position, they can fill the gap left by Havertz’s retreat, leaving the flank channels to Kimmich and Ginter. Flick hopes that the young players on both wings can do more work, reduce the pressure on the old players in the middle, and let Kroos and Gundogan focus on their own strengths. Kroos’s long pass is the signal for the German attack to speed up, Gundogan and Gundogan need the cover of the central striker to enter the range, Havertz is qualified to be the main force, and Flick is the support for Germany in the key moments.

Flick is regarded as a symbol of the iron-blooded spirit of German football. In the process of following Dortmund into the Champions League final, he proved that his running ability can meet the requirements of high-intensity matches. After entering the knockout stage, Flick is expected to get more playing time and play an important role.