German team in the EM check: How strong are Popp & Co.?

How strong is Merle Frohms as number one? What is the shape of returnee Alexandra Popp doing? Does the experiment work on the defensive? Together with expert Nia Künzer, the sports show takes a close look at the German team.

The trainer – meticulous football teacher with a clear speech

Martina Voss-Tecklenburg took over as national coach at the end of November 2018. Now she is contesting her first European championship with the DFB team. The quarter-finals at the World Cup three years ago was still largely seen as collateral damage in the process of rebuilding – even if it was tantamount to missing the Olympic tournament.

MVT, as the national coach is often briefly called, sees “the potential to play for the title” again. But anything other than formulating that claim would in the country of the record European champions also difficult to accept. The expertise of the national coach, who has played 125 international matches herself, is undisputed. The 55-year-old is a meticulous football coach who treats her players in a friendly manner.

That should not hide the fact that she can also make tough decisions and make clear announcements. Every player knows where she is. The MVT promise for the EM: The DFB team should inspire with offensive and dynamic football – and go far.

ARD expert Nia Künzer says: “Martina knows her players much better than she did at the World Cup three years ago. The pandemic has definitely made the development process that she always talks about more difficult. But she has used the time well to work with the team. She knows that she has to show in her second tournament that the team has taken the next step and can really compete in Europe.”

Tor – Frohms instead of Schult as number one

One of the most drastic decisions of the national coach so far was the clear commitment to Merle Frohms as number one before the European Championship. The 27-year-old matured into a national goalkeeper at Eintracht Frankfurt and represented Almuth Schult so well during her injury and baby break that the former world goalkeeper has to be content with the bench press role behind her successor at VfL Wolfsburg for the first time since 2015.

Schult, who will switch to the US league after the European Championship, accepted that with gnashing of teeth. The competitive situation can have a stimulating effect, but also harbor the potential for conflict.

At 1.75 meters, Frohms is a bit shorter than Schult (1.80 m), but he has a lot of jumping power. When it comes to football and controlling the penalty area, she is at least as strong as the long-standing number one. Maybe Schult will get a few percent more in a one-on-one. And Frohms certainly does not yet have the same authority as spokeswoman Schult.

An experienced number three is available in Ann-Kathrin Berger, who also has a home game on the island as a goalkeeper for Chelsea.

ARD expert Nia Künzer says: “Merle Frohms convinced me – in Frankfurt, but also with the national team. And I think it’s good that the decision was communicated early on. But Almuth Schult also held up very well after her comeback in Wolfsburg. The question of who Playing on both is a real luxury problem.”

Defense – central defense problem area

The defense is the biggest construction site in the national team, more precisely: the central defense. The national coach has tried a lot in the central positions in the back four – with no really satisfactory result. In Germany there is simply a lack of tall defense specialists who can survive at this level.

In the test against Switzerland, Kathrin Hendrich and Marina Hegering harmonized very well, but neither of them were really challenged. Voss-Tecklenburg’s decision to join Hegering is not without risk: the 32-year-old, who is moving from Bayern Munich to VfL Wolfsburg, only made five Bundesliga appearances last season due to a long-term injury.

It remains to be seen whether she can compensate for a lack of match practice with experience and her strong positional play.

Felicitas Rauch (left) and Giulia Gwinn (right) should play as full-backs. Both are extremely offensive and reliable crossers. Nicole Anyomi, actually a striker, has already tested Voss-Tecklenburg as an alternative on right-back. Sara Doorsoun and Sophia Kleinherne are currently only second choices.

ARD expert Nia Künzer says: “Kathi Hendrich had a great season in Wolfsburg and established herself in central defence. When Marina Hegering is really fit, then she’s at a really good level. The same applies to Giulia Gwinn, who was also absent in Munich for a long time. The position of the Left-back was open the longest, but Felicitas Rauch is a good defender, it’s all about how the four play together – especially against the big teams.”

Midfield – comfort zone even without Maroszan

The absence of Dzsenifer Maroszan (torn cruciate ligament) was classified as a bitter loss. But the strategist from Olympique Lyon has often fallen short of her potential in major tournaments – and in midfield the national coach can draw from an oversupply of strong players.

Lena Oberdorf in the central defensive position cannot get past the team’s internal competition. Sara Däbritz as the driver of the game and Lina Magull as the passer should also be set. If everyone stays healthy, players like Linda Dallmann, Sydney Lohmann or Lena Lattwein will only come off the bench, but as jokers they almost always provide impetus.

ARD expert Nia Künzer says: “With Lena Oberdorf, Sara Däbritz and Lina Magull, behind them Linda Dallmann, Sydney Lohmann and Lena Lattwein – that’s really impressive. This sextet is of a really good level. And I’m optimistic that the German midfield will be at the European Championship capacity will be retrieved.”

Attack – Pop to scare opponents

Suddenly striker again! According to the plans of the national coach, captain Alexandra Popp should contest the European Championship in her favorite position. The Wolfsburg player can play pretty much anywhere except in goal, but the long injury break and a corona infection shortly before the tournament are in the bones of the 31-year-old. As a striker, the plan is for her to wear herself out less and impress the opposing defense with her physical presence alone. At first probably only as a joker.

After all, Popp (53 goals in 114 international matches) also has tough competition for the position of snapper in her first European Championship finals. Lea Schüller’s goal rate (25 goals in 39 games) is currently unmatched.

The tips are fed by the wing players Svenja Huth and Klara Bühl. Bühl showed with her hat-trick against Switzerland that she can also shine as an enforcer. Huth, who is strong at dribbling, can drop back into midfield at any time, as can young Jule Brand.

Laura Freigang will have to wait for her chance at her first big tournaments. Tabea Wassmuth, who played an outstanding Bundesliga season in Wolfsburg with 13 goals in 21 games, was thrown back by calf problems before the European Championship and also has to queue up at the back.

ARD expert Nia Künzer says: “For me, Svenja Huth is a real machine who is not only a top performer but is now also a leading player. There can be nothing better than Klara Bühl delivering like that against Switzerland. We have to use this momentum. And like in goal there is also a luxury problem in the center forward position. There are really worse things than deciding between Alexandra Popp and Lea Schüller. When Schüller is in the flow, she hits with left, right and with her head.”

Source: sportschau.de