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It only took two minutes for the party to start in Duisburg as a Bayern triumvirate set the Germans in motion. Leon Goretzka opened the scoring, Kai Havertz added a second and Ilkay Gündogan closed the game with an excellent goal to put the icing on the cake. Without further ado, here are the observations:
Joshua Kimmich is the best midfielder in the world
Recently, I was watching a panel on a major sports network where the host asks which player the panelists would prefer to team up with: Kevin de Bruyne or Joshua Kimmich? The answer seemed to be de Bruyne, unanimously. De Bruyne, in his own right, is an excellent player. However, I firmly believe that no one is as versatile or has a vision as Kimmich’s. Even when his head was down today, apparently focused on the ball, he knew where Leroy Sané was.
He chose Serge Gnabry for the first goal that found Goretzka with a wonderful pass back to his Bayern teammate. He chose Sané, who prepared Havertz for the second goal. He made at least three shots on goal himself and pinned down a makeshift Germany defense when he seemed in trouble, as he was there whenever Manuel Neuer looked for a pass in a dangerous situation. It made me realize that Bayern’s win last weekend against Stuttgart over the weekend with ten men was all the more impressive due to the absence of Kimmich.
Kimmich is the heart and soul of both the German team and Bayern. Without him, Bayern begins to lose points. Without him, Germany lost 6-0 to Spain.
Leroy Sané is simply quite magnificent
His performance waned in the second half after he appeared to take a minor blow in the first half, yet he was able to dance around Iceland’s backline for the first 45 minutes. He was everywhere and when Kimmich looked for his Bayern teammate, he found him. His pressure and defense were also top-notch.
One fear about the former Manchester City striker when he arrived at Bayern was that he would never reach his previous heights after his injury. I’d be happy to bet he’ll be better in the next few months barring injury issues. Sané seems like a player who has been a part of Bayern for much more than half a season or so. It appears to be the complete package as it defends and attacks with vigor. The nickname “Arjen Sané” is circulating, and with good reason.
Germany looked like a shadow of itself when an out-of-shape Gnabry and Sané played last year for the national team in August. Meanwhile today both players have returned to form and Germany looked excellent. Gnabry helped set up the first and third. Perhaps, if Bayern’s contingent stays in shape, Germany can legitimately contest Euro 2020.
An active core of Bayern Munich is vital for Joachim Löw
Let me be clear, this means that Thomas Müller also needs an invitation. The Bayern players know each other well, and their almost telepathic connection was evident to everyone today. An impromptu defense from Germany came close to getting caught on a few occasions, suggesting that the addition of Jerome Boateng and former Bayern player Mats Hummels might also be necessary. Niklas Süle’s absence was also obvious.
Although Löw has announced his departure, he still needs to ensure that there is harmony within the team before the Euro. As a result, it may be vital for Löw to call Müller before the Euros.
Should Toni Kroos be left on the bench?
Kroos is a clear favorite of Joachim Löw when it comes to the national team selection. Today he was not available for the national team and as a result Germany started with a trio of midfielders from Goretzka – Kimmich – Gündogan. Without Kroos, the midfield seemed more fluid and dynamic and the team seemed better connected overall.
Perhaps, this game was unique and because the opposition was poor, the need for Kroos was not necessary. Perhaps, there are more players in shape and therefore the absence of Kroos was not felt. However, with that said, the fluidity of Germany today made me think that a link between Kimmich and Goretzka is important to the functioning of the team. In the future, perhaps Kroos should feel comfortable on the bench, although that is highly unlikely to happen with a rather rigid national coach.
There you have it all! As always, let us know your thoughts below and thanks for reading!
