It was nice to see a goal from Thomas Muller in Germany’s 3-0 win over Norway in Oslo on Sunday. It was his first international goal in exactly three months. His last goal came in a friendly against Hungary on the eve of the Euro 2016 in France. He did not score in that tournament, not even in the penalty shootout against Italy. Muller achieved the ignominious honour of becoming the first German to miss a penalty in a major tournament since Uli Stielike's miss against France in 1982.
But Muller is never too far away from a penalty box though .There he was, rolling about the pitch in Oslo, surrounded by opposition players and his teammates. He found an opening amidst them to score a Mullersque goal, a deflected one, that is. This is what Germany missed during the summer. This is what Germany need in high-pressure situations.
Too settled for comfort?
Things look rosy for Germany generally. There is the calculated smartness of their captain, Manuel Neuer which might rub off on the others. Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng are a settled duo in defence who can occasionally fall prey to human tendencies, as was demonstrated by Hummels’ error in the Euro 2012 semi-final against Italy and Boateng’s handball hijinks in the 2016 quarter-final against the same opponents.
Midfielder Joshua Kimmich and left-back Jonas Hector may have just started their international careers but they look like they can channel the spirit of Phillip Lahm with their marauding runs into the opposition pitch, while preventing the opposition from doing the same. In midfield, Sami Khedira looks like a worthy replacement for the redoubtable Bastian Schweinsteiger.
The return of Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan will also add steel to defensive midfield. Further up in the pitch, in the zone between the attack and the midfield, are the likes of Mesut Ozil, Toni Kroos, Julian Draxler and, when he is not injured, Marco Reus.
It is in the final third that Germany need a go-to guy. Thomas Muller has managed to play that role effectively enough in the previous two World Cups. But he cannot always leave a decisive mark on the play. The introduction of Borussia Dortmund’s Mario Gotze into the team provided the spark that led Germany to the World Cup title in Brazil in 2014.
Right now, Wolfsburg’s Mario Gomez looks like Germany’s best option in the substitute bench for a needed goal. The long shadow of Miroslav Klose is yet to leave the German forward line.
Can’t have it too easy
Germany will next face Azerbaijan, San Marino, Northern Ireland and Czech Republic in their qualifying campaign. The last two teams are the only ones expected to offer some resistance to Germany winning all its qualifying matches. A perfect record can be deceptive as Germany found out when it won all of its matches in the run-up to Euro 2012.
Yet in that tournament, the tides shifted in the crucial semi-final against Italy in Warsaw and they were found wanting. Germany need to have their share of pressure situations to ward off complacency. They require more results like the exciting 4-4 draw against Sweden in 2012, which could actually prove more beneficial in the long run.
International football, especially in Europe, is in a state of uncertainty with several teams taking on new managers – Italy and Spain among others. Even the current champions in South America, Chile are struggling to make it to Russia.
But these are early days. Germany’s consistency, with regard to qualifying for major tournaments, is hard to match in world football. It should comfortably win its group. The big question for Die Mannschaft is: what next for them? Change is the only constant and it is up to manager Joachim Loew to effectively deal with the arrows of fortune in their efforts to be a juggernaut.
