5 Things Germany Must Fix to Start Winning Games Again

We all thought the group stage elimination of the defending World Cup champions was as low as it could get for Germany on the international stage. But there seems to be no stopping Die Mannschaft's fall from the once-lofty heights of consistent domination in games and tournaments.

Many felt giving coach Joachim Low a new contract until 2022 just before the World Cup was a huge mistake in hindsight. And more are of the opinion that he should have been dispensed with following their humiliating defeats to Mexico and South Korea in Russia.

In their last five competitive fixtures, Germany have taken 107 shots and only scored twice! A 3-0 loss to an exciting, young, up-and-coming Netherlands side only further proved the notion that Low may not be the right man for the resurrection after all.

With just a single point from two UEFA Nations League games and a visit to World Cup champions France to come, what do they need to fix?

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#1 Address the lack of creativity in midfield

Mesut Ozil's absence hasn't made Germany any better

When Mesut Ozil "retired" from the national team citing claims of racism and disrespect, it left a huge void in the middle of the park to fill for Low. The Arsenal midfielder didn't even meet the German coach when he was recently in London and it doesn't look like he will be making a return anytime soon either.

Many had said Ozil's absence would see a more compact team, pointing to his lack of interest in the defensive aspects of the game but this German side has been exposed time and again - regardless of Ozil's presence.

Against the Netherlands, Low surprisingly picked Joshua Kimmich in midfield alongside Emre Can and Toni Kroos. While Kimmich did a handy job of circulating the ball, the burden of creativity in the final third fell on Kroos.

The Real Madrid man, who usually plays deeper in the all-whites, was thrust further forward to make an impact and find the three forwards. But it was actually left-back Jonas Hector that created the most chances for the side.

Without a no.10 in the middle of the park, Germany were devoid of any real creativity. While they were able to advance the ball forward quite easily, it was the final pass or pre-assist that was really lacking in the final third.

Even at the World Cup, it was Ozil's vision and passes that made all the difference between a half-chance and a clear-cut chance where they were more likely to score.

#2 Why isn't Leroy Sane starting games?

Leroy Sane troubled Netherlands after coming on as a second-half substitute

Leroy Sane's omission from the World Cup squad has been discussed to death already. However, in broad terms, he may have struggled to make an impact with the majority of teams employing deep, defensive blocks at the World Cup to leave little space to be exploited by the quicker players.

Against the Netherlands, Sane started the game on the bench and only came on as a second-half substitute with the Germans trailing 1-0. The impact was almost immediate.

Sane ran the left flank ragged, giving both defenders Denzel Dumfries and Matthijs de Ligt problems. His pace allowed him to get in behind the last man and it was only the Dutch defenders' ability to shepherd him away from goal that saw him take a couple of shots from tight angles.

The 22-year-old played only a third of the game but still had almost the same number of shots on goal as Timo Werner who started the game on the left. And the defenders were clearly more fearful of Sane than Werner on the left.

#3 Repeating the same mistakes that cost Germany at the World Cup

Jerome Boateng was exposed just like he was at the World Cup

At the World Cup, one of the main reasons why teams like Mexico were able to counter-attack against Germany was due to the lack of a pure defensive midfielder. Both Kroos and Sami Khedira were charged with going forward at every opportunity.

It resulted in defenders Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng, playing in a high line, having to snuff out danger at the first opportunity. But Netherlands' trio of Memphis Depay, Steven Bergwijn, and Ryan Babel either drew the defenders in before making the pass to open them up or simply nicked the ball off of the German players with a moderate press.

When Germany were chasing the game, Low hooked off Can for an attacking player in Julian Draxler and that opened them up to counter-attacks with Kimmich unable to deal with the free-flowing Oranje tide on his own.

Germany's haphazard defensive organisation did them no favours either and it was almost comical to watch a player like Jerome Boateng make Georginio Wijnaldum look like Lionel Messi toying him with a sweet dribble that eventually saw him score their third in stoppage time.

Kimmich may have been better off playing as a right-back rather than experimenting with him in midfield while Boateng's position in the team is also under threat. He looks a shadow of his former self and there are eager, quicker defenders waiting in the wings to take his spot.

#4 Timo Werner proving to be ineffective

Timo Werner has only scored for Germany once in 2018

While Timo Werner continues to impress with RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga (despite a dip in form last season), the fact of the matter is that he has been drawing blanks with the German national team.

A trip to Russia in 2017 for the Confederations Cup saw him finish as one of three top scorers (3 goals) but he couldn't replicate that form at the World Cup. In fact, the only goal he has scored in 2018 was in a friendly against mighty Saudi Arabia.

Low had moved him from the role of a central striker (he isn't even a poacher) to a wide forward and that had helped him create space for himself. His performances in that role were much more productive at the World Cup when he moved out wide, even though there was a lack of goals.

His pace is also far more useful when he drifts in from wide positions. But coaches and defenders have figured out his modus operandi and, by denying him space to work with, they have managed to isolate him.

Of course, he still gets into good positions when he has the ball or wins it back. But without a strike partner to form a partnership with, Werner hasn't even been able to come up with an assist.

#5 Does Thomas Muller need a clearly defined role now?

Thomas Muller has scored just two goals for Germany since 2017

Another forward who has scored just one goal in 2018 is Thomas Muller - a goal against Spain in a friendly back in March. In fact, go further back and since the start of 2017, he has only two goals to his name (the other coming against Azerbaijan).

That is two goals in nearly 900 minutes!

Before the World Cup, he was expected to take his form from the previous two tournaments (10 goals in all) and reel in Miroslav Klose but the legendary German striker's record (16 goals) is quite safe for the time being.

Once known for making famous the term Der Raumdeuter (space investigator - for his ability to find space on the pitch), he has done little to cover himself in glory now that he is playing on the right and allowed to cut into the centre.

Germany have now had 107 goals attempts in their last 5 competitive matches since the start of the World Cup (32 on target) - but scored only 2 goals pic.twitter.com/FeRe4U0XBy

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) October 13, 2018

Muller has always been the unofficial second striker in the German attack even if he does play in an unconventional role. But against teams that sit back and hit on the counter - a very effective strategy against Low's Germany - Muller's role has diminished.

Even against the Netherlands, Muller had just one positive moment when his snapshot tested Jasper Cillissen, who was up to the task. But apart from that one shot on target, he was quite invisible while Uth and Werner worked hard to get the better of the Dutch defence.

In Ozil's absence, Low could actually test Muller in a free no.10 role and play someone like Julian Brandt on the flank (at least until Marco Reus is back in the squad).