5 Things Germany Must Fix to Start Winning Games Again

#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.